To this day, the 1936 Berlin Games remain the most historically significant Olympics ever held. Notorious dictator Adolf Hitler constructed brand new state-of-the-art stadiums and venues with the propaganda-filled goal of showcasing "His Germany" to the world. Much to his chagrin, a Black athlete from USA named Jesse Owens stole the spotlight with his record-setting four gold medals on the track. There were other notable performances as well, one in particular that rose to pop culture relevance thanks to a recent Hollywood film.

The Boys in the Boat, directed by George Clooney and based on the 2013 book, tells the inspiring story of the 1936 U.S. Men’s Eight rowing team’s unlikely path to gold medal glory in Berlin. A group of working-class JV rowers at the University of Washington, who struggled to make ends meet during the Great Depression, leapfrogged the UW Varsity squad and snagged a surprising berth in the Olympics. The resilient young men eventually found themselves in the 1936 Olympic final against teams from Germany and Italy – the United States’ impending World War II nemeses. With Hitler in attendance hoping for a German sweep in rowing, the USA Men’s Eight won the race in a photo finish. Italy took silver and Germany settled for bronze.

Presented here is one of those bronze winners’ medals with its corresponding diploma issued to a member of the German Men’s Eight rowing team at the 1936 Summer Olympics. Winners’ medals from the '36 Berlin Games are among the most coveted Olympic artifacts. Of those that surface, the event and recipients are rarely known. This pair came together through a collector in Germany who acquired them decades ago from the athlete’s estate.

Designed by Giuseppe Cassioli and minted by B.H. Mayer, the bronze medal has a diameter of 55 mm and weighs 82 grams. The obverse features Nike, Goddess of Victory, seated above a stadium holding the winner's crown and palm branch with the German legend "XI. Olympiade Berlin 1936" in raised lettering. The reverse shows a winner carried by jubilant athletes. On the bottom edge is the “B.H. Mayer Pforzheim” hallmark. The medal remains in outstanding EF condition, preserved better than most '36 Berlin bronze examples in terms of color and texture.

The diploma, designed by German graphic artist Professor Ernst Boehm, has a lovely depiction of Olympic Stadium in white flanked by Brandenburg Gate and the Olympic Bell within its gold embossed background. “XI. Olympiade Berlin 1936”, “Ehrenurkunde [Certificate of Honor]”, “Deutschland [Germany]”, “Dritter [Third]”, and “Achter [Eighth]” are printed down the center. The colorful Olympic rings appear at the bottom between the OOC and IOC president facsimile signatures. Produced by Erasmusdruck G.M.B.H. of Berlin on thick white card stock, the certificate measures 15” by 20” and comes in VG-EX condition with a vertical crease running down the middle and light toning on the borders.