The Antwerp Olympic Games began on August 14, 1920. Spectators in the stadium witnessed a first. For the first time, a host city raised the now world-famous Olympic flag featuring the five rings.
Antwerp remains the only Belgian city to have ever hosted the Games. That was by no means a foregone conclusion. Antwerp had already submitted a bid in 1913, but then World War I broke out. After four years of violence, the chances of the event coming to war-torn Belgium seemed slim. Yet Antwerp submitted another bid after the war—and was successful.
The Games were organized in record time. More than 2,000 athletes from 29 countries took part.
Many of them made their debut at the new Olympic Stadium in Kiel. But there was plenty to see and do elsewhere in the city as well. For example, the boxing matches took place at the Zoo. For some disciplines, the organizers went even further afield. The shooting competitions, for instance, were held at the military base in Beverlo, Limburg.
When the French nobleman Pierre de Coubertin revived the ancient Olympic Games in 1896, it wasn’t an immediate success. The first editions were very modest. It wasn’t until just before World War I that the Games really took off. The successful seventh edition in Antwerp confirmed that trend. The Belgian participants also struck gold—literally—in Antwerp.
That is how the Red Devils, many of whose membershadplayed for the military teamFront Wanderersduring the war years, became Olympic champions.
With 36 medals, including 14 gold, Antwerp remains Belgium’s most successful Games to date. However, there were no female champions. Their representation in the Belgian delegation was very small. It wasn’t until 1948 that figure skater Micheline Lannoy became the first Belgian woman to win a medal.
This story was created by Geheugen Collectief for FAAM – Virtual Museum.
ErfgoedApp
Ferre Vandenbussche
FAAM
FAAM
