Pierre de Coubertin, the man who founded the modern Olympic Games, sent a letter to Adolf Hitler in 1937, the content of which has come to light this week following its publication in a book.

The book, titled “Pierre de Coubertin: The Man Who Did Not Invent the Olympic Games,” features this letter, uncovered by German historian Hans Joachim Teichler from the archives of the Third Reich. Aymeric Mantoux, the author of this new book, argues that contrary to what the IOC and Coubertin’s family claim, the relationship between the founder of the Olympic Games and Hitler was amicable.

In the letter, Coubertin expresses his gratitude to the German regime for its contribution to the 50th anniversary of the Olympic Games, as he was determined to have the 1936 Berlin Olympics take place.

Despite founding and promoting the Olympic Games as we know them, Pierre de Coubertin is also known for his conservative and colonialist views. Mantoux asserts, “I don’t believe he embraced Nazi ideology, but there were commonalities between his vision and that of the Third Reich, particularly regarding the desire to revitalize a nation through sport.”