In 1936, Baron Pierre de Coubertin engaged in a long interview with BZ am Mittag, one of the leading newspapers in Germany, which had, unfortunately, fallen under Nazi control. Nevertheless, there was great interest across the country in the origins and ideas of the modern Olympic Movement in the run up to the Berlin Games that summer.  The Baron was all but forgotten at this point in his life, living alone in a one-room pension in Geneva, and he was happy to recount, once again, the story of his grand achievement.  He started at the beginning and worked through the history of the modern Olympics and his philosophy of sport.  In this particular interview, titled “The Origins and Limits of Athletic Progress,” he emphasized that the mind played a major role in athletic success. 

“In developing the human body for purposes of athletic success, mental properties play a major role, at times even a preponderant one ... One can train one's will and perseverance just as well as one's muscular capacity.”