20 Amazing Photographs From the First Winter Olympics in Chamonix, France in 1924

The 1924 Winter Olympics were a winter multi-sport event which was held in 1924 in Chamonix, France. Originally held in association with the 1924 Summer Olympics, the sports competitions were held at the foot of Mont Blanc in Chamonix, and Haute-Savoie, France between 25 January and 5 February 1924. The Games were organized by the French Olympic Committee, and were originally reckoned as the “International Winter Sports Week.” With the success of the event, it was retroactively designated by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as “the first Olympic Winter Games”.

The tradition of holding the Winter Olympics in the same year as the Summer Olympics would continue until 1992, after which the current practice of holding a Winter Olympics in the second year after each Summer Olympics began.

Although Figure Skating had been an Olympic event in both London and Antwerp, and Ice Hockey had been an event in Antwerp, the winter sports had always been limited by the season. In 1921, at the convention of the IOC in Lausanne, there was a call for equality for winter sports, and after much discussion it was decided to organize an “international week of winter sport” in 1924 in Chamonix.

Medals were awarded in 16 events contested in 5 sports (9 disciplines). Many sources do not list curling and the military patrol, or list them as demonstration events. However, no such designation was made in 1924. In February 2006, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ruled that curling was a full part of the Olympic program, and have included the medals awarded in the official count.

The Olympic medalists in figure skating are seen at the Winter Olympics in Chamonix, France, in 1924. Herma Planck-Szabo (from left) of Austria won gold, Ethel Muckelt of Britain won bronze and Beatrix Loughran of the United States won silver.

Charles Jewtraw became the first competitor to win a gold medal in a Winter Olympics when he sped to victory in the 500 meter speedskating event in Chamonix, France, 1924.

The United States is represented during opening ceremonies for the 1924 Winter Olympics in Chamonix, France, on Jan. 25, 1924.

The flags of the participating countries are draped in a semi-circle at the opening ceremony of the first Winter Olympic Games at Chamonix, France, on Jan. 25, 1924.

The Olympic Stadium at Chamonix, France, is seen in 1924.

French athletes swear that they will conduct the Winter Olympic Games in a loyal way at the opening of the first Winter Olympics in Chamonix, France, on Jan. 25, 1924.

English speed skaters B. H. Sutton (from left), L. H. Cambridgeshire and A. E. Tibbet practice before the Winter Olympic Games in Chamonix, France, on Jan. 16, 1924.

A group of American skaters practices during the 1924 Winter Olympics at Chamonix, France, in 1924.

The British curling team practices during the Winter Olympics in Chamonix, France, on Jan. 28, 1924.

Norwegian figure skater Sonja Henie, 11, practices during the Winter Olympics in Chamonix, France, in 1924.

Norwegian figure skater Sonja Henie practices during the Winter Olympic Games on Jan. 29, 1924.

Herma Planck-Szabo of Austria skates on her way to winning the ladies’ singles figure skating Olympic gold medal at the 1924 Chamonix Winter Olympics in January 1924.

Norway’s Sonja Henie competes in her first Olympic Games at the age of 11, at Chamonix, France, in January 1924. She placed eighth in the ladies’ singles in figure skating, but would go on to win Olympic gold at the 1928 Winter Games in St. Moritz, Switzerland.

Figure skaters Sonja Henie, 11, of Norway and Gilles Grafstrom of Sweden pose at the Olympic Games in Chamonix, France, in 1924. Henie placed eighth of eight in the ladies’ singles, but would win the gold in the 1928, 1932 and 1936 Winter Olympic Games. Grafstrom won the Olympic gold medal in the men’s singles in 1924. He also won gold in the 1920 and 1928 games.

The four-man bobsleigh team from Italy rides the bobsleigh track at the Winter Games in Chamonix, France, in February 1924.

The British four-man bobsleigh team — Ralph Broome, Thomas Arnold, Alexander Richardson and Rodney Soher — is seen in action at the Winter Olympics at Chamonix, France, in February 1924. The team took the silver medal in the games.

The Canadian ice hockey team, the Toronto Granites, scores during the final in which they beat the United States 6-1 to take the Olympic gold medal in the Winter Games at Chamonix, France, on Feb. 3, 1924.

The Canadian ice hockey team, the Toronto Granites, scores during the final in which they beat the United States 6-1 to take the Olympic gold medal in the Winter Games at Chamonix, France, on Feb. 3, 1924.

The Canadian ice hockey team, the Toronto Granites, are seen after beating the United States to take the Olympic gold medal at the Winter Games in Chamonix, France, in February 1924.

American ice hockey goalkeeper La Croix during a practice at the rink at Chamonix ahead of their match against France, 1924.