Dhyan Chand's hockey wizardry was so great that Adolf Hitler, the Fuhrer in Nazi Germany at that time, reportedly offered him citizenship after the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
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The 1936 Olympics that were held in Berlin is controversial for a number of factors. It was a games designed to show the might of Nazi Germany at that time. Under the dictatorship of Adolf Hitler, Germany wanted to make a statement to the world that they were a superior nation. Hitler saw the 1936 Games as an opportunity to promote his government and ideals of racial supremacy and antisemitism. However, there were two athletes who shattered the myth of Aryan supremacy.
Jesse Owens, an African-American, won four gold medals. However, less known but much more impactful was Indian hockey wizard Dhyan Chand. He was hailed as the Wizard of Hockey for all the skills that he had exhibited. Such was his magic that even Adolf Hitler was stunned. The 1936 Berlin Olympics saw Dhyan Chand impress the Fuhrer in a way no one had ever done before.
It is without a shadow of doubt that Chand is the greatest hockey player ever. From the period of 1926 till 1949, Chand was the hockey supremo. In 185 games, he scored 570 goals, meaning at least three goals in one game. In the Olympics, Chand is one of the few athletes who had won three gold medals for his nation. The gold medal streak started in the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics and ended with the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
In 1928, Dhyan Chand’s 14 goals in five games gave India their first Olympic gold medal. One newspaper reportedly wrote, “This is not a game of hockey, but magic. Dhyan Chand is in fact the magician of hockey.” In 1932, Chand and his brother Roop Singh became goal-scoring machines. India blasted 11 past Japan but against the USA, they created a world record scoreline of 24-1. India won the second gold medal, with Chand and Roop Singh scoring 25 out of the 25 goals.
The hockey maestro continued his goal scoring prowess for many years. When the time had come for the 1936 Berlin Olympics, the team was unbeaten and many felt they could not be stopped. India reached the final where they would encounter Germany.
On the eve of the final, there was tremendous tension. It was reported that Adolf Hitler would personally see the game. The Indian team were scared as there was a lot of honour and pride at stake. Dhyan Chand had scored 10 goals and he was once again the key in the final.
But, in the final, Dhyan Chand put on a fabulous display. At one point in time, in order to be speedier on the turf, he discarded his spiked shoes and stockings. He played with bare legs and rubber soles to became speedier in the second half. Dhyan Chand’s three goals helped India beat Germany 8-1 and they had secured the hat-trick of gold medals in the Olympics.
Hitler was reportedly so incensed by the performance of the German team that he left the stadium in between. However, he came back to offer the medals to both the sides. In the morning after the final, Dhyan Chand received a note in his hotel room. The note was from Hitler and he had requested Dhyan Chand to come and meet him.
This worried the hockey master. He was aware of Hitler’s brutal reputation. At one point, it was stated that Hitler would shoot his rivals on the spot. But, Dhyan Chand met Hitler. To his surprise, the Fuhrer greeted him warmly and congratulated him for the performance. Hitler asked Dhyan Chand some questions on what he did apart from hockey. When Dhyan Chand said he was also in the Indian Army, Hitler made a proposal.
The Nazi dictator offered Dhyan Chand the chance of German citizenship. Hitler even promised him a high post in the Nazi Army. However, Dhyan Chand politely refused as the logistics of moving in with family at that time presented a lot of problems. Hitler understood and he politely ended the meeting.
In 1951 Chand was honored at India’s National Stadium with the inaugural Dhyan Chand Tournament. He attended the event to the admiration of the spectators. Dhyan Chand was believed to have unbelievable control over the dribbling of the hockey ball. May believed that the reason that he acquired it was because he played hours of hockey on the railway track which included straight lines.
After 34 years of service, Chand retired from the Indian Army on 29 August 1956 as a lieutenant. After retirement, he taught at coaching camps at Mount Abu, Rajasthan. Later, he accepted the position of Chief Hockey Coach at the National Institute of Sports, Patiala. In 1979, he died of liver cancer.
India’s highest award for lifetime achievement in sports is the Dhyan Chand Award. This has been awarded annually from 2002 to sporting figures who not only contribute through their performance but also contribute to the sport after their retirement. The National Stadium, Delhi was renamed Dhyan Chand National Stadium in 2002 in his honour.
There have been very few sporting personalities who have transcended sports and life. Dhyan Chand’s brilliance even made Adolf Hitler take up notice. Maybe, this was why he was called the Wizard.
