Olympia card, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Caroli 1956, 5

Product detailed description

Condition: Good

Dimensions: 8 cm x 6 cm

The moment the Olympic flame arrived in Cortina! A collectible GDR cigarette card from the series on the 7th Winter Olympic Games in Cortina d’Ampezzo, picture 5 of 100. The front shows a black and white photo of Italian speed skater Guido Caroli skating into the Olympic stadium with the torch in front of a packed stand, a press photographer at his heels. The German text on the reverse notes that he carried the Olympic flame on the final stretch of its long journey from Rome to Cortina. Published by VEB Volkskunstverlag Reichenbach.

Facts at a glance

• Item: collectible cigarette card
• Series: VII. Olympische Winterspiele in Cortina d’Ampezzo, 100 pictures
• Number: Bild 5
• Subject: Guido Caroli, Italy, speed skater, carrying the Olympic torch in the stadium at the opening ceremony
• Publisher: Volkseigene Zigarettenindustrie (GDR state cigarette industry), printed by VEB Volkskunstverlag Reichenbach/V.
• Markings: III 18/97, A 246/56 DDR
• Reverse text: German; collecting album available from Buchhaus Leipzig for 4.20 DM

Expert note – FAQ

Who brought the Olympic flame into Cortina in 1956?
The Olympic flame was brought into Cortina d’Ampezzo at the opening of the 7th Winter Olympic Games in 1956 by Italian speed skater Guido Caroli. He skated around the Olympic stadium with the torch, and the flame then blazed in the Olympic cauldron. It had travelled to Cortina from Rome.

Why do collectors look for opening ceremony cards?
Cards showing ceremonial moments, such as the opening of the Games or the lighting of the Olympic flame, open many Olympic series and are often the first ones collectors look for. They capture the atmosphere of the whole Games rather than a single athlete’s performance.

When and where were the 1956 Winter Olympics held?
The 1956 Winter Olympics were held in Cortina d’Ampezzo in the Italian Dolomites from 26 January to 5 February. They were the first Winter Games in which the Soviet Union took part and the first to be broadcast on television on a wider scale.

How did the Soviet Union do at the 1956 Winter Olympics?
The Soviet Union first took part in the Winter Olympics in 1956 in Cortina d’Ampezzo and immediately topped the medal table. Its cross-country skiers contributed strongly to that success, including victory in the 4 × 10 km relay.

Which cards in the Cortina 1956 series cover cross-country skiing?
Pictures 22 to 25 of the GDR series on the 1956 Cortina Winter Olympics form a continuous cross-country skiing block: Hallgeir Brenden, Veikko Hakulinen, Vladimir Kuzin and Fyodor Terentyev. Consecutive numbers are worth more to collectors together, as they form a coherent themed set.