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| Dark history of World Cup venue
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Berlin Olympic Stadium
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BERLIN (EJP) --- Berlin’s Olympic stadium will be the venue for the closing match of the FIFA World Cup which will start next Friday in Munich with a Germany-Costa Rica match.
The stadium was opened in August 1936. As the main setting for the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, it was where the Nazis first tried to publicly demonstrate to the world the racial superiority of the Germans through its athletes.
It was also a showpiece of Nazi architecture, a visual reminder of Germany’s reacquired might and a display of power. With 76,005 seats, it was billed the largest stadium of its day.
Photographer and film producer Leni Riefenstahl glorified German athletes and the stadium in her film “Triumph of the Will”. The notions of supremacy that emanated from Riefenstahl’s film were considered the first effective propaganda tools that the National Socialist government used on its public to give it the feeling of true superiority.
In fact, Germany did win the majority of medals during the games, though the American challenge gave the Nazis a run for their money.
Right-wing hooligans
Germany and Berlin’s stadium have come a long way since that time. The stadium’s design has been altered a few times and mass political rallies are not held there anymore. The architecture, however, reminds anyone aware of Nazi design and style of the stadium’s past.
Over the past decade, the resurgence of right-wing hooliganism within the stadium has plagued football matches. This has been the only cause of concern to Jewish leaders – not the stadium’s architecture.
Die-hard fans can often be seen waving banners reminiscent of old German Reich flags. These troublemakers, however, have been a general concern in all stadiums throughout Germany.
Recently, anti-Semitic banners were unveiled by a small crowd during a football game in the eastern city of Cottbus. Such banners have been unheard of, though anti-Semitic slogans can often be heard in the chants of smaller rightist groups.
EJP has found no official condemnation for these acts from Jewish leaders.
However, Stephan Kramer, general secretary of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, said that right-wing radicalism will not abate until the government gives children and youth a better perspective for their economic futures.
"During the World Cup football matches, we hope to see football fans peacefully demonstrate their rejection of Nazism, xenophobia, racism and intolerance within the stadiums".
Lack of interest
Many Russian-speaking members of a local synagogue were not aware of the stadium. The issue presented to them by EJP did not interest them.
A German member of the same synagogue told EJP that “Berlin is full of buildings that had been built and misused by the Nazis. If we live here, we just have to deal with them”.
Another congregant was a bit more light-hearted about the issue. “During the 1936 Olympic games, the Nazis passed no further racist legislation and avoided public boycotts of Jewish businesses,” he told EJP.
He said that the games were a period of reprieve for Jews. “Signs stating ‘Jews and dogs unwelcome’ were temporarily taken down…Perhaps that is some consolation,” he continued.
Contrary to popular belief, the stadium was designed by Werner March and not by Hitler’s star architect Albert Speer – whose oversized buildings dotted the Berlin landscape.
The stadium underwent several renovations. The 2000-2004 remodelling put a roof over most seats, changing the familiar appearance of the structure to a certain extent.
The FIFA World Cup will take place 9 June -19 July.
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