Inspections and Festivities
Olympic Festivals usually signify so much work for the journalists that any side attractions are regarded as disturbances, and for this reason the Organizing Committee endeavoured to arrange the special presentations for the press so that they would not fall within the period of the Games. Exceptions were made for tours of inspection, which naturally were a part of the professional activities of the press but which for obvious reasons had to be made during the Festival. The first of these specially arranged functions was a tour of inspection of the entire Reich Sport Field on June 29th, about 200 press representatives having assembled at the Eastern Gate of the Olympic Stadium on this occasion. They were then conducted in groups of 20 to every part of the Reich Sport Field and the different technical facilities were explained to them by experts. On Thursday, July 30th this tour was repeated for the benefit of newly-arrived journalists and was extended to include the Olympic Village as well. A total of 250 German and foreign press representatives visited the Village for the first time on this occasion. Following the Reich Sport Field, the Deutschland Hall, which was to be the scene of the boxing, wrestling and weight-lifting competitions, was also inspected. The principal event in the programme of pre-Olympic press functions was a reception which the Reich Minister of Propaganda, Dr. Goebbels, held on July 30th in the reception rooms of the Zoological Gardens for 1,200 representatives of the press, film, radio and photographic agencies. The members of the International Olympic Committee headed by Count Baillet-Latour and numerous personages of international importance were present at this event. The Press Director of the Reich Government, Secretary of State Funk, greeted the guests, after which Count Baillet-Latour congratulated the press on the splendid support it had lent the Organizing Committee. The host, Reich Minister Goebbels, then spoke to the assembly. Recalling his own journalistic activities, Dr. Goebbels commented upon the personal satisfaction and joy which lies in the task of helping to form public opinion. He concluded his remarks by expressing the wish that the Eleventh Olympic Games might be a true festival of peace and that they might assist "in
furthering the happiness of nations, contributing to the welfare of the peoples of the world and creating a bridge upon which the different countries meet one another." The President of the International Federation of the Sporting Press, Victor Boin, Brussels, replied in the name of his professional colleagues.
Since it was impossible to arrange for the press to accompany the Marathon and 50 kilometre walking race because of the many competitors and the large numbers of journalists, an inspection tour was held on August 4th and 9th, over 100 reporters participating. They were also provided with information pamphlets containing details about the courses of the long distance events. The Marathon course itself was inspected, since it included the most important stretches of the routes to be taken by the 50 kilometre walking race and the 100 kilometre cycling road race. A similar tour followed by a steamer trip was made at Grьnau in order to acquaint the press with the canoeing and rowing courses, about 60 members taking part. Following an inspection of the technical equipment at the regatta course, the visitors wer conducted over the stretches to be used for the 1,000 and 2,000 metre canoeing and rowing races as well as to the starting point of the 10,000 metre canoeing course on Seddinsee.