An American in Berlin, 1936

Authored by Lindsay Jankovitz

Postcard written by J.J Cole to Edward J. Bartlett’s parents while at the Berlin Olympics, August, 1936 (front)

Postcard written by J.J Cole to Edward J. Bartlett’s parents while at the Berlin Olympics, August, 1936 (front)

This postcard was found among the collection I have been working with during my Academic Service-Learning component for course LIS 203 at Bard College. This collection details the letters of a student, Edward J. Bartlett, to his parents during his time at Bard College from 1936-1940 and while serving in World War II from 1943-1945. This postcard is unique in that it places Bartlett at the Berlin Olympics at a time when most Americans felt strongly about boycotting the event, and when many European scholars and artists were finding refuge at his college, including Hannah Arendt, Stefan Hirsch, and Werner Wolff. This postcard was written to Bartlett’s parents by J. J Cole, whose relationship to Edward J. Bartlett is currently unknown.


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A Catholic Boycott of the 1936 Summer Olympics

Authored By Christopher K. Elford

Telegram written by Christian Leaders asking Father James Martin Gillis to join them in calling for a boycott of the 1936 Summer Olympic Games

Telegram written by Christian Leaders asking Father James Martin Gillis to join them in calling for a boycott of the 1936 Summer Olympic Games

Introduction

The telegram pictured was written by five prominent Christian leaders to Father James Martin Gillis in October, 1935.  In it Gillis is asked to join his name to the statement written by the authors.  The telegram belongs to the Paulist Fathers archives and serves to show the Christian perspective on what is traditionally thought as an exclusively Jewish subject. Continue reading