Pjeras de Kubertenas ir olimpinio sąjūdžio prielaidų istorinis suvokimas

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of Baron Pierre de Coubertin (1863-1937) ideological intentions and his assumptions to the history of the Olympic Movement. The Olympic Ideas have been conceived as an educational task. Ideas have produced the growing influence on the 19th century, namely in France. The new generation was destined to find the new international coexistence, cooperation and competition techniques. These techniques have had to face enormous challenges in the 20th century. The challenges were dangerous and inhuman, because of technical progress, infinitely growing cities and dehumanized massive movements. It was very necessary to find such a form which may transform mass public life not only to the war. Two world wars were not predicted, although happily enough the Olympic movement overcame the destructions of both. The universalism of Olympic ideas deserved a special relay. The Olympic movement and the Olympic Games are a real alternative to destruction, so – this is a new form of universalism. It was equivalent to the Catholic Church universalism. History has testified that the two ideologies of universalism found a way of coexistence. At the same time some ideas did not survive. In 1992, at Barcelona’s XXV Olympic Games the Olympic movement embraced commerce and professional sports. Another idea, which saw the fiasco at the very beginning of Olympic, was P. de Coubertin reluctance to admit the women into the Games.