Reich Sports Field

sports complex, Berlin, Germany

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July 16, 2026

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The Reich Sports Field in Berlin, Germany, was a large sports complex built for the 1936 Olympic Games. Its centerpiece was the massive Olympic Stadium, designed by Werner March. The Nazis intended to use the Games to showcase Aryan physical superiority, but the success of African American athlete Jesse Owens challenged this ideology. The complex also included the Mayfield athletics field and the Waldbühne amphitheater. After World War II, the stadium was used by the British military and later redeveloped into a modern, multipurpose venue, hosting events like the 2006 World Cup and the 2015 UEFA Champions League final.1

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Olympic Games
Berlin, Germany, 1936
…race were commonplace; and the Reich Sports Field, a newly constructed sports complex that covered 325 acres (131.5 hectares) and included four stadiums, was draped in Nazi banners and symbols. Nonetheless, the attraction of a spirited sports competition was too great, and in the end 49 countries chose to attend…
Read More
…race were commonplace; and the Reich Sports Field, a newly constructed sports complex that covered 325 acres (131.5 hectares) and included four stadiums, was draped in Nazi banners and symbols. Nonetheless, the attraction of a spirited sports competition was too great, and in the end 49 countries chose to attend…
Read More