Adolf Hitler Visits the Scene of Construction
Such was the state of events when the German Chancellor, Adolf Hitler, accompanied by the Reich Minister of the Interior, Dr. Frick, the Reich Sport Leader and the President of the Organizing Committee, visited the Grunewald Stadium and Sport Forum on October 5th, 1933. Models of the new building and the remodelled Stadium as well as numerous plans were exhibited in the large gymnasium of the Sport Forum. After inspecting these, the group made a tour of the entire premises. In answer to the question of the German Chancellor as to why the necessary enlargement of the Stadium to a capacity of 80,000 spectators was to be achieved through increasing the depth of the Stadium rather than expanding it, Dr. Lewald explained that according to the lease contract with the Berlin Racing Association the Stadium might not extend over the race course or obstruct the view. This led to the second question as to whether the race course was essential, to which Dr. Lewald responded that he did not believe this to be the case since Berlin already possessed two race courses in Hoppegarten and Karlshorst and the Grunewald course had been operated during recent years at a great loss. The German Chancellor then made the significant decision that the race course must disappear and if necessary be reconstructed at another location, while the entire Grunewald premises should be given over to the construction of a sporting centre. The Chancellor expressed the wish to have a large open-air amphitheatre included in the construction programme, whereupon the architect, Werner March, indicated an ideal site for such a structure in the Murellen Valley, but remarked that the City of Berlin, which was especially interested in landscaping the entire section, would probably raise objections on the grounds that the property
rights were not definitely established. The Chancellor replied : "The Stadium must be erected by the Reich; it will be the task of the nation. If Germany is to stand host to the entire world, her preparations must be complete and magnificent. The exterior of the Stadium must not be of concrete, but of natural stone. When a nation has 4,000,000 unemployed, it must seek ways and means of creating work for them."
The Chancellor requested the architect to draw up plans for the entire project immediately and to submit them to him as soon as possible. Work, he emphasized, must begin at once. When the model for the Sport Forum was being inspected, Dr. Lewald and Herr March called the Chancellor's attention to the fact that the main central building was being eliminated for reasons of economy. The Chancellor declared, however, that this building was also essential to the total project and must be constructed.
These decisions brought about a completely new state of affairs, and the realization of the fondest hopes and plans of the former German Commission was assured.
The German Chancellor Decides
The already planned conference was held in the Reich Chancellery on October 10th, 1933, the German Chancellor, Reich Minister Goebbels, Secretary of State Pfundtner and Commissioner of Woods and Forests von Keudell as well as the aforementioned members of the Olympic Committee being present. In his introductory remarks the Chancellor declared that in view of the fact that practically all the nations of the world would be represented at the Olympic Festival the New Germany must provide evidence of its cultural accomplishments and ability. He stated that the City of Berlin also needed spacious facilities for the assemblies and traditional festivals which are an important feature in Germany's modern development. In response to the question whether there was another location in the vicinity of Berlin which possessed the same advantages and attractions from the point of view of landscape as the race course, Dr. Lewald declared he did not believe so, pointing out the favourable elevation of the district, which is 68 metres in altitude at the highest point of the Sport Forum as compared with the 32 metres of Berlin's main thoroughfare, Unter den Linden. The Chancellor observed that in view of these facts it would be advisable to gain control of an extensive plot of land held under lease by the Union Club and the Berlin Racing Association, this being necessary for providing the space and facilities which he deemed necessary. He agreed with the Reich Minister of the Interior, Dr. Frick, that the Racing Association, whose lease extended to 1943, should be compensated for the losses it would incur through the removal of its buildings. Upon being informed that the Stadium and arena could accommodate from 120,000 to 130,000 persons, the Chancellor declared this to be entirely inadequate, and he indicated on a topographical map provided by Herr March a large plot to the west of the Stadium which seemed to him extensive enough for assemblies, festivals and processions. Herr March calculated that this would provide the possibility for assemblies numbering as many as one half million persons and pointed out that he himself had considered the possibility of leaving a section of the west curve of the Olympic Stadium open so that the view would extend unobstructed to the landscape beyond. The Chancellor was heartily in favour of this idea of an architectural connection between the Olympic Stadium and the festival grounds and asserted that the latter must also be enclosed by a permanent construction. Dr. Lewald thereupon explained that, having selected the Olympic Bell as the symbol of the Berlin Games, we had already considered the possibility of a gigantic bell which would announce the commencement and conclusion of the Games and the construction of a large Bell Tower on the western side of the festival grounds overlooking the entire section and visible from many points in the City.