Venues of the 1936 Summer Olympics

Map of Reichssportfeld during the 1936 Summer Olympics

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1936 Summer Olympics Venues Opening ceremony (torch relay) Medal table (medallists, German Olympic Decoration) Ernest Lee Jahncke, Avery Brundage, Hans von Tschammer und Osten, Carl Diem) Concerns and controversies In culture: Berlin 36, Charlie Chan at the Olympics, March Violets, Olympia, Olympische Hymne IOC NSRL

For the 1936 Summer Olympics, a total of twenty-two sports venues were used. Basketball, canoeing, and team handball made their debuts. Sailing was held up in Kiel. The Olympic Stadium would later be part of two FIFA World Cups and then host an IAAF World Championships in Athletics along with undergoing a renovation in the early 2000s to give new life to the stadium.

Venues

Before the Olympics

AVUS was started in 1907, but was not completed until 1921 due to World War I.^[16] The track was rebuilt for the 1936 Games.^[16] BSV 92 Field was first constructed in 1910 for use in football, handball, athletics, and tennis.^[17] The Reich Sports Field, which consisted of the Olympic Stadium, the Dietrich Ecekrt Open-Air Theatre, the Olympic Swimming Stadium, Mayfield, the Hockey Stadiums, the Tennis Courts, and the Haus des Deutschen Sports, was first considered as construction for the 1916 Summer Olympics that never took place due to World War I.^[18] Construction resumed in 1925 only to be stopped in 1928 to lack of funding.^[18] When Berlin was award the 1936 Summer Olympics in 1931, interest in restarting construction began though this would not happen until three years later.^[18] Mayfield was the last venue completed prior to the 1936 Games in April 1936.^[18] Deutschland Hall was opened in 1935.^[19] Mommenstadion opened in 1930.^[20]

During the Olympics

Basketball was held outdoors at the tennis courts.^[21] The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) wanted the venue to be played outdoors despite how it is normally played which is indoors.^[22] The final was played in heavy rain which turned the courts into mud.^[21]

The K-1 1000 m canoeing final was also affected by heavy rain at Grünau that included thunder and lightning.^[23] At Ruhleben during the shooting portion of the modern pentathlon event, American Charles Leonard became the first person in the history of the sport to achieve a perfect score of 200.^[24]

After the Olympics

AVUS continued being used after World War II though mainly in Formula 2 racing.^[16] The German Grand Prix was held last at the track in 1959.^[16] Dismantling of the track first took place in 1968 to make way for a traffic crossing for touring cars that raced there until 1998.^[16] During World War II, Deutschlanhalle suffered heavy aerial bombing damage.^[19] After the second world war, the hall was reconstructed and expansion has continued as of 2010.^[19] Deutschlandhalle 26 in Berlin, where the boxing, weightlifting, and wrestling events took place, continues to act as an exhibition center as of 2010.^[25] Mommenstadion was renovated in 1987 and continues to be in use as of 2010.^[20]

The Olympic Stadium was used as an underground bunker in World War II as the war went against Nazi Germany's favor.^[26] The British reopened the Stadium in 1946 and parts of the stadium were rebuilt by the late 1950s.^[27] As a host venue for the 1974 FIFA World Cup, the stadium had its roof partially covered on the North and South Stands.^[28] British occupation of the stadium ended in 1994.^[29] Restoration was approved in 1998 with a contractor being found to do the work in 2000.^[30] This restoration ran from 2000 to 2004.^[31] The modernized Stadium reopened in 2004,^[32] with a capacity of 74,228 people. The seating has been changed greatly, especially the sections that were reserved for German and international political leaders. The stadium now plays host to Hertha BSC (1963–present), and is expected to remain the home of the team for years to come. For the 2006 FIFA World Cup, the venue was where the final took place between Italy and France.^[33] Three years later, the venue hosted the World Athletics Championships.^[34]

Kiel Bay would also serve as the sailing venue for the 1972 Summer Olympics held in Munich.^[35]

References