Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, is preparing to welcome the world once more as a host city for the Olympic Winter Games. The 2026 Games, shared with Milan, will mark a return to the Italian resort town 70 years after it first hosted the event in . While the modern Games promise new levels of spectacle and technological advancement, the 1956 Cortina d’Ampezzo Olympics were a landmark event in their own right, shaped by the burgeoning Cold War and the first-ever live television coverage of the Winter Games.
The 1956 Games weren’t without their logistical challenges. Originally awarded the 1944 Winter Olympics, Cortina had to wait twelve years for its moment. The organizing committee, facing the need for infrastructure improvements, relied heavily on corporate sponsorship – a relatively new approach at the time. Thirty-two nations participated, the largest number to date for a Winter Olympics, competing across four sports and twenty-four events.
For Hungary, participation in the to Games was initially envisioned as a more substantial undertaking. Plans called for a delegation including skiers, speed skaters, and figure skaters, with the Hungarian Olympic Committee announcing expectations of a 98-person team. However, political upheaval and logistical difficulties dramatically reduced the country’s presence to just two athletes: Mariann Nagy and her brother, László Nagy, in figure skating. This reduction in size led to a dispute with a local hotel, which had reserved rooms for the larger contingent and demanded compensation for the shortfall.
The Hungarian team’s diminished presence was a stark contrast to the optimistic forecasts published in the weeks leading up to the Games. Reports in the Hungarian press predicted strong performances in speed skating and skiing, with hopes for improved results in those disciplines. One article boasted that Hungarian speed skaters were in “such shape that they could repeatedly break Hungarian records, and with that, could reach the top ten.” Similar optimism surrounded the ski team, particularly in the 15km race and the 4x10km relay. Despite this enthusiasm, only the figure skating pair made the journey to Cortina.
The reasons for the scaling back of the Hungarian team weren’t fully explained in domestic publications, but reports from emigrant newspapers suggested that mild weather and training difficulties played a role. The initial plan for a 98-person team appeared overly ambitious, especially when compared to other nations. Finland, with a longer tradition in winter sports, sent a delegation of only 31 athletes, and the total number of participants across all 32 countries fell short of 900.
Beyond the logistical hurdles, the Hungarian presence at Cortina was also marked by political undertones. An emigrant newspaper, *Uj Hungária*, noted with disapproval that the Hungarian national flag displayed the Soviet emblem of the hammer and sickle during the opening ceremony, a practice not mirrored by the Soviet team itself. This detail, observed by Hungarian expatriates in Cortina, highlighted the political pressures facing the nation during the Cold War era.
Despite the challenges, the Nagy siblings achieved a notable result, securing a bronze medal in pairs figure skating – a repeat of their performance from the 1952 Oslo Games. However, their achievement didn’t generate the same level of excitement in the Hungarian press as might have been expected. Coverage of the Games was somewhat muted, with one reporter, László Nagy himself, effectively serving as the team’s correspondent, providing telephone updates on the events.
The figure skating competition at Cortina was also notable for controversy surrounding the judging. Reports from the *Népszava* newspaper suggested that the Nagy pair were unfairly scored, receiving lower marks than their performances warranted, particularly in comparison to the European champions, Schwarz, and Oppelt. Concerns were also raised about the scoring of the Canadian pair, Dafoe and Bowden, with accusations of favoritism and political maneuvering influencing the results. Mestyán János, the president of the Hungarian Skating Federation, believed the Canadian pair were undeservedly favored.
The 1956 Cortina Games also marked the first time the Soviet Union competed in the Winter Olympics, immediately making an impact in speed skating and ice hockey. Their arrival underscored the Games’ role as a stage for Cold War rivalry, as highlighted by Erin Redihan, author of *The Olympics and the Cold War, 1948–1968: Sport as Battleground in the U.S.–Soviet Rivalry*. The competition served as a “propaganda opportunity” for both sides, playing up the dynamics of the global struggle for influence.
The Games themselves weren’t without their own unique moments. The opening ceremony featured a mishap when Guido Caroli, the athlete tasked with lighting the Olympic flame, tripped over a cable, momentarily extinguishing the torch. He quickly recovered, and the flame was successfully lit. The figure skating competition was the last to be held outdoors, taking place in a valley stadium built for the event. Despite preparations, a lack of snow posed a challenge for the alpine skiing events, requiring organizers to transport snow from other areas and rely on the assistance of mountain troops to ensure adequate coverage.
Looking back, the 1956 Cortina d’Ampezzo Olympics were a complex event, shaped by the political climate of the Cold War, logistical challenges, and the evolving nature of the Games themselves. As Cortina prepares to co-host the 2026 Winter Olympics, the legacy of 1956 serves as a reminder of the Games’ enduring power to reflect and influence the world around them.
