The 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm were marked by many firsts: the first appearances of equestrian, women's swimming, and decathlon and pentathlon events; the first appearance of an Asian country at an Olympic Games (Japan); and the first usage of an official Olympic poster. The 1912 Games also saw many legendary athletic moments, from world-class Native American athlete Jim Thorpe's gold medal-winning performances in the decathlon and pentathlon to the first gold medal-winning swim by famed Hawaiian swimmer and "father of surfing" Duke Kahanamoku. In this comprehensive and amply illustrated guide produced by the Swedish Olympic Committee, learn more about the celebrated moments of this memorable Olympiad.

King Gustaf V of Sweden inaugurated the Fifth Olympiad at the Olympic Stadium in Stockholm on July 6, 1912. In the following weeks, 2,380 competitors from 27 nations representing six continents participated in well-organized competitions in perfect weather conditions. The largest Olympics yet at the time, the Stockholm Games have thus gone down in history as the Sunshine Olympics, or "the Swedish Masterpiece." Since that achievement, and despite numerous attempts by other Swedish cities, Sweden has not yet managed to host the Olympic Games again. This work examines the 1912 Stockholm Olympics from a variety of perspectives, exploring the preparations, organization, competitions, participants, and spectators, as well as the continuing significance of the 1912 Games to Sweden and to the future of the Olympic movement.

Olympische-Spiele, Stockholm.