The body of the torch is partly made from recycled aluminum used in the shelters that housed survivors following the disaster. Canada and USA have unveiled their Olympic uniforms and the internet -- of course -- has thoughts. An uneasy history. Though the Olympic flame has ancient roots, the relay itself is a relatively modern affair. In fact, this symbol of international unity was in fact born out of nationalism -- it took place in Nazi Germany during the Summer Games.
Over the course of 12 days, the torch was passed along, hand by hand, for almost 2, miles. The first torch relay was held in Berlin in under Nazi rule. The event was designed to showcase Nazi Germany's growing power, and a young, blonde-haired runner, Fritz Schilgen, was selected as the final torchbearer for his Aryan appearance.
Footage of the event was also highly orchestrated, with parts of the relay restaged and re-shot after the Games for the propaganda film "Olympia. Naomi Kawase's Olympic film promises to be like nothing you've ever seen before. Hitler admired the ancient Greeks and saw the Nazis as their rightful heirs. While Diem was not a member of the Nazi Party, his torch relay would be coopted by the Nazis as a powerful propaganda tool to bind not only the ancient and modern Olympics, but ancient Greece and the Third Reich as well.
The entire torch relay, starting with the ceremony in Olympia, was a thoroughly German production. Krupp, a German arms manufacturer, crafted the steel-clad torches that featured a magnesium-burning element designed by German chemists to stay lit regardless of weather conditions.
Dissatisfied with the footage of the actual lighting ceremony in Olympia and believing that Kondylis did not resemble the ideal of an Olympic torchbearer from antiquity—had such a thing existed—the director brought another relay runner to Berlin after the Summer Games to stage the version of the torch lighting that appears in the movie. The Olympic Torch remains an iconic symbol for the Olympic Games. The Olympic cauldron lighting that starts each Games reminds both viewers and athletes of the Greek tradition that started these very games.
Life Transitions. Personal Wellness. Study Abroad. Search Blog. Fire in Greek Mythology Fire has divine connotations in ancient Greek mythology. What Is the Olympic Torch Relay? The Olympic Torch Today The Olympic Torch remains a symbol of the Olympics and a continued tradition through the three ceremonies held at each Olympics.
The High Priestess, followed by a group of priestesses, call upon Apollo, the god of light, to light the torch in front of the Temple of Hera. Creating a unique, functional torch is a massive undertaking. Identical torches must be manufactured for each runner in the relay before the initial lighting of the Olympic flame in Greece. The entire process of designing, modeling, prototyping, testing, and manufacturing actually begins years before the games themselves begin.
The fundamental elements of an Olympic torch are simple. It must contain a fuel canister and discharge system to support the burning of the flame; the Olympic flame must be clearly visible while burning and resistant to being extinguished under extreme conditions; and it must be a manageable weight and shaped in a way that is easy to hold. Beyond that, the unique design for a particular host city is left up to the organizing committee.
Typical torches range from 15 to 32 inches in length. Past materials span a wide range — aluminum has been a popular choice in recent years, but various kinds of natural wood, other metals, glass, and resins have comprised torches. Design teams submit a portfolio of ideas to the committee, which then selects a smaller group of finalists. The final teams are asked to come back after a short period of time with a plan for obtaining the required materials and manufacturing the proposed design, according to Jay Osgerby, co-founder of the design studio Barber Osgerby, which was behind the London torch.
Each torch is designed with the host country in mind. In the case of the Tokyo torch , designer Tokujin Yoshioka was inspired by the traditional flower of Japan, which is the cherry blossom. Yoshioka also shaped the torch out of aluminum recycled from the temporary housing constructed in the wake of the Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami in , according to the Tokyo organizing committee.
Approximately 30 percent of each individual torch contains this recycled aluminum.
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