page_title: Olympiapark Berlin
section_title: Deutsches Sportforum (1912-1925)
hierarchical_section_title: Olympiapark Berlin / History / Deutsches Sportforum (1912-1925)
caption_attribution_description: For documentary purposes the German Federal Archive often retained the original image captions, which may be erroneous, biased, obsolete or politically extreme. Die grosse Kundgebung 10 Jahre Versailles im Berliner Stadion! Über 50 tausend Menschen wohnten der Feier bei. Blick in das Stadion mit über 50 tausend Menschen während der Feier 10 Jahre Versailles.
context_page_description: Olympiapark Berlin, previously the Deutsches Sportforum and the Reichssportfeld, is a sports and entertainment complex located in Berlin, Germany. The complex served as the Olympic Park of the 1936 Summer Olympics.
context_section_description: Plans to build an Olympic sports complex in the area of the Racetrack can be traced as far back as 1906 prior to Germany's athletic participation in the 1906 Intercalated Games.
  During the 1912 Summer Olympics, the city of Berlin was designated by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to host the 1916 Summer Olympics  during the 14th IOC Conference which was held in Stockholm May 27, 1912.  Berlin had previously bid unsuccessfully for the 1908 Summer Olympics, and had hosted the 10th IOC Conference (where the host for the 1912 Summer Olympics had been voted on) May 27, 1909. Berlin defeated bids from Alexandria, Egypt; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Brussels, Belgium; Budapest, Hungary; and Cleveland, United States in the bid for 1916 Summer Olympics.
  The stadium for this was to be located in Charlottenburg, in the Grunewald Forest, to the west of Berlin.
  The government of Germany decided not to build in the nearby Grunewald forest, or to renovate buildings that already existed. Because of this desire, they hired the same architect who originally had built the "Rennverein" (the Grunewald Race Course) Otto March. The organizing committee's evaluation of the site a site led them to decide that the area inside the Grunewald Race Course offered enough room for a suitable venue to be built. Access to this stadium was provided by a tunnel passage under the racetrack. The tunnel was 65 feet wide, and provided access to the south end of the stadium. This tunnel is one of the few surviving portions of the former race track. The stadium was sunk into the ground on inside of the racetrack, so as not to disturb the view of the racing action.
  The Berlin Racing Association contributed a piece of land on the Northern end of the Grunewald for the stadium. The land had been originally rented by the Racing Association from the Forest Department.
  Work on the stadium, the Deutsches Stadion (German: German Stadium), began in August 1912. When it opened, it held over 18,500 spectators, and had a seating capacity of 11,500. March decided to bury the stadium in the ground ("Erdstadion", in German). On 8 June 1913 the stadium was dedicated with the release of 10,000 pigeons. 60,000 people were in attendance. The stadium contained a 650-foot running track surrounded by a  720-yard cycling track. A 108-yard swimming pool was located on the outer edge of the cycling tack. The stadium also was alternatively known by the names Grunewaldstadion and Berlin Stadium. The stadium was inaugurated May 15, 1913 following a mere 200-day construction schedule. The opening ceremony of the stadium occurred June 8, 1913. Otto March had died April of that year, thus he was unable to see the opening of the stadium.
  One unique facet of the venue was a large oak located just outside the eastern edge of the stadium. Otto March made the decision to leave the oak. It was a decision inspired by the holy olive tree that had blessed the Ancient Olympic Games in Olympia. The oak was named the “Podbielski-Elche’’ after the State Minister.
  Organization continued despite the onset of World War I in 1914, since it was not expected that the war would continue for long enough to interrupt the games. Eventually, though, the Games were cancelled due to the war.
  The stadium was closed on July 26, 1914, and by 1915 the stadium was being used as a military hospital. It would be a year until sports would again take place in the stadium.
  May 15th 1920 the  ‘’Deutsche Hochschule für Leibesübungen’’ (German: German University for Athletics) (DHfL) was founded by Berlin’s Friedrich-Wilhelms-University. This sports institution was also referred to alternately as the ‘’German Institute for Physical Education’’. The German University for Athletics utilized the Deutches Stadium.
  Beginning in the summer of 1921, a two-story university building was constructed north of the stadium’s swimming pool. May 26th 1922, this new building, which included a gymnasium, fencing hall, and a dining and reading room, was opened.
  In 1925, Theodor Lewald suggested that the complex be named the “Sportforum”. Septemb
caption: Deutsches Stadion
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