3:8Deutsches Stadion
Coubertinplatz
The First World War: An abrupt break in the history of football.
Already as early as 1907 plans had been completed for building a facility that could host the Olympic Games, and after Berlin was chosen in 1912 as the site of the 1916 Olympic Games, the construction of the German Stadium was begun. On June 8, 1913, on the occasion of the celebration of the 25th jubilee of Emperor Wilhelm II, the stadium was inaugurated. It included a grass field, running track, cycling track, and a swimming pool and thus embodied the idea of the unity of all sports. Even though its vast layout limited its usefulness for football matches, the German stadium with its imposing architecture was considered the largest and most important sports facility of its time. It was the venue for numerous social and sports events until it had to make way for the new construction of the Olympic stadium.
Additional topics on the information board
- Football in the 1912 and 1916 Olympic Games
- Football players in the First World War
- 1922 German football championship final
- Sporting events for German athletes
To prepare for the 1916 Olympic Games, the German Football Association hired a national trainer. The team’s performance in the 1912 Olympic football matches in Stockholm had been disappointing even though the German team for the first time had been coached by man from England named Norris. Camillo Ugi, a top player on the German national team, shares his recollections.
