Roland Naul/Manfred Lämmer (Hrsg.)

In this book results of the second Willibald Gebhardt symposium are published which took pace in Berlin in 1999 with international participation. The authors of the articles picked out different aspects of the early history of the Olympic movement from 1894 to 1914. The first chapter deals with the development of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) since 1894 and provides insight into the world around 1900. Chapter 2 describes persons who supported Dr. Willibald Gebhardt and his efforts for Germany’s participation at the Olympic games. Gebhardt’s biography is further examined with view to his support of fencing in Germany and Austria. In Chapter 3 the beginnings of the Olympic movement in other European countries are portrayed – those countries whose representatives worked together with Gebhardt in the IOC. Also potential influences of the English sport on Coubertin’s idea to organize international Olympic games are studied as well as the resistance against Coubertin’s idea in his home country France. Depictions of the Olympic beginnigs in Sweden, Italy and Russia follow, and at the end particularities of the multiracial state Austro-Hungary from Austrian, Hungarian and Czech point of view are subject of inquiry.

ISBN 3-89124-791-5
Aachen Meyer & Meyer Verlag 2002