The Luitpold Arena

The Luitpold Arena consisted of three elements:
The Luitpold Grove (Luitpoldhain)
The WW1 memorial (Ehrenhalle)
The Tribune of Honour (Ehrentribüne)

Early Nuremberg.

During redevelopment of the former exhibition park, the buildings in the marked area were removed but the curved grassy terraces were retained

In the 1927 and 1929 rallies, these grassy terraces were used by Hitler for the 'Blood Flag' ceremony and for addressing the troops.

Hitler on the grassy terraces of the Luitpoldhain

Hitler addresses the crowd from the terraces apparently without any amplification.....however, the inset 1929 image shows a microphone stand

In the early 1920s the City of Nuremberg commissioned a memorial to remember the 9,855 Nuremberg soldiers killed in World War I.
Rather than build the memorial in the middle of the city, they chose the Luitpoldhain where families and friends could remember their loved ones in peaceful surroundings

The area designated for building the Ehrenhalle (WW1 Memorial Hall) was on the opposite side of the park to the grassy terracing

Ehrenhalle was completed by 1929 but not officially inaugurated until 1930

As it was structurally complete, the Nazis decided to include the Ehrenhalle in their ceremonies.

The Erhrenhalle was used in 1929 to lay wreaths for the dead of the 1923 putsch (stills from the 1929 film)

During a meeting in July 1933, Hitler explained his plans for the Luitpold Arena.
The work called for a huge level parade ground surrounded by terraces for the spectators.
However, with only six weeks before the 1933 rally there was only time to level the parade ground.
Around 500 large trees were removed together with hundreds of metres of hedges, dozens of flower beds and the famous fountain.
The earth from the levelling was used to create terraces around the edge of the arena.

A huge temporary wooden grandstand was built where the Tribune of Honour would eventually stand
The three large flags were made from perforated material and hung from metal poles

The 1933 rally with the temporary speakers podium and the Ehrenhalle in the distance

Hitler speaking from the podium during the 1933 rally

Hitler with Ernst Röhm walk across the arena towards the Ehrenhalle......across grass

Immediately after the 1933 rally, work began to pave the central strip to the Ehrenhalle with granite slabs and to build a permanent Tribune of Honour.

The paved area was completed in time for the 1934 rally and was known as the 'Straße des Führers'

The curved tribune was flanked by two, six metre high bronze eagles but the grassy terraces remain

Assembling the eagles on the Tribune of Honour

The magnificance of the eagles can be appreciated when scaled against figures

Further improvements by 1936 saw the grassy terraces paved and the 24m high flags hanging from a more sophisticated mount that would allow the flags to be lowered

The final result was a grandstand capable of seating hundreds with the backdrop of the swastika flags

By 1937 the entire Luitpold arena was completed with permanent seating for 50,000 spectators and space for 150,000 participants.

This image shows the completed Luitpold Arena with the Luitpold Hall, the Tribune of Honour, the WW1 Memorial, the Straße des Führers and the spectator seating 

The scene was set for some of the most memorable images of the Nuremberg Rallies.

Click on either image to view a larger version........opens in a new window

It was considered that, at a later date, the whole arena would be rebuilt to improve its orientation with other rally sites......see Northern Plaza.