Harper Lin
In 1936, a year after being nominated Chancellor of Germany, Adolf Hitler sponsored a golf tournament in Baden-Baden, Germany. The tournament was held after the Olympics and was an attempt at sportswashing, giving the world a respectable image of the Nazi party. Hitler was expected to present the trophy to the German team, but when the English team staged a comeback, Hitler was said to have turned back in anger. The trophy, known as the Hitler Trophy, was eventually acquired by the Hesketh Golf Club in 2012 and is now on display in their grillroom.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year | 1936 |
| Location | Baden-Baden Golf Club, Germany |
| Number of participating countries | 7 |
| Number of golfers per country | 2 |
| Number of rounds | 4 |
| Number of holes | 72 |
| Scoring format | Total score for twosomes over four rounds |
| Winner | England |
| English golfers | Arnold Bentley, Tommy Thirsk |
| German golfers | Leonard von Beckerath, C. A. Hellmers |
| Hitler's reaction to Germany's loss | Furious |
| Tournament trophy | Silver-gilt salver inlaid with amber disks |
| Current location of trophy | Hesketh Golf Club |
| Hitler's involvement in golf | Tried unsuccessfully to take up the sport |
| Golf club at Hitler's Eagle's Nest | Berchtesgaden Golf Club |
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What You'll Learn
Hitler sponsored a golf tournament in 1936
In 1936, ten days after the close of the Summer Olympics in Berlin, a worldwide golf competition was held in the German town of Baden-Baden. The tournament was sponsored by Adolf Hitler and organised by the German Golf Union, whose president at the time was Karl Henkell, also known as the "Golf Führer". The competition, named the "Grosser Golfpries Der Nationen" (Golf Prize of Nations), featured two-man teams competing in four rounds of stroke play, with tallies from both players counting towards the final score.
Invitations were sent to 36 countries, but the majority declined the offer. Ultimately, seven countries participated in the tournament: France, England, Italy, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, the Netherlands, and Germany. Each country was represented by a pair of golfers. The English competitors were Tommy Thirsk, from Ganton Golf Club, and Arnold Bentley, from Hesketh Golf Club.
The tournament was broadcast by the Third Reich Propaganda Minister, Joseph Goebbels, on the radio. Germany led going into the final round, but England started to make a comeback during the last 18 holes. Thirsk and Bentley dominated the final two rounds, and in the end, they beat the Germans by twelve strokes and the French by four.
The tournament trophy, commissioned by Hitler, was a silver-gilt salver inlaid with faceted amber disks. Bentley's winnings also included a small potted fir tree, which he gave to his club. The tree was planted in front of the clubhouse and was nicknamed the "Hitler Tree". During World War II, members of the club used it as a urinal.
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$16.35 $24
The Hitler Trophy
In 1936, ten days after the Berlin Summer Olympics, an international golf tournament was held in Baden-Baden, in the Black Forest. The tournament, known as "The Great Golf Prize of Nations", was sponsored and sanctioned by Adolf Hitler, who was eager to salvage some sporting pride for Germany after the multiple humiliations inflicted by Jesse Owens during the Games.
Seven countries participated in the tournament, each represented by a pair of golfers. The format was 72 holes of stroke play over two days, with each team's score being the aggregate score of both its players. The English competitors were Tommy Thirsk, from Ganton Golf Club, and Arnold Bentley, from Hesketh. After 36 holes, the Germans led by three strokes. However, Thirsk and Bentley dominated the final two rounds, ultimately beating the Germans by twelve strokes and the French by four.
The tournament trophy, known as the Hitler Trophy, was a silver-gilt or brass salver inlaid with amber disks. According to some accounts, Hitler planned to present the trophy to the winners, who he hoped would be German. However, upon learning of the English team's comeback victory, Hitler allegedly turned back in a fury, ordering his chauffeur to return to Berlin.
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Hitler's Eagle's Nest
Hitler's Eagles Nest, or Kehlsteinhaus, is a building erected on top of a mountain in the German town of Berchtesgaden. It was commissioned by Martin Bormann in the summer of 1937 as a gift for Hitler's 50th birthday, which fell on 20 April 1939. The building was used exclusively by members of the Nazi Party for government and social meetings. Hitler himself visited Kehlsteinhaus on 14 documented occasions. Today, it is open seasonally as a restaurant, beer garden, and tourist site.
The Kehlsteinhaus is located near Obersalzberg, a town in the Bavarian Alps that the Nazis turned into a fortress. Obersalzberg was home to infamous Nazis such as Hermann Göring and Martin Bormann. After the war, in 1947, the US Forces handed Obersalzberg over to the Free State of Bavaria, but they kept control of vital areas, including the land on which Hitler's Eagles Nest stood.
In 1955, the US forces granted the establishment of a local golf club, which became the Berchtesgaden Golf Club. The club was open to everyone, regardless of their military affiliation. The golf course remained under American administration until 1996.
Today, the Berchtesgaden Golf Club maintains a strong connection to its history. Its mission statement acknowledges the "historical pollution of the terrain" and vows to "never forget the victims of National Socialism". The club promotes the idea that golf should be accessible to people of all ages, genders, social statuses, and skill levels.
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Hitler tried to play golf
In 1936, Hitler sponsored an international golf tournament in the German town of Baden-Baden. The tournament was held shortly after the Berlin Olympics, where Hitler's dreams of celebrating a "master race" were dashed by the performance of Black American athlete Jesse Owens.
Hitler, who did not attend the tournament, was represented by his Nazi Foreign Minister, Joachim von Ribbentrop. The tournament was hosted by the German Golf Union, whose president at the time was Ribbentrop's brother-in-law.
According to one account, as the German team led the tournament after 36 holes, Ribbentrop sent word to Hitler of an impending German victory. Eager to present the trophy to members of his "master race," Hitler set out for Baden-Baden. However, the English team, represented by Arnold Bentley and Tommy Thirsk, dominated the final two rounds, ultimately beating the Germans by twelve strokes.
Upon learning of the German team's defeat, Hitler was said to have been furious, ordering his chauffeur to turn the car around and take him back to Berlin. While this version of events has been supported by Bentley's son, Robert, there is no concrete evidence to confirm it.
In addition to the 1936 tournament, Hitler's association with golf can also be seen at Obersalzberg, the location of Hitler's Eagle's Nest. After the war, US soldiers based in Germany and Europe came to play golf at Eagle's Nest during their days off. The area was later turned into a golf course and officially opened as the Berchtesgaden Golf Club in 1955.
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Hitler's golf course
The town of Obersalzberg was once a Nazi fortress known as Hitler's Eagle's Nest. After the war, US soldiers based in Germany and across Europe would come to play golf at Eagle's Nest on their days off. In 1955, US forces granted the establishment of a local golf club, which became the Berchtesgaden Golf Club. The club was opened to all members, regardless of whether they were military personnel or not.
The golf course remained under American administration until 1996, with large parts of the Obersalzberg hillside remaining under the control of the US Army until 1995. When the land was given back, it was with the condition that all Nazi edifices, including Hitler's Berghof, were destroyed.
The golf club covers a total length of 5266 meters, with slopes that are either ascending or descending. The club is proud of its state-of-the-art facilities, coupled with its unique golf course. The club maintains a philosophy of inclusivity, stating that:
> "We are aware of the historical pollution of the terrain on which we play golf and do not suppress it, that is precisely why we will never forget the victims of National Socialism. Golf should enable people of all ages, gender, social status or skills to play together. [It] should be accessible to everyone regardless of their social origin."
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Frequently asked questions
There is no evidence to suggest that Hitler played golf. However, he did have connections to the sport.
Hitler sponsored a golf tournament in 1936 in the German town of Baden-Baden. The tournament was held after the Olympics, which also took place in Germany that year.
Hitler was summoned to Baden-Baden to present the trophy to the Germans, who were leading going into the final round. However, the English team staged a comeback, forcing Hitler to turn back.
The trophy, a silver-gilt salver inlaid with amber disks, was brought back to England and became the property of the English Golf Union. It was later auctioned off and acquired by the Hesketh Golf Club for £20,000.
Yes, the Berchtesgaden Golf Club in Obersalzberg, known as "Hitler's Eagle's Nest", still exists and is open to the public. The club is aware of its history and maintains a philosophy of inclusivity and remembrance for the victims of National Socialism.
