Uncertainty as to the ultimate completion date of the various structures still gave us grounds for sleepless nights. The Reich Sport Field resembled an industrious beehive, construction work still being in full progress. It was also necessary during this time to establish branch Headquarters at the Field, and Dr. Diem, who was general manager of the entire project, appointed Herr Dreher as his local representative. The sporting equipment, which had been gradually collected in the Sport Forum from April 1st on, also had to be installed and the technical appliances tested. The referees and judges had to be instructed and advised, the control officials and ushers assigned to their particular places of duty and the employees of the Postal Department, Broadcasting Station, Fire Department, First Aid Division, luncheon counters and restaurants given an opportunity of arranging and equipping their centres of activity. Rehearsals for the Festival Play, in which 10,000 persons including 6,000 young boys and girls participated, had to take place during the month of June so that they would be completed before the school vacation began in July. At this time it was also discovered that the top layer of the running track in the Stadium did not contain sufficient clay and a new layer had to be added.
Under these circumstances it was difficult to preserve complete harmony and in spite of the tempo at which the work was progressing to retain the air of calm which vouches for the success of an enterprise. We were aware of the fact that June was the last month for efficient work because the throngs of foreign visitors would begin to arrive on July 1st and the Olympic teams would expect everything to be ready so that they could begin immediate training. Up to this time, however, the Stadium had not been filled once with spectators and the 6,000 youthful participants in the Festival
lay had not run down the broad steps a single time, because they were not finished, although it was obvious that considerable rehearsing would be required in order to train thousands of 12 and 14 year old boys and girls to carry out this performance smoothly and efficiently.
July, 1936
During the first days of July the final seat numbers were painted on the benches, the last gate set in place, and on July 5th the Stadium was tilled for the first time. It had been originally planned to hold a special dedication festival but in the light of later developments it was decided to postpone this until August lst, the opening day of the Olympic Games. For the first time the transportation companies had an opportunity of ascertaining whether their facilities were adequate, the Police Department of testing its traffic control plans and the thousands of ushers in their light blue uniforms of guiding the visitors to their places. We had our initial opportunity of testing the volume of our loud speakers in the filled Stadium, of ascertaining the audibility of the broadcast announcements, of selecting the best position for the music and choruses with the end in view of eliminating echoes, of judging the penetrating quality of the Olympic Bell tones and of trying out the communication and announcement equipment in the Stadium. All of these factors, which were so important for the successful and smooth presentation of the Games, had to be dealt with in a very limited time and any adjustments made with the greatest rapidity. The swimming stadium was also tested in the same manner to ascertain whether changes or improvements were necessary.