| On September 9, 1937, Reichsparteitag der Arbeit (“Reich Party Day of Labor”). On September 9, a huge crowd witnessed the laying of the cornerstone for the gigantic new sports stadium (capacity: 250,000). An impressive setting had been devised for this ceremony. Around the temporary grandstands were 2,000 Nazi banners, 1 from each district in the country. Massed in the center were the crimson and gold standards of the districts, surmounted by eagles. 18,000 members of Germany’s military and paramilitary organizations, in their earth-hued uniforms. The Heer, Kriegsmarine, Luftwaffe, Deutsche Arbeiter Front, special guards, Hitlerjugend, Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (NSDAP – “National Socialist German Workers’ Party”) functions, and Politzei were represented. Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times reporter Frederick T. Birchall (1871 – March 7, 1955) was there, and filed a report about the maneuvers on September 10, 1937: “Goebbels Sees Day of Democracy Past.” “Calls on Nations to Join Nazi Crusade – Scores Notables in United States Who Favor Valencia.” “Dietrich Condemns Press.” “It Is ‘Most Dangerous War Monger of Age,’ Nazi Aide Tells the Party Congress.” “Wireless to The Net York Times, Nuremberg, Germany, September 9 – Despite the intrusion of international affairs the program of the National Socialist Congress here is being fulfilled just as if all were peaceful in Southern Europe. An outstanding development in today’s proceedings was an intimation that Germany hereafter is going in for sports nationally and in a large way.” [Führer und Reichskanzler (“Leader and Reichchancellor”)] “Adolf Hitler [(April 20, 1889 – April 30, 1945)] this morning laid the cornerstone for a gigantic sports stadium to seat two hundred and fifty thousand spectators. When it is completed all major sport events in Germany will be held here, and models of the stadium show it will be in horseshoe form with an immense arena, which will be especially suitable for mass competitions.” “Team entries in sports rather than individual entries are now the fashion in German athletics. The idea seems to be to build up groups of athletes that can be depended on to sweep the board in any international contests. Thus Germany will be able to have her own Nazi olympiad whose stars every four years will dominate the real international Olympics.” “An immense crowd witnessed the laying of the cornerstone, in which vas sealed a proclamation decreeing a great Nazi sport gathering to be held in the stadium annually.” “A beautiful setting had been devised for the ceremony. Around he temporary grandstands were two thousand Nazi banners – one from every district in the Reich. Massed in he center were the crimson and gold eagle-surmounted standards of the districts and eighteen thousand members of he Reich’s military and semi-military formations in their varied uniforms – brown, black, dark blue, gray and green. Represented were the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Labor Corps, the Special Guards, the Hitler Youth, political leaders ind the police – each in thousands. Seen from ab›ve, this mass with its banners resembled huge tulip field.” “A fanfare of trumpets heralded Hitter’s arrival and a procession of State officials and party leaders followed him in. Massed bands slayed slow marches throughout he proceedings. Hitler’s own speech was brief.” “In this historic moment when laying the foundations for this German stadium, I have three cherished wishes,” he said. “I wish first that this imposing work will enhance the nation’s pride. Secondly, may it be an everlasting monument of a nation united under National Socialism and of a mighty race. Thirdly, may it endure for German men and women, leading them to power and beauty, which are the highest ideals of nobility and real freedom.” “Then he declared this year’s National Socialist games, which will continue throughout the congress, opened.” “A Day of Denunciation.” “Otherwise it was denunciation day in Nuremberg. At the congress meeting this afternoon [Reichsminister für Volksaufklärung und Propaganda (“Reich Minister for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda) Joseph Goebbels (October 29, 1897 – May 1, 1945)] denounced Bolshevism and [Reichsleiter (“Reich Leader”) Otto Dietrich (August 31, 1897 – November 22, 1952), Vice-President of the Reich Press Chamber], denounced the free press as democratic countries understand it. Doctor Goebbels’s denunciation was as sweeping and vituperative as usual, but largely followed the lines of a similar speech last year.” “He painted the same horrifying picture of conditions in Russia and “Bolshevist Spain.” He denounced Judaism as the unmasked author bf the Bolshevist revolution and ruin and called on other nations in the name of the Führer to join in its crusade against Bolshevism, Marxism and the Jews. Thera were the familiar jeers at democratic governments as ‘waiting on events and realizing the catastrophe only when it is too late’ and having failed to realize that democracy is finished, Europe already being divided into rival camps – Bolshevism and Fascism.” “‘Yet Europe shall see and realize its danger,’ said Doctor Goebbels. ‘Intrepidly we will point our finger at tho Jew as the inspirer, originator and beneficiary of this fearful catastrophe. This is the world the destroyer of civilization, the parasite among nations. the son of chaos, the incarnation of evil, the germ of decomposition. tho plastic demon of the decay of humanity.’” “Dietrich on the Press.” “In Doctor Dietrich’s long exordium, a great deal hitherto unknown to anybody could be learned about the press. ‘The powerless governments of democracy” dare not declare war upon the destructive powers of the press, he said, “because their existence depends on it.’ So until the advent of Nazism the world remained blind to ‘the true enemy of peace, the greatest and most dangerous warmonger of the age – the anonymous power of the press, which poisons public opinion throughout to world.” “‘We were compelled to take up the light,’ said Doctor Dietrich, ‘not only for the sake of the nation’s peace but also in order to prepare the way for decent conscientious papers throughout the world, to strengthen their courage and to give them moral support in the work of paving the way, however narrow, for truth.’” “Censorship, according to Doctor Dietrich, is really the invention of a Pope, who introduced it into Germany. However, he cited Frederick tho Great as having said of the newspapers of his day, ‘compulsion is necessary as freedom is always abused.’ He also cited French legislators as denouncing their press after the Revolution had freed it.” “‘Such,’ said Doctor Dietrich, ‘were the first sweet blooms on the trees of freedom of the press.’” “Sees Scribblers as Editors.” “True journalists, he also asserted, have now been replaced in editorial chairs by glib scribblers. The modern system of news collection came the Jewish Bourse, he said, and had its origin in ‘swindling stock exchange maneuvers.’ said He Nathan Rothschild [German-British banker, (September 16, 1777 – July 28, 1836)] had been the father of modern newspaper lies. Jews had founded all the great modern news agencies and maintained them. Hence the German war atrocity lies against which ‘Germany’s cry for truth heard only in a few neutral States on her borders.’” “He said that freedom of the British press was a mere deception and American press series of ‘combines dependent on commercialization of the masses’ demand for sensation.’” “He cited a leading American newspaper proprietor,” whom he did not name, as having admitted this. Then he cited the Connecticut Staatszeitung, a weekly paper published in having reported American Hartford, as having reported that another ‘leading newspaper proprietor,’ who was a personal admirer of Hitler yet permitted his paper to vilify the Chancellor in word and picture, had explained, when asked why he did so, that he was in business to feed himself and his family, and that this would not be and possible if he were to ‘tread on the toes of people opposed to the New Germany from whom he received a million dollars annually for advertising.’” “Assails New York Journalists.” “The duty of the New York Journalist, said Doctor Dietrich, is to ‘tell lies and bow down in the temple of Mammon.’ For his daily bread he has to ‘sell his people and his country.’” “The Nazi press chief also cited [New York Times writer] John Swinton (1829 – 1901) as having declared at a convention of American publishers ‘We are all prostitutes in spirit,’ and added, ‘This is the true picture of the face of freedom of the press.’” “There was much more of this, including the statement that freedom of the press was ‘a mask behind which modern bandits, warmongers and vultures who feed on mankind hide their faces.’” “However, Doctor Dietrich concluded: ‘We are not afraid of tackling this question openly. We can afford to speak frankly and take the bull by the horns, for we long ago cleansed our press of all elements of decay, of liars, of agitators and material muzzling of the spirit. Do likewise and you will experience miracle.’” “After this heated agitation of the congress atmosphere it is raining tonight, and a huge torchlight procession of political leaders and Storm Troops past Hitler’s hotel has been sorely marred. It is a pity, because it breaks the long record of perfect weather of which the Nazis have been boasting.” Hugo Jaeger (January 18, 1900 – January 1, 1970), a photographer, worked for Führer und Reichskanzler (“Leader and Reich Chancellor”) Adolf Hitler’s (April 20, 1889 – April 30, 1945) personal photographer, Heinrich Hoffmann (September 12, 1885 – December 16, 1957), from 1936 to 1945. This gave him direct access to the Führer and his entourage. He was a pioneer of color photography, working with Agfa film and developing chemicals. After the war, he managed to hide around 2,000 negatives near Munich, which he sold to LIFE magazine in the 1960s. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0825.jpg |
| Image Size | 422.44 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 2003 x 1336 |
| Photographer | Hugo Jaeger |
| Photographer Title | |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | September 9, 1937 |
| Location | |
| City | Nuremberg |
| State or Province | Bavaria |
| Country | Germany |
| Archive | |
| Record Number | |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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