Another Footnote to the History of Riefenstahl's Olympia

Abstract

ABSTRACT:This article reveals completely unknown information regarding the production of a film covering the 1936 Berlin Olympics. It introduces and analyzes a translation of forgotten interviews that Leni Riefenstahl gave in Berlin and then in Belgrade in advance of the Olympic Games beginning that July, and which occurred before her journey to Athens for the filming of the events. Leni Riefenstahl's statements in these heretofore unexamined interviews fully support Susan Sontag's view that the two-part Olympics film was entirely planned and funded by the Nazi government.