Hardy(T)'s World Soccer
Diary
Hardy(T)'s World Soccer
Diary
Did you know that when the Germans were banned from the 1920 and 1924 Olympics, they held their own German Games to promote peace and harmony throughout the Reich. That'd be why one of the events was Hand Grenade Throwing. Amazing what you learn when you're travelling.
Anyway, onto the
Olympiapark, virtually Berlin's last remaining example of Nazi architecture.
And whatever you might say about Hitler, Albert Speer and their merry men,
they certainly knew how to build a stadium. The centrepiece of the Olympic
complex is the Olypiastadion itself, which hosted all the track and field
events of the 1936 Olympics as well as becoming one of the major venues
for the German national football team since 1936. It's also home to HSC
Hertha Berlin and the less well-known Blau-Weiss 90. There's also a huge
amphitheatre, a swimming stadium and the enormous Maifeld. This was used
for Nazi rallies, drill practice and other such things, and is now used
as a training ground for Hertha.
Inside, the Olympiastadion
is impressive, if somewhat showing its age. The vast terraces are probably
original, the upper tiers of the stands have possibly been added since the
war, and the space age, almost Munich-esque roof, which actually only covers
the two centre sections of the stands, in particular the VIP boxes, is definitely
a new feature. Inside marble rolls of honour to the 1936 Olympians still
remain, as does the site of the Olympic flame. One thing that puzzled me
is that the seats are uniformly grey throughout the stadium apart from two
rows of multicoloured seats in the lower tier at about 5 o'clock from the
Olympic flame. If anyone knows why I'd love to find out!
Meanwhile, back on the Maifeld,
the rain is starting to fall just as the Hertha players trot out for a spot
of practice...
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