Inside abandoned 1936 Berlin Olympics stadiums left to rot and permanently scarred by Nazi rule of the time
THE notorious 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics were meant to showcase the power of Nazi Germany.
But it has left behind a legacy of decay and ruin.
A place which once hosted the world’s finest athletes is now abandoned and crumbling - a stark reminder of the horrors and atrocities of that era.
The Berlin 1936 Summer Olympics took place while Germany was under the rule of Adolf Hitler and the Nazis.
And the sporting venues have been scarred by the Nazi rule in that era.
Today the rotten Olympic Village is located in the German capital's West End district.
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Halls that used to house athletes were later used as barracks for the German army, and after that Russian officers resided there from 1945.
Swimming pools and other areas of the House of Nations have also been left to decay and are a reminder of a time Germany would like to forget.
The 1936 Games came at a time when the newly passed Nuremberg Laws marginalised the Jewish people and stripped them of most political rights.
And while Jewish and leftist groups threatened to boycott the Games black American track star Jesse Owens swept up four gold medals, defying Hitler's racist ideology.
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While some parts have been left to crumble, the Olympic Stadium which was thought to host over 100,000 spectators during the Games, has since been stripped of its Nazi history.
The stadium has been home to Hertha BSC since 1963.
It hosted three matches in the 1974 World Cup and was renovated for the 2006 World Cup.
Known as the Olympiastadion Berlin it is also set to host the UEFA Euro 2024 final next summer.
