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IOC Defends Sale of 1936 Berlin Olympics T‑Shirt, Citing Heritage and Trademark Protection

Critics call the merchandise offensive given the Games’ role in Nazi propaganda.

Overview

  • The official Olympic shop offered a limited-run shirt reproducing Franz Würbel’s 1936 Berlin poster, and the item has sold out.
  • Jewish organizations, Holocaust scholars and German politicians condemned the listing as insensitive and lacking adequate context.
  • The IOC said the shirt is part of its Heritage Collection and pointed to athletic achievements in Berlin, including those of Jesse Owens.
  • IOC spokesman Mark Adams told reporters the limited production helps preserve IOC trademarks and deter potential misuse.
  • Other heritage items include designs from the 1936 Garmisch-Partenkirchen Winter Games and the 1972 Munich Olympics, and the IOC has not announced any changes to the program.