An Innsbruck 1976 Winter Olympic Games Special Ceremonial Torch, a higher quality production in stainless steel and brass, lettered legend reading 12.

An Innsbruck 1976 Winter Olympic Games Special Ceremonial Torch, a higher quality production in stainless steel and brass, lettered legend reading 12.OLYMPISCHE WINTERSPIELE INNSBRUCK 1976, with Olympic Rings, 73.5cm., 29in. Major differences with the normal torch include the metal, the standard torch in aluminium alloy, the special in stainless steel & brass. The ''XII'' (in standard torch) is written as ''12'' in this special torch. The legend on the base edge is manufactured with applied brass lettering, not stamped. No screw part on the top, neither at the bottom, of the special torch with the Olympic Rings attached by welding. It is impossible to dismantle, the standard torch can be dismantled in several pieces. In 1976 city of Innsbruck for the second time was hosting the Winter Olympic Games. As they received this honor last moment, because of the withdrawal of Denver, the logistics had some delay. Most of the venues were ready from 1964 Winter Olympic Games. However, torches were supplied very last moment and had one important handicap - they were never designed for the Torch relay ceremony. In the Official Report (p.3) you can find photo of the Innsbruck official delegation returning to the city from the Olympic Torch lit ceremony (lit on January 30th, 1976 in front of Temple of Hera in Olympia (Greece)) with flame cauldron and miniature torch, which has nothing to do with the official 1976 Innsbruck torch. For the lit ceremony in Greece they used two torches. First flame was lit by two actresses playing the role of priestesses of Hera using the ancient method of reflecting the sun's rays from a parabolic mirror (see photo on p. 2 of the Official report). Then the official torch was just used to take the picture within parabolic mirror, as it was never designed for real Torch relay ceremony. See Getty Images at http://www.olympic.org/photos/innsbruck-1976. After arrival by plane to Vienne, Austria, two different routes were organized for the Torch relay ceremony. However, only 1 mobile flame container, 1 miner's lamp with decorative container (mounted on the roof of a specially adapted Mercedes; Official report, pp.264-265) and 1 reserve miner's lamp were used on each route. The famous ''Golden Roof'' (Goldenes Dachl) was chosen as the place for the official reception that day and the container with flame was the main attraction that day. The mayor Dr. Alois Lugger received the container with the Olympic flame from the deputy mayor, Ferdinand Obenfeldner. The flame was kept in the banqueting hall of the ''Golden Roof'' until the opening ceremony (Official Report, p.5). Even in Seefeld, site of the Nordic skiing event, for the welcome ceremony for the Olympic flame they used other simple torches, consisting of two burning sticks within metal holder (Official report, p.6). The delay in supplying of the official torches and the lack of possibility to ensure its burning was at the rage that at the Opening ceremony of the Games Josef Feistmantl, Olympic luge champion in 1964, entered the Bergisel stadium with 1964 Winter Olympic Games torch (Official Report, p.25). And that torch was the one used two ignited both bowls as a symbol of Winter Olympic Games being held twice in Innsbruck (Official Report, p.26). No surprise that the 1976 Innsbruck Organizing Committee called these Games the Simple Games. After Master of ceremonies, colonel Alfred Nagl, insisted several times before the Games with the torch supplier, ''Vereinigte Metallwerke, Rantshofen - Berndorf AG'', the company supplied the Organizing Committee with the special torch (ceremonial torch), used for different official pre-Games receptions and ceremonies. The design was slightly different from the standard torch, but better quality. Actually, this torch during pre-Games period (only several days before the Games started, during the Games and many years after the Games was kept at ''Golden Roof''. And this torch was shown to the guests and the officials of the Games. Obviously, taking into consideration the numeric differences in the design of two torches (normal and the special one) we can be sure that the special (ceremonial) torch took important part in the wide range of events in the pre-Games campaign and during the Olympic Games. Its brass finishing makes it beautiful and unique artefact of the 1976 Innsbruck Winter Olympic Games. Designed and produced by ''Vereinigte Metallwerke, Rantshofen - Berndorf AG'' (Official Report, p.281, photo 243). Less than 100 normal official torches were made. This company also supplied the metal containers for the Olympic flame pillars. Photo of the official torch was published at p.422 of the Official Report. Source of information: 1976 Innsbruck Winter Olympic Games Official Report.