Olympic Cavalcade

BERLIN, 1936 197 that it would cost 4,ooo,ooo Reichsmarks to undertake the holding of the XIth Games. Of this amount the Reich Post Ministry had proposed to provide about r,ooo,ooo Reichsmarks by the sale of special Olympic postage stamps, and an 'Olympic Penny' was instituted to provide a slight extra charge on all admission tickets to sporting festivals. The organization of the XIth Games was largely undertaken by German sportsmen themselves, based upon the experience gained by their team and officials at Los Angeles in 1932. The American Organization co-operated wholeheartedly by supplying Germany with copies of all its printed matter and important documents, so that there was not much difficulty about preparing a plan for the entire work preliminary to the organization of the Games. This was done in a logical order. Germany, moreover, had ample time for preparation. Germany set out to cater for the participation of 3500 competitors as compared with 1500 in Los Angeles. This did not include the team leaders and accompanying officials, but made some allowance for purely national visitors, of whom it was calculated 17,ooo,ooo would be able to reach Berlin from other parts of Germany in the p€riod of four hours. The _Organizing Committee was assembled under the Chairmanship of Dr. Lewald; who had been a member of the International Olympic Committee since 1927. The first thing that Committee did was to settle_ the question of a symbol for the Berlin Festival, and an Olympic Bell was decided upon. The extensive participation of the whole world in the XIth Olympiad was anticipated and the estimate rose to 4000 athletes accompanied by rooo team leaders and trainers. The remodelling of the existing Stadium, which had been commenced for the holding of t.H:e VIth Olympiad in 1916, which was never held, was recommended, so that its capacity would be increased to between 8o,ooo and 85,ooo. It was emphasized, moreover, that at the Olympiad in prospect Sport and Art must occupy places of equal prominence. Dr. Lewald estimated that the sale of tickets for the Games and various artistic activities connected therewith would amount to 3,ooo,ooo Reichs- - marks, which would be augmented by the means already mentioned and by advertising and a large lottery which the Reichsminister of Economics had authorized to be run for three years. The idea of building an Olympic Village to accommodate the com– petitors was already in the minds of those who had seen the first Olympic Village at Los Angeles, but the idea of using a new settlement district appeared to meet with little sympathy from the Municipal Authorities. Negotiations therefore were opened with the Military Authorities through the Minister of Defence with a view to the use of the Doberitz Barracks during the period of the Games. The necessary permission was granted and a? inspection proved that the premises could be utilized without any con– ~nderable <:tlteration.