1930s - 1950s winter olympics

Lake Placid 1932

The Winter Games leave Europe for the first time, a choice that was widely criticised due to the distance and because Lake Placid, New York, is a small town less than 600 meters above sea level. At a time when female athletes account for less than 10% of the field, British figure skater Mollie Phillip was the first female flag bearer in the history of the Games. 

Nation: United States of America

Athletes: 252 (21 women, 231 men)

Teams: 17

Medal table: United States of America, Norway, Sweden

 Lake Placid 1932 Winter Olympics, Opening Ceremony, the United States delegation filmed by NBC reporters

Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1936

In the Bavarian Alps, the Nazi Party’s organisational and propaganda machine is gearing up for the grand stage of the Berlin Summer Games. Director Leni Riefenstahl, famous for her feature film Olympia, is also commissioned to film the winter event. During the opening ceremony, with Adolf Hitler present, the Olympic torch is lit for the first time. Alpine skiing makes its debut on the competition program, with a combined format of downhill and slalom, and with both men’s and women’s events. After the German Games, a long and bloody wartime interlude descends on the Games, stronger than any Olympic truce. 

Nation: Germany

Athletes: 646 (80 women, 566 men)

Teams: 28

Medal count: Norway, Germany, Sweden

Garmisch-Partenkirchen Winter Olympics, Christl Cranz, first female Olympic champion in Alpine skiing history, Bruni Foto Agenzia, “Duca degli Abruzzi” Mountain Museum, Turin
Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1936 Winter Olympics, Pairs Figure Skating, Maxi Herber and Ernst Baier (GER) in training © 1936 / International Olympic Committee (IOC)

St. Moritz 1948

The Olympic Games return after a 12-year interlude due to the Second World War: Switzerland hosts the Winter Games, Great Britain the Summer Games. Skeleton returns, earning Italy its first gold medal – the first ever in the Winter Games – thanks to the feat of Nino Bibbia from Valtellina. 

Nation: Switzerland

Athletes: 669 (77 women, 592 men)

Teams: 28

Medal table: Norway, Sweden, Switzerland

St. Moritz 1948 Winter Olympics, Nino Bibbia (ITA), skeleton gold medalist © 1948 / International Olympic Committee (IOC)

Oslo 1952

The Winter Olympics finally arrive in the nation that had led the medal table in all previous editions except 1932. For the first time, a capital city is chosen, and a coastal one at that. Giuliana Minuzzo, bronze in the downhill, becomes the first Italian woman to win a medal at the Winter Games. 

Nation: Norway

Athletes: 694 (109 women, 585 men)

Teams: 30

Medal table: Norway, United States of America, Finland

Oslo 1952 Winter Olympics, Andrea Mead-Lawrence (USA), gold medalist in slalom and giant slalom, © 1952 / International Olympic Committee (IOC) / Rübelt, Lothar