Artistic Gymnastics at the 1936 Summer Olympics

The 1936 Olympic gymnastics competitions were held at the Dietrich-Eckart-Freilichtbühne in the Reichssportfeld. This was an outdoor venue which was common for gymnastics in that era, but it would be the last time Olympic gymnastics was conducted outdoors. After the 1932 program, which included some unusual, American-oriented events such as rope climbing, tumbling, and club swinging, the 1936 gymnastics program returned to the men’s standard of a team and individual all-around, with six apparatus events. Women had competed in a team all-around at Amsterdam in 1928, but had no gymnastics events at the 1932 Olympics. However, in Berlin, the women’s team all-around was returned to the Olympic Program.

Germany and Switzerland dominated the events, winning 22 of the 28 medals, with Germany winning 13 and Switzerland 9 medals. Germany won six of the nine events. They were led by Konrad Frey, who won six medals and three golds; and Alfred Schwarzmann, who won five medals and the individual all-around.