Munich hosted the first Olympic Games to feature an official mascot.
The 1972 Munich Summer Olympics introduced Waldi, a colorful dachshund created as the Games’ mascot. The dog was chosen partly because the dachshund was a popular Bavarian breed and represented qualities such as endurance, agility and tenacity.
Waldi’s design used multiple colors associated with the Olympic movement. The mascot was produced in both plush and graphic forms, helping establish a tradition that later host cities developed with their own animals, characters and visual identities.
The 1976 Montreal Olympics followed with Amik, a beaver. This is why Montreal is sometimes incorrectly credited as the first mascot Games. Munich 1972 came first, making Waldi the pioneer of the official Olympic mascot tradition.