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).
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 of the 1st Winter Maccabiah in Zakopane
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]
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]
Poland received the most medals in the first winter Maccabiah;[3] Some of the wins include I. Wahrenhaupt (Men's 18 kmcross-country skiing), Szwarcbard (Women's 8 kmcross-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.
^Mendelsohn, Ezra[in Hebrew] (March 31, 2009). Jews and the Sporting Life : Studies in Contemporary Jewry XXIII. Oxford University Press. p. 26. ISBN978-0195382914.
Poland
Czechoslovakia
Austria
Romania
