1933 Maccabiah Games
| Host city | Zakopane, Poland[1] |
|---|---|
| Nations | 8[1] |
| Athletes | 250[1] |
| Opening | February 2, 1933 |
| Closing | February 5, 1933 |
| Main venue | Wielka Krokiew, Zakopane |
| Summer | |
| Winter | |
The 1st Winter Maccabiah (Hebrew: מכביית החורף הראשונה; Polish: Pierwsza zimowa Makabiada) was held in Zakopane,[2] Poland from February 2 to 5, 1933.[1] Coincidentally, the opening ceremony took place two days after Adolf Hitler was appointed chancellor (January 30, 1933).
History
[edit]Following the successful games of the 1st Maccabiah in 1932, there was a growing interest in winter sports among the European nations. The Maccabi federation of Poland was in charge of organizing the Winter Maccabiah.[3] In the 1930s, that federation was strongest pillar of the Maccabi World Union, consisting of 30,000 Jewish athletes members. The games were met with great opposition;[4] the Gazeta Warszawska newspaper encouraged Polish youth to intervene during the games to prevent the "Jewification of Polish winter sports venues".[5]
Opening ceremony
[edit]
The opening ceremony for the games took place at the Stadium in Zakopane on February 2, 1933.[1] Lord Melchett, honorary president of the World Maccabi Organization, did not attend the ceremony; instead he sent his blessing and an apology - a large statue depicting the persecution of Jews resistance to antisemitism through the ages.[1]
Participating communities
[edit]Jewish athletes from 8 nations participated; most notably, no athletes from Eretz Yisrael took part in the games. The number in parentheses indicates the number of athletes in the delegation.[1]
Games highlights
[edit]Poland received the most medals in the first winter Maccabiah;[3] Some of the wins include I. Wahrenhaupt (Men's 18 km cross-country skiing), Szwarcbard (Women's 8 km cross-country skiing), M. Enker (Male Luge), R. Enker (Women Luge), G. Bergler (figure skating), H. Mückenbrun (Downhill), and Women's 3×5 kilometer relay.[3]
The 1st Winter Maccabiah also hosted the first international Maccabiah hockey tournament.
Table
[edit]| Nation | Points |
|---|---|
 Poland |
131 |
 Czechoslovakia |
32 |
 Austria |
29 |
 Romania |
8 |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g נישטו לורד מלצ'ט! [Nicht Lord Melchett!] (in Yiddish). 1933. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
- ^ Anna Pollak-Fass (May 8, 2006). "JEWISH LIFE IN THE PODHALE DISTRICT". Retrieved February 23, 2014.
- ^ a b c Rokicki, Jarosław (November 24, 2008). "Makabiady" (in Polish). Rzeczpospolita. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
- ^ "Maccabi Movement". YIVO Institute for Jewish Research. 2010. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
- ^ Mendelsohn, Ezra [in Hebrew] (March 31, 2009). Jews and the Sporting Life : Studies in Contemporary Jewry XXIII. Oxford University Press. p. 26. ISBN 978-0195382914.
- ^ Nowy Dziennik. 1933, nr 39
