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Home , Ice rink, Ice skating, Nordic Games, Oscar Mathisen

Berlin with Black Forest

By Volker Kluge

The Berlin . A band played on the balcony during events.

Below right: vignettes for the Nordic Games of 1913 and the Games of the VI'" Olympiad in Berlin, whose main event was to be the "Stadion-Wett- kampfe” from V'to 10"'July 1916.

Illustrations: Volker Kluge Archive

55Z. Berlin W., L u th en tr. Eispalast.

From today's viewpoint, it is scarcely believable that needed for the food and drink industries, which until Olympic Winter Games were for a long period an then had used blocks of ice sawn in winter from frozen unloved child. At the Founding Congress of 1894 the lakes and then kept at the edges of cities in gigantic Commission for in its second meeting on depots.3 2i“June had accepted "patinage", skating, into the list It was left to to stag? "Winter Games" for the of desirable sports, but had not devoted a single word first time as part of the Olympic Games. In July 1908 to its realization.1 Greece had financial problems even stadium events were held, “he October programme then. How were they to acquire an artificial in featured boxing, football, rugby, hockey and lacrosse - the spring of 1896? and as the only genuine winter sport, . In Great Britain, where the Scottish doctor and chemist William Cullen had already produced "artificial cold" as early as 1748 by means of thermodynamic processes, a rink had already been in existence for half a century. It was called The Glacinarium 1. The succeeding installation, which could only be used by "noblemen and gentlemen under certain conditions", opened on 7th January 1876 in the exclusive Royal borough of Chelsea. The size of the ice rink: 12.19 X7.32 m limited the sporting activities which could be staged there. American patents were instrumental in making the modern "ice age" possible. The new ice machines were Entrance hall to the Ice Palace in Berlin, opened in 1908. Far left: extract from the Minutes of the Olympic Founding Congress of 1899, with the list of “desirable sports”. These were obviously noted at short notice.

Illustrations: I0C/0SC Archives. Volker Kluge Archive

their Session of 1909 the IOC Members had also the opportunity of visitingthe new attraction in Berlin. The following year the rink passed its first practical test when it staged the figure-skatingWorld Championships for ladies and pairs. In 1911 there followed the "gentlemen’s” championships, at which the Swede Ulrich Salchow became world champion for the tenth and final time. The complex was designed by the Berlin architect Walter Hentschel on the model of the Palais de It was a beginning which did not meet with the Glace7, only half the size, had an ice surface 54 by 34 approval of IOC President Pierre de Coubertin. He had metres, which corresponded approximately to the had pleaded that alone, where Nordic Games dimensions later laid down in international regulation; European Champion­ had been held since 1901, "would one day organise 60 x 30 m.8 The facility, which had been built by the ships in Olympic Winter Games on ice and snow".'* After 1908 August Borsig company - at that ime the second largest on Berlin's Halensee: Coubertin repeated tnis proposal, but also his refusal to producer of steam locomotives in the world - possessed the Norwegian Oscar accept onto the programme - except for a freezer which cooled a saline solution down to minus Mathisen won the figure skating with the proviso “if necessary".5 twelve degrees and pumped it into a system of pipe; 5000 metres and with He found support from the chief organiser of the 20,000 m long. The ice surface which this process it the multi-events Games of the V,h Olympiad, Viktor Balck, who since produced was ten centimetres thick and smoothed title. 1893 had been President of the International Skating daily. Union (ISU). The Swedish colonel put the brakes on his ambitious IOC colleagues with a harsh reaction and the argument that possessed no ice palace. The offer of the Italian Count Brunetta d'Usseaux, interested in for military reasons, to accept the Nordic Games planned for January 1913 as part of the Olympiad, failed when Balck refused i:.6 In the long run however, all attempts by the Scandinavians to claim winter sport as a privilege for themselves wer? to fail. Berlin, which had been promised the Games of the VIth Olympiad, planned for 1916 not only competitions on ice but also on snow. The Ice Palace at 22-24 Lutherstrasse, opened on i!t The ice hall alone swallowed up building costs of 1.48 September 1908, gave the imperial capital a facility million Marks, to which were added 1.8 million for the unique in the wor d. It was where the best figure building.9The palace, opened each from 9 to midnight, skaters had already prepared for the Olympic contests could accomodate for 4500 visitors, of whom 2000 were in London. The Prince’s Skating Club Rink in the host allowed on the ice at the same time. For this they had to city was only available from 8th October. As part of pay 50 Pfennigs, while spectating cost double that. In Brussels in 1905, glance at the building documentation shows that was within the area of the Ice Palace with its surface of one of the first four around 1150 square metres, a speed skating track of 400 people to be awarded m could hardly be accommodated. These competitions the Olympic Diploma. were probably intended for the Halensee, where in 1914 The others were the 23,d European Championships had been staged. American President Theodore Roosevelt, Polar explorer Nansen as honorary member the Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos The altitude of Berlin - 35 n above sea level - drew Dumont, and Briton attention for the first time to a territorial problem, that William Grenfell, later only after the First World War became really relevant, Lord Desborough. after the 1928 Olympic Games had been allocated to With his book The First Figure skating, speed skating multi-event Amsterdam. The Dutch, whc as is well known are not Crossing of Greenland, and with puck numbered among the peoples of the mountains, had to the Norwegian polar give up the privilege of also carrying out what had now explorer aroused The Organising Committee for the VIth Olympiad, become official Olympic Winter Games, whereupon St. enthusiasm for skiing. led by Carl Diem, had presented the programme Moritz in Switzerland sprang into the breach." As a result the Todtnauer on 11"1 November 1913, althojgh it still bore the title In contrast to its neighbour Germany has a range of Ski Club was founded "provisional". On the list were twelve summer sports, to regions sure to have snow. From the beginning of the in 1891 in the Black which were added “XIII", and "XIV", skiing. 20th century these were also conquered by the winter Forest (below). Skating, planned for the 4 and 6th February 1916, sports enthusiasts. This was furthest advanced in the was subdivided into figure skating (gentlemen, ladies, south west, where since 1887, the Grof therzogliche Pholus: Volker Kluge Archive, piclure-iilliance pairs), speed skating (500,1500 and 5000 m) as well as Badische Staatseisenbahn [state railway of the Grand ice hockey. In addition on the entry forms there were the Duchy of Baden] had been transporting tourists from words "Canadian ice hockey with puck”, for in Germany Freiburg im Breisgau to the High Black Forest. and other European countries at that time people The first skier sighted at 1493 metres, who thus entered played with a ball. The Organising Committee had set his name in the 'visitors book’ of the "Feldberger Hof", the maximum number of participants per nation at six was Dr. jur. Robert Pilet, a French consular official, who athletes in individual events of three pairs. In ice hockey had been transferred to Heidelberg and whose pointed they intended to permit two teams percountry. wooden skis from only provoked head-shaking No individual medals we-e scheduled for speed from the older local inhabitants. All the greater was the skating, which corresponded to the rules governing interest of some young Black Forest locals, who had international competition since 1908: "The winner is themselves instructed by him in the spring in "proper" the skater who wins at least two distances. If a different skiing. skater wins over any distance, then the winner with the However the decisive impetus came in 1891 from a best number of places from the three individual events book by the polar explorer Fridtjof Nansen. In German is chosen: if the figures of places are equal, then the it was entitled AufSchneeschuhen durch Gronland [On number of points is decisive." J snowshoes through Greenland] a title which may have As a competition site besides the Ice Palace an "open misled some.’2 Of course the Norwegian did not wear ice rink (sprayed ice) or natural ice" was added. Yet a old-fashioned "snowshoes" on his 49 day march, but "skis".’3 Over Christmas, Nansen's travel report had been discussed in a lively fashion at the "Stammtisch” [regulars' table]. Then six you ng men decided to form the Ski Club Todtnau in 1891, whereby the history of organised skiing in central Europe began.11* Nansen was offered honorary membersh p, which he accepted on 5,hJanuary1892.'5 That same year a Todtnau brush factory began the production of skis to the design of a sample pair. A local saddler provided a leather binding and a master tailor the corresponding “ski suits". In 1895 a ski club was also founded in Freiburg, which shortly afterwards joined the SCTodtnau in an umbrella organisation under the name of "Ski-Club Schwarzwald", to facilitate joining for other clubs. Thus the central European focus of skiing was in the Black Forest, before it later moved to the Alps. The first instructors were Norwegians, who mostly studied in Freiburg. They did not just export their material to Germany, but also theirTelemark techniques including . In 1899 this was marveled aton the Feld berg hill for the first time. Their most ardent supporter was Wilhelm Paulcke, the son of a druggist from Leipzig, who since 1894 had studied zoology, geology and botany in Freiburg and in the same year had attracted attention by crossing the Feldberg massif on skis. He later became a professor in geology. It was an this spot that he organised the first German Championships in cross-country skiing and ski-jumping in 1900, both won by the Norwegian How the tango and dyed hair came to the mountains A postcard with the Bjarne Nielssen.'6 Until 1904 inclusive the national cancellation January championships remained in the Black Forest. In his collection ISOH member Manfred Bergrran 191ft with the hotel The constitution of the German Ski Federation (DSV) has two postcards, on which the "Ochsen" hotei, a „0chsen“ and the also bore his hand. It had been founded in Munich former post and horse-changing station, and :he inscription "Intern. on the initiative of the SC Schwarzwald - Paulcke was inscription "Intern. Winterspiele 4.-6.2.1916 Feldberg/ Winterspiele u.~ its secretary. Even if not much is known about the Schwarzwald" can be made out.19 It was obviously 6.2.1916 Feldberg! preparation of the "Winterolympien"’7of19i6, it can be a private initiative by the bustling landlord of :he Schwarwald", which assumed that he was also the driving force there as well. "Ochsen" Viktor Portner, which was questioned when is among the few A cross-country race over 12 kilometres was planned the German Ski Federation soon after wards revised its memorabilia referring with a maximum of eight participants per nation as well opinion and brought the then separated communi:ies to the planned as a competition referred to as a "Dauerlauf” [endurance of Garmisch and Partenkirchen into play as a site for “Winterolympien". race] over 50 km. Besides the ski jump there was also a the Games.70 But it probably never came to a definitive Illustration: Manfred Betgman "zusammengesetzter Lauf (Lang- und Sprunglauf)" cecision. Ai chive [combined race cross-country and ski jump] - today The International Ski Federation congress met at the known as Nordic comb ination - in the programme.18 end of February 1914 in Christiania (known today as ) but was not united on this question. When the German researched. It is however known that the Austrian representative Dr. Peter Frey - a dentist from Frankfurt delegate Roger de Riedmatten” dared to look into - presented his application, he was opposed by the the future when he proposed the organisation of influential Swede Carl Hellberg, whereupon further "Winterolympien” by including all types of winter sport discussion was postponed to the next congress in 1915 in (skiing, tobogganing, , , skating, ice Salzburg, which in fact was never totake place. hockey) as a "predecessor of the main Olympics".” And yet: a comprehensive discussion of the At the latest it is time he-e to investigate the role programme could no longer be postponed. It took of Coubertin, who during the Paris Congress was place at the Olympic Congress in June 1914 in Paris, occasionally indisposed24, so that he could not - or did to which not only the IOC Members, but also the not want to - take part in al the consultations, as the representatives of the National Olympic Committees and decisions resulted not in a reduction of the programme of the International Sports Federations were invited. It as he wanted, but an expans on. was resolved to divide the competitions into a group He is considered, as not exactly a friend of the Winter of compulsory sports as well as an optional group, to Games in common with some of those who succeeded which ski sport, ice skating and ice hockey belonged. him. This opinion was formed especially by his tirade Because of the war, the Minutes were not published published in the Revue Olympique, which bears the title until a nine page special edition came out in 19192', "The decadence of winter sport". In it he insinuates the discussions of that time cannot be completely that the entirety of its supporters are a lobby of the

lauritz Bergendahl (1887-1965) was the first Nordic ski star. In the photo (below) he passed the Olympic torch to Eigil Nansen. Right: Oscar Mathisen (1888-1954) was the master of speed­ skating. Adjacent: German figure skater Werner Rittberger was the hope for 1916.

Photos: Volker Kluge Archive Alpine hoteliers. Those he referred to "as the straw men sports is offered by the brochure Pierre de Coubertin et les leux of greedy shareholders", their customers as "noisy Olympiques d'Hiver, 2006, published by the Comity International Pierre de Coubertin. and everywhere pestilential travellers for pleasure", 6 M inutes, 13"' Session Budapest 1911, pp. 9-5. Brunetta d’Usseaux with whom the tango and dyed hair had come into had based his proposal inter alia on the fact that the Olympic year the mountains. And he begins to complain: "Three would last from 1" June 1912 to 31" May 1913. changes of toilette per day as a minimum, that is the 7 His inauguration took place in 1876. obligation".75 8 The dimensions of the open air ice rink at the 1928 Winter Games in In his defence it can be added that he published St. Moritz were only 90 x 35 m. The hall in 1932 at Lake Placid with 60 x 30 m was the first to correspond to the norms valid today. several positive reports about the Nordic Games and 9 Berliner Landesarchiv A Pr.Br.Rep. 031-02. The voluminous building winter sport in the Revue Olympique, which - even if no documents of the Ice Palace, whose owner was the Berliner Eis- author is named - certainly came from his pen.76 Thus in palast A.-G., are almost completely preserved. 1908 he called skiing "aesthetic" and praised its value 10 Deutscher Reichsausschuss fur Olymplsche Spiele, O iym pische to health. By mentioning Paulcke's Der Skilauf n he Spiele in Berlin 1916, Progromm und Allgemeine Bestimmungen (VorlGufiges Progromm), pp. 28-20. The old rules were last used proved that he had also read the book, which appeared at the championships in and . Cf. Benjamin T. in Freiburg in 1898, v/ith profit and thus was very well Wright, Skating around the World 1892-1992. The One Hundredth informed about the "white sport".78 Anniversary History of the International Skating Union, ISU, Davos, 1992, p. 31. The unpeaceful end of the 11 IOC Session, Prague 1925, Charter of the Olympic Games, p. 19. The first "Winterolympien" rule stated: "The International Olympic Committee chooses the place for the celebration of the Olympic Winter Games giving the first refusal to the country holding the current Olympic Games on The First World War frustrated the holding of the Olympic condition that it can give sufficient guarantees to organise the full Games of 1916. The Berlin Ice Palace got into economic programme of the Winter Games." But not until after the Second trouble, so that it had to close its doors in 1915. World War did the IOC finally abandon this stipulation. From then on it was used as a cold store for pork. 12 Fridtjof N ansen, Poo ski over Grpnlond: en skildring of Den norske Grpnlands-ekspedition 188 8 -8 9 , Aschehoug, Oslo 1890. The highly In 1920, at its re-opening without any ice surface, regarded German translation in two volumes appeared for the first it changed into a variete called "SCALA", which time in 1891 from the Hamburg publishing house. was famous in the "Golden Twenties". This finally 13 The concept "snowshoes” instead of "ski", long customary in succumbed to a bombing raid one night in 1943. Germany, was coined for the first time by the German scholar The lights went out in the Black Forest as well. Paulcke, Adam Olearius (1599- 1671) in his travel report Vermehrte Newe Beschreibung der Muskowitischen und Persischen Reyse, Schleswig who after his service as a “one year volunteer" had 1656. promoted the setting jp of ski regiments and developed 19 There was indeed a ski club in Munich by1890, which was dissolved the idea of military patrol runs, commanded a Jager a short time later. battalion with soldiers on skis. At the end of 1915 he was 15 The original letter is in the archive of the SCTodtnau 1891 e.V. transferred to the allied Ottoman Empire, where he had 16 Cf. Gerd Falkner, „The federation's founder came from Leipzig", in: Zeitreise auf Skiern dutch Sachsen, too lohre Skiverband Sachsen, 1200 pairs of skis produced and after that as a major put Meyer 8c Meyer, Aachen 2008. Nielssen, who in 1919 belonged to the theTurkish army onto boards. first Council of the International Ski Federation (FIS), also won the He had set off as a skier, to come home as a ski ski jump in 1901. invalid. That was the unpeaceful end of the first 17 Deutsche Turn-Zeitung, 1919, p. 528. "Winterolympien", the concept of which had to be 18 Oiympische Spiele in Berlin, p. 29. rewritten for Chamonix 1924. ■ 19 As can be seen on the postal franking, the cards were sent off in January 1919 from Lenzkirch, a settlement on the Feldberg. An extensive article on 1916 Olympic philately can be found in: IMOS, Sonderheft zum lahreskongress in Gmunden/Osterreich 7013, pp.

1 M inutes, Olympic Confess, Paris 21“ June 1891*. p. 18, I0C/0SC 17 -5 0 . Archives. 20 Freiburger Zeitung, is" June 1919, Abendblatt, p. 3. 2 Littell's Living Age, 181*9 Vol. 1, No. 1*, p. 201. 21 IOC, Congres des Comites Olympiques Nationoux tenu a Paris en 3 In Berlin alone the North German Ice Works employed at peak lu in 19 1 9 ,10C/0SC Archives. periods up to 1200 workers. The 10 to 12 metre high watehouses 22 Roger de Riedmatten was President of the Austrian Winter Sport held around four million hundredweights of ice, obtained from Berlin's lakes and rivers Club as well as Vice-President of the national bobsleigh federation. 9 The North American Review, Vol. CLXX, June 1900, pp. 802 ff. The 23 Freiburger Zeitung. Swedish government decree envisaged that every two years 29 Revue Oiympique, July 1919, pp. 101-111. alternately in the Scancinavian capitals Stockholm and Christiana 25 Pierre de Coubertin, "La Decadende des sports d'hiver", in: Revue Nordic Games would be held with international participation in ski Oiym pique, No. 9 9, March 1919, pp. 39-90. jumping, skiing, figure skating, speed skating, ice hockey, , 26 Ibid, April 1901, pp. 17-29; February 1903, pp. 13-19. , horse racing as well as in military competitions. After 1905 27 Wilhelm Paulcke, Der Skilauf, Fr. W agner'sche Universitats- the four year rhythm wes introduced. The Nordic Games took place for the last time in 1926. Later attempts to revive them failed. Buchhandlung, Freiburg i. Br. 1898. 5 The Programme of the Games, in: Revue Oiympique, December 28 Revue Oiympique, January 1908, pp. 9-19 (parti: , tobogganing, 1909, pp. 189-187. A summary of Coubertin's contributions to winter bobsledding); February 1908 (part 2: skiing), pp. 23-28.