How Czechs helped give an official stamp to the first Winter Olympics in Chamonix  

This Friday, the 25th Winter Olympic Games officially get underway in Italy. Few people know, however, that Czechs played an important role in the very first Winter Olympics more than a century ago. The Krkonoše Museum in Jilemnice is now highlighting the Czech role in shaping the first Winter Games.

Josef Rössler-Ořovský (in the center)|Photo: public domain

Jilemnice is a small town at the foot of the Krkonoše, or Giant Mountains, in northeast Czechia. It is often described as the cradle of Czech skiing and the local Krkonoše Museum features a permanent exhibition dedicated to the history of the sport in the Czech lands.

To coincide with this year’s Winter Olympics, the museum is presenting the Czech role in the origins and later recognition of the very first Winter Games, which already included skiers from the Krkonoše Mountains among the competitors, says historian and former museum director Jan Luštinec.

“The mountains were a breeding ground for our outstanding representatives. At that time, they were capable of measuring their strength even against the best skiers in the world, who lived in Scandinavia.”

Jan Luštinec|Photo: Jaroslav Hoření, Czech Radio

The first Winter Games were held in 1924 in the French town of Chamonix, but few people realize just how significant the Czech contribution to their official recognition actually was, he says:

“The first Winter Olympics in Chamonix were originally organised as an International Week of Winter Sports. When the eighth Olympic Congress was held in Prague in 1925, Josef Rössler-Ořovský proposed that this week be retroactively recognised by the International Olympic Committee as the first Winter Olympic Games,” he explains.

Štefan Hevák at the start of the Olympic race in Chamonix in 1924|Photo: public domain

Rössler-Ořovský was a pioneer of Czech skiing as well as a sports organiser and promoter. The history of Czech skiing is often traced back to January 5, 1887, when he undertook one of the first recorded ski runs on Prague’s Wenceslas Square. The earliest skis had reached the Czech lands only a few years earlier, brought from abroad for use by local foresters.

Skiing soon became hugely popular. In 1903, the world’s first ski association was founded in Bohemia. This helped give Czechs a strong voice in early international skiing and Olympic discussions, says Luštinec.

Rudolf Burkert (1904-1985) |Photo: e-Sbírky, National Museum

“We know that already in the 1890s we were considered the best skiers in Central Europe, and in Chamonix both our athletes and German competitors naturally succeeded. Twelve skiers took part from the Czechoslovak Republic, along with one figure skater and 13 hockey players — altogether 26 athletes,” he says.

“Although we did not achieve any medal positions, we must not forget that at the time the Finns and Norwegians dominated the sport and were extremely difficult to beat,” he adds.

The first Czechoslovak Winter Olympic medal came four years later at the 1928 Games in St. Moritz, Switzerland, where Rudolf Burkert won bronze in ski jumping.