The Opening Ceremonies of the XIth Olympiad

A gray sky that threatened rain without ever really fulfilling that threat towered today over the Opening Ceremonies of the 11th Olympic Games of modern times. It was not a misfortune, because there stood out in sharper relief all the brilliant coloring of this most picturesque of ceremonies, which comes only once ever four years.

The picture against this gray background was the huge expanse of the world's newest and biggest stadium and the great throng of 110,000 that filled the gray stone benches. In the arena below, the greenest of lawns was cut by the running track of red cinders. At each end wide granite stairways leading to the skyline were broken only by the twin stone clock towers and the unadorned flagpoles.

At one side was an orchestra, reinforced by the drums and bugles of a half-dozen military bands, and above them was a choir of a thousand, all in white. At the other side a line of gray benches was broken by a square, outstanding platform, equipped with microphones for the Caesar of this era, the German Führer, and his entourage. Below that was a little forest of chairs for the Ambassadors and special envoys of nations.

As the ceremonies continued, a little girl in blue, her fair hair bound by a chaplet of flowers, came forward and, making a German curtsey, gave the Führer a bouquet of roses. He touched her hair and evidently spoke gently to her while Count Henri de Baillet-Latour took her by the hand and led her with the notables in frock coats and top hats to the Caesar's dais. The assembly remained standing still, vociferating in a chorus of "heils". The Germans in unison saluted their beloved Führer.

The bands broke into "Deutchland Uber Alles" then into the Nazi anthem, the "Horst-Wessel Song" as the notables took their places. Theodor Lewald, head of the German Olympic Committee gave up his chair of honor to the Italian Crown Prince.

On a flagpole, the Olympic Flag—white with five interlocking circles representing the five continents—was slowly raised. Outside the stadium, guns boomed.

First item on the program was the parade. The Olympic Bell tolled a deep note. The bell is inscribed with the words "I summon the youth of the world." As if to answer the bell's summons, into the stadium marched the athletes. Leading, because their country started the Olympic Games in 776 B. C., were the Greeks. Next, at the head of the German alphabetical list were the Egyptians. Loudest applause went to Austrians who gave the Nazi salute, to goose-stepping Bulgarians (who also rendered the Nazi salute to the delight of the German spectators), to a Swiss flag-bearer who did juggling tricks. English athletes got few cheers.

Next to last, the US team members saluted Realmleader Hitler by placing their straw hats over their hearts( as did the Philippines and China). The Americans were also the only country not lower their flag when passing the Führer. They kept their flag aloft proudly. An official statement published in all the newspapers, however, explained this as due to Army regulations and for public understanding in the matter.

For the Americans, the crowd shouted, whistled, clapped in unison. The American athletes were received somewhat coolly. The audience was notably subdued when they entered. Some European observers noted a noisy whistling that was suggestive of the "Bronx Cheer".

The noise soon died when the German team became visible at the Marathon Gate, where the teams entered. The bands ceased to play the march they had been playing and went in impassioned performances of "Deutschland Uber Ales" and the "Horst-Wessel Song" all over again. The German audience rose in silent attention. They did not wish for the American team to applauded.

As for the attire of the athletes, there was many an ensemble. The Americans looked crip[s in their white flannel trousers, their white shoes, dark blue blazers and straw hats with the national arms on the front of the blue hatband. The Egyptians wore red fezes above similar dress. Australia was in dark green and white. The Belgians were picturesque in all-gray flannels.

The Bermudans and Chinese wore white sun helmets, while the Colombians were clad in gray trousers and bright blue blazers. The Danes marched resplendent in rose and white. The British were bare headed but dressed otherwise in American fashion. So were the French. The Canadians were in red and white and gave the Olympic salute. The Italians wore black shirts over white trousers. The Germans were in all white. The officers in the parade who are to take part in the cavalry competitions all wore their national uniforms.

Germany provided the contingent of athletes. The United States with some 400 athletes, was the second largest, with France, Italy and Great Britain come next in order. Both Haiti and Costa Rica sent a single person apiece who also bore their flag for their respective nations. Honors in marching when wholly to the German, who moved like a great machine.

At last the Parade was ended and some 5,000 athletes from 52 nations came to rest on the green infield before the Führer, Dr. Lewald, made a 20-minute speech to introduce Herr Hitler, who, dressed in a brown uniform, had arrived an hour before. He addressed Hitler "respectfully and gratefully as the protector of these Olympic Games to be held in this stadium, built according to your will and purpose" invited him to declare them open.

Adolf Hitler stopped chatting with his good friend Cinemactress Leni Riefenstahl, official Olympic photographer, long enough to speak a racial comment. Said he: "In a few minutes, the torch bearer will appear to light the Olympic fire on his tripod, when it will rise, flaming to heaven, for the weeks of this festival. It creates a real and spiritual bond of fire between our German fatherland and the sacred places of Greece founded nearly 4,000 years ago by Nordic immigrants.

"Only so long as sport isn't allowed to become an end is itself but, on the contrary, a moral duty, only so long as it isn't merely an empty pleasure or the desire for thrills, but discipline and devotion to a higher ideal, dare it to be the object of such a festival."

After a pause, De Lewald announced that only the day before, the Olympic Committee decided to make the "Olympic Hymn" used at these games, the hymn for all future meets and expressed thanks to Richard Strauss for having created it.

At the end of Dr. Lewald speech, Herr Hitler stepped forward once more and fullfilled his sole duty of these game saying "I proclaim open the Olympic Games of Berlin, celebrating the XIth Olympiad of the modern era."

Then Trumpets sounded across the arena and 3,000 white pegeons flew into the air. A white clad chorus then sang the "Olympic Hymn". The Hinderburg flew over the stadium trailing the large white Olympic flag behind it.

Atop the staircase at the East gate appeared the last runner of the 3,000 who had relayed the Olympic Flame from Olympia in Greece. This last runner, Fritz Schilgen, scampered down the steps, paddled across the arena, trotted up the west stairs to a platform, dipped his torch. The Olympic Fire flared up from its bowl.

After the ceremony of the Olympic Torch came the Olympic Oath.The 52 flag-bearers formed a semicircle in front of the reviewing stand. German Weightlifter Rudolf Ismayr mounted a tiny rostrum, recited through amplifiers so everyone could hear: "We swear that we will take part in the Olympic Games in loyal competition, respecting the regulations which govern them and desirous of participating in them in the true spirit of sportsmanship, for the honor of our country and the glory of sport." A German choir sang Handel's Hallelujah Chorus.

On the bulletin board which will proclaim the results of the competitions appeared the words of Baron de Coubertin, who revived the Olympic games in their present form:"The important thing is not to win but to take part. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought to win."

Then gnarled old Spiridon Loues, Greek shepherd and marathon runner, wearing his national costume, who won the Olympic race in 1896, wobbled out of the ranks to present Herr Hitler with an olive branch. Mr. Loues said to the Chancellor "I present to you this olive branch as a symbol of love and peace. We hope that the nations will ever meet solely in such peaceful competition. Hitler receiving it with obvious emotion, thanked him heartily and shook hands with him. Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus" resounded once more and brought the ceremony to a close and the athletes marched slowly out.

As for the performance, written by Dr. Carl Diem, secretary of the Olympic Organization Committee. There had been a request from Baron de Coubertin to include Beethoven's Ninth Symphony which includes a musical setting for Friedrich von Schiller's stirring "Ode to Joy". Dr. Diem went further and wrote a pageant in five acts on the romantic theme of youth.

The first scene opened just after nightfall. No performers appeared at first. There were seen only two great choruses grouped in the shadows. From the tower above Marathon Gate were first heard the trumpets playing the "Welcome Song".

Then entered 3,000 little girls in white dresses and 900 boys in Olympic colors, from whose masses came the faint notes of glass chimes. The children danced finally forming the Olympic flag.

Then the chimes of the Potsdam Church, where Frederick the Great is buried were heard and the two choirs sang a hymn titled "Eternal Olympia" This was composed for the occasion by the German musician Werner Egk.

Following the children, came 2,000 older girls who danced as a chorus to a solo waltz by Talutta. Five hundred more girls from a noted gymnastics school then gave a demonstration of rhythmic dancing until "The Voice of the Mother" summoned them to be serious, and chorus answered in unison.

The next scene showed groups of boys from various nations engaging in games about a series of bonfires until the fires were hurried away, and the boys disappeared at the blast of a trumpet. Then the spotlights were concentrated on the ceremonial steps leading down into the stadium from Marathon Gate.

A group of 1,200 youths descended these stairs carrying silken flags of all nations. Swiss flag bearers gave a demonstration of their art of flag swinging. Then, when the flag bearers all had descended into the stadium, they raised their hands in the Olympic salute and with the chorus sang a hymn.

A sword dance followed in which both dancers died in rhythmic agony. The moral of this scene was supposedly that modern war destroys the visitor and the vanquished. After that 80 girls danced the "Dance of the Mourners".

But this led to the first bars of the 4th and final movement of Beethoven's cherished Ninth Symphony. A voice was heard reciting Schiller's famous poem. A chorus of 1,000 voices joined in. The 6,000 performers who had taken part in the previous scenes streamed into the field, joined hands and embraced. The flags of the nations taking part in the games were raised around the stadium. Lighted torches formed a ring of fire about its outer edge and the searchlights were thrown onto the 1,200 flags of nations which reappeared on the field as a signal the pageant was over.

During the day Hitler was subjected to continuous ovations. I nthe newly paved square in front of the Chancellory, in the Wilhelmstrausse, thousands stood for hours ot cheer him. Again and again he had to appear on the balcony overlooking the square to wave responses to the frenzied adulation.

Biggest and noisiest in history, the 1936 Olympics are scheduled to last for 16 days. Five thousand athletes from 50 countries will compete in 22 sports, watched by 3,500,000 spectators, recorded by 1,500 reporters. To accommodate all this, Berlin, cheated of the 1916 Olympics by the War, spent $24,000,000 on municipal improvements; a 325-acre Reichssportfeld including four stadiums, an outdoor theatre, basketball courts, pools, a polo field, a gymnasium; and an Olympic Village conveniently close to Staaken Airport which can use it for barracks when the Games are over.