Winter Olympic Games

St. Moritz is one of the places that shaped the history of the Olympic Winter Games. Hosting the competitions in 1928 and 1948, the municipality located in the Swiss valley of Engadin attracted the attention of the international sports world. With great attention to detail, historian Grégory Quin retraces the 1928 and 1948 Games, offering a fresh perspective on these Olympic events. The book demonstrates the significant influence the Winter Olympics have had on the development of winter sports and Alpine tourism – a connection that is often vastly underestimated. It explores the early days of winter sports in Switzerland, the rise of St. Moritz to a fashionable health resort and the role of local networks as well as international dynamics. By doing so, it reveals many surprising aspects, such as climate-related challenges or the aftermath of the Second World War. Drawing on extensive archive material, Quin’s work creates a multifaceted picture of a region in transition. St. Moritz is portrayed as a testing ground for winter sports, a hotspot for tourism and a venue for political negotiations. The book combines sports history with societal analysis and provides a new perspective on Switzerland’s Olympic past.