Adolf Hitler Points the Way
In the meantime January 30th, 1933 arrived just a few days after the initial meeting of the Organizing Committee, bringing with it a revolutionary change in the history of Germany through the awarding of the Reich Chancellorship to Adolf Hitler and the formation of a new government. The Reich Chancellor received Dr. Lewald and the Vice-Chairman of the Organizing Committee, Mayor Sahm, on March 16th, on which occasion they explained to him the significance of the Games and the plans for their presentation. The Chancellor declared in response to Dr. Lewald's remarks that he welcomed the allotting of the Games to Berlin and that he would do everything possible to ensure their successful presentation. The Games, he asserted, would contribute substantially towards furthering understanding among the nations of the world and would promote the development of sport among the German youth, this being in his opinion of vast importance to the welfare of the nation. He expressed his best wishes to the Organizing Committee for the success of its work and promised it his constant support. An official statement printed in the German press informed the nation of the attitude of their Chancellor towards the Berlin Games. The preparatory work could thus proceed on a firm foundation and it was carried forward with all alacrity in order that a complete plan might be submitted to the International Olympic Committee during its annual meeting at Vienna in 1933. Three main problems were to be solved by then: the centres of competition, the accommodations for the athletes, and the date of the games. We harboured from the very beginning the idea of an Olympic Village, but the fact that the
A precedent has been established in the former Olympic Festivals whereby the Head of State of the country in which the Games are presented accepts the patronage over them, For this reason the President of the Organizing Committee, Dr. Lewald, and the Vice-President, the Mayor of Berlin, Dr. Sahm, approached the President of the Reich, Field Marshal von Hindenburg, with the request that he become Patron of the Games of 1936. The President of the Reich expressed his willingness on February 9th, 1933 to accept this honour. Following the death of Field Marshal von Hindenburg in August, 1934, the President of the Organizing Committee requested the Fьhrer and Chancellor of the German Reich, Adolf Hitler, to assume the patronage. The German Chancellor replied that he would be glad to serve in this capacity, and at the same time wished the President and the entire Organizing Committee continued success in their endeavours.
contemporary Reich Government had instructed us to keep all expenditures, including those for building purposes, within the confines of our budget prevented us from hoping to finance such a project with our own funds. Our first idea was to utilize a new settlement district and we discussed with the Municipal Authorities the plan of erecting a block of new apartment houses in a convenient district and permitting the Olympic athletes to be the first occupants. These negotiations led to no result and we turned to the Military Authorities, presenting a request to the Minister of Defence in March, 1933 for permission to use the Dцberitz barracks during the period of the Games. The Minister of Defence immediately gave his consent and an inspection of the premises revealed that they would qualify in an emergency without any considerable alteration.