In 1936, newspaper columnists and radio broadcasters covered many serious events that would have world-wide repercussions for many years.
King George V Died January 20, 1936
King George V died January 20, 1936, one year after his Silver Jubilee. The second son of Edward VII and Alexandra of Denmark, he was married to Princess Mary of Teck. When her fiancé, the Prince of Wales, died in 1892, the Royal family decided that she would wed George. They were parents of six children. During World War I, amid strong anti-German feelings, he changed the family name to Windsor.
King Edward VIII Abdication December 11, 1936
King Edward VIII (Duke of Windsor), born June 23, 1894, became King at the death of his father in 1936. In October of that year, against the wishes of his family, the popular Prince chose to marry divorcee Wallis Simpson. It was made clear to him that if he did so, he would have to abdicate. He explained his decision on December 11, 1936 in a broadcast to the nation and the empire. The only British sovereign to abdicate voluntarily, he died in Paris, France May 28, 1972.
King George VI Became King December 11, 1936
King George VI (Albert, Duke of York), born December 14, 1895, second son of George V and Mary Teck, married Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1923. He became King when his brother Edward abdicated in December 1936. Though unprepared to assume the responsibilities, he became a much loved and greatly respected monarch. The Coronation was held May 12, 1937 when there were more clouds of war in Europe. During World War II he and Queen Elizabeth demonstrated courage and strength. The King died February 6, 1952. The present Queen, Elizabeth II, is their daughter.
Hitler Forces March into the Rhineland
The Treaty of Versailles signed at the end of World War I designated the Rhineland a demilitarized area. It was to be a buffer zone between France and Germany. Many Germans were angry that they were denied full control of their land. On March 7, 1936 Hitler’s forces entered the area. The action was a test to determine whether or not the French would oppose the move. France, in the midst of a political crisis, had no political leadership to oppose the action. The British and others thought the German behaviour was reasonable. No action was taken against Nazi Germany at that time.
Jesse Owens Olympic Champion in Germany
The 1936 Summer Olympics were held in Berlin amid fears for black athletes’ safety in Nazi Germany. United States track star Jesse Owens was born September 12, 1913. He was the son of a sharecropper and grandson of a slave. He won four Olympic gold medals for his stunning victories on the track. Though German athletes won the largest number of medals, Jesse Owens’ performance undermined Hitler’s views of absolute Aryan supremacy. Despite the Nazi Party’s racist stand, Jesse Owens received a standing ovation from the Germans.
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil War began officially July 17, 1936. Political unrest had prevailed since 1932. General Francisco Franco led a military coup with the help of Italy’s Benito Mussolini and Germany’s Adolph Hitler. The Republican government sent out a call for international volunteers to combat the fascism. Forty thousand volunteers responded from more than fifty countries. Among them was Canadian Dr. Norman Bethune. Franco’s fascist government ruled Spain from 1939 until his death in 1975.
Sources:
King George V by Kenneth Rose; Weidenfeld and Nicolson, London 1983
The Reluctant King: The Life and Reign of George VI, 1895-1952 by Sarah Bradford; St Martin's Press 1989
The Reign and Abdication of Edward by Michael Block; Bantam Press, London 1990
Jesse Owens: A Biography by Jacqueline Edmondson; Greenwood Publishing Group 2007
The Spanish Revolution: The Left and the Struggle for Power during the Civil War
by Burnett Bolloten; University of North Carolina Press, 1979
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