Hitler's Olympics by Christopher Hilton

Author:Christopher Hilton
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780752475387
Publisher: The History Press
Published: 2011-12-06T05:00:00+00:00

At 7 a.m., too, controllers and policemen moved to their positions at the stadium’s entrances while others patrolled the area. At 7.30 a roll call ensured they were all present.

The flame reached Jütebog towards dawn and then at 8 a.m. a tiny place called Trebbin, the last staging post before Berlin – 40 to go.

Berlin seethed under an overcast sky and suddenly, at 8 a.m., two military bands struck up along Unter den Linden. The Canadian team noted that ‘the opening ceremonies began with the thudding of drums and the blare of brass bands. Berlin troops poured through the Brandenburg Gate to the Armory [down ] the Unter den Linden for a great parade, performing the ceremony of “The Great Awakening” by marching round the central streets of the city – with colors flying and stirring music.’6

Would the weather ruin the day? A south-easterly wind dragged cloud over and brought showers which might develop into more persistent rain or a downpour.

At 9 a.m. entry to the Reich Sports Field was forbidden.

Between 9.15 and 10.30 a hundred vans brought 20,000 carrier pigeons in cages to the stadium.

At 9.30 – the flame still out in the country, the runner jogging steadily towards Berlin’s outskirts – a column of cars drew up outside the Adlon Hotel to take the IOC members to church: Catholics to St Hedwig’s for mass, Protestants to the Evangelical Cathedral for a sermon.

Werner Schwieger, the gymnast, had received his Olympic pass a few days earlier.

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