1936 European Figure Skating Pins: Triple Header.

Last Updated on May 3, 2025 by Netropolitan Museum

Gliding across Europe: First Berlin, then Garmisch, then Paris

The 1936 European Figure Skating Championships, held in Berlin just weeks before the Olympic Winter Games in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, played a pivotal role as a warm-up for the athletes heading to the Games more than 400 miles south in Bavaria. As history records, the gold medalists at the European Championships went on to claim victory again at the Winter Games and then once more at the 1936 World Championships in Paris less than two weeks later. This whirlwind 30-day stretch marked an extraordinary triple header in figure skating history. Today at The Netropolitan, we take a look back at the pins issued for the 1936 European Figure Skating Championships.

Pins Gallery: 1936 European Figure Skating Championships

At least two distinct designs commemorated the Berlin event—so different that one might initially doubt they were made for the same competition.. Yet, their connection is unmistakable. In the gallery below are three examples of pins from that historic championship, each offering a unique glimpse into the era.

The first pin, considered the main version (or logo pin), is crafted from a silver-colored base metal with blue enamel detailing. The pin features a slightly convex shape and a clean, elegant design. At its center, a skate blade stands above “Berlin,” while the event title and year—”Europameisterschaften im Eiskunstlaufen, 1936″—encircle the border.

A second variation, likely issued to an event official, features the same pin mounted on a green silk rosette—a style frequently used at the time, not only at figure skating events but in other sports. Remarkably, the fabric remains nearly as vibrant today as when it was first worn on a coat lapel or hat.

The third pin, a bronze-colored medal hanging from a red-and-white silk bow, presents an entirely different artistic approach. At its center, a black bear—symbolic of Berlin and featured on its coat of arms—is superimposed over a skate blade. Around the perimeter, the same event name and year appear as seen on the logo pin. With no other shared elements aside from the skate blade, this version may have been issued to higher level event officials (such as skating union presidents) or even competitors and was likely a special gift from the Berliner Sportpalast, host of the event and well-known for using the bear-and-blade motif on its club souvenirs of the era.

These 1936 European Figure Skating pins were undoubtedly produced in very limited numbers, serving as rare and fascinating relics from an unforgettable era in skating history.

This blog was originally published at The Netropolitan Museum of Figure Skating Pins on September 26, 2020, and has been updated with new and expanded information.

---

Figure Skating Flashback: 1936

• 1936 also saw the birth of David Jenkins, who would go on to become one of the United States’ most accomplished figure skaters. Jenkins won bronze at the 1956 Olympic Winter Games in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy (finishing behind his gold medal-winning brother, Hayes Alan Jenkins) and struck gold of his own at the 1960 Olympic Winter Games in Squaw Valley, California, capping off a dominant run that included three consecutive World Championship titles (1957–1959). His style and athleticism helped define men’s skating in the late 1950s.
• For Sonja Henie, an icon of the sport to this day, the year 1936 marked both the end and the beginning. She closed out her competitive career with a third Olympic gold at the 1936 Olympic Winter Games in Garmisch-Partenkirchen (also collecting gold at the European and World Championships). And to open the next chapter of her life, Henie made a beeline for Hollywood, determined to be the next great film star—but bringing with her a twist: she’d be a star on skates. Although Henie reached high acclaim in Hollywood, starring in films that showcased her skating prowess, both her cinematic journeys and her acting ability remain subjects for debate. She would go on to star in highly successful ice shows, one of them bearing her name.
• Apart from the amateur ranks, Ice Follies (of Shipstad & Johnson fame) made its debut in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on November 7, 1936, and became a staple in arenas across America. Ice Follies would ultimately play to tens of millions of people during its decades-long run and would welcome to its annual tours such greats as Peggy Fleming, Janet Lynn (landing a three-year, $1.455 million contract), and Donald Jackson.
• British skating prodigy Cecilia Colledge made history at the 1936 European Championships by becoming the first woman to land a double jump—a double Salchow—in competition. At just 15, she earned a silver medal, finishing closely behind Henie, in whose ever-large shadow she skated. Colledge ultimately left an indelible mark of her own on the sport, including inventing (with coach Jacques Gerschwiler) the camel spin and the layback spin and later serving a long tenure as a coach in Boston.
• The 1936 Olympic Winter Games would be the last until 1948, with both the 1940 and 1944 events canceled due to World War II. This 12-year hiatus deprived many emerging skaters of the opportunity to achieve Olympic glory during their prime competitive years.

In retrospect, 1936 stands as a transformative year in figure skating, bridging the golden era of pioneers like Henie and Colledge with the promising future embodied by skaters like Jenkins.​

#figureskatingpins #pincollecting #pintrading #pincollector #netropolitanmuseum