Friedrich Ludwig Jahn Sportpark
Encyclopedia
The Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark is a sports site in the Prenzlauer Berg
district of Berlin
. In the south it borders on the Eberswalder Straße, in the north on the Max Schmeling
Halle, in the west on the Mauerpark, where part of the Berlin Wall
once stood. It includes a football and athletics stadium as well as several smaller sports fields. The stadium is the second largest in the city after Berlin's Olympiastadion
with 20,000 seats (15,000 covered) and is used by football sides Hertha BSC II, Berliner FC Dynamo
and Türkiyemspor Berlin
.
Since 1825, the area was used as the drill grounds of the Guard Regiment of the Prussia
n army. Some housing was constructed on the site late in the 19th century, but this was a short-lived use and the area soon became an open space used for sports. Between 1892 and 1904, the site served as the ground of Hertha BSC. The city of Berlin purchased the land in 1912 and developed it for sports use in 1913.
After World War II
and the division of the capital city, the area was part of what became East Berlin
, in the Soviet zone of occupation. A football and athletics stadium, with a capacity of 30,000 spectators, was built on the site in 1951, for use during the World Youth Festival that year. Known initially as Berliner Sportpark, East German municipal officials re-named the facility the Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn
-Sportpark the following year, to honour the centenary of the birth of the man known in Germany as the father of gymnastics. The stadium was refurbished in 1988 and its capacity reduced to the present-day number.
. The meet saw the setting of several world records, including Uwe Hohn
's record javelin throw of 104.80 meters on 20 July 1984 – the first time a throw of over 100 meters was made.
East German first division club Berliner FC Dynamo
played its DDR-Oberliga
home fixtures here. In addition, the national side
played ten international matches at the stadium between 1951 and 1990, including its 13 March 1974 contest versus Belgium, which ended with a 5–2 victory in front of a record 30,000 spectators.
The stadium was used by the Berlin Thunder
of the NFL Europe
, whenever the Olympiastadion was unavailable. The amateur side of Hertha BSC (Hertha BSC II) also use the facility, when they expect an unusually large crowd or where there are security concerns related to a match. The final of the Berlin Cup is also held here each season.
In July 2006 the first team of Hertha BSC played its UEFA Intertoto Cup
semi-final match against FK Moscow (0–0) in front of 8,500 spectators here, as well as its UEFA Cup
qualification home contest against Georgian
club FC Ameri Tbilisi
(1–0).
The facility also serves as a concert venue and has welcomed performers such as Michael Jackson
.
Prenzlauer Berg
Prenzlauer Berg is a locality of Berlin, in the borough of Pankow.Until 2001, Prenzlauer Berg was a borough of Berlin; in that year it was included in the borough of Pankow....
district of Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. In the south it borders on the Eberswalder Straße, in the north on the Max Schmeling
Max Schmeling
Maximillian Adolph Otto Siegfried Schmeling was a German boxer who was heavyweight champion of the world between 1930 and 1932. His two fights with Joe Louis in the late 1930s transcended boxing, and became worldwide social events because of their national associations...
Halle, in the west on the Mauerpark, where part of the Berlin Wall
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
once stood. It includes a football and athletics stadium as well as several smaller sports fields. The stadium is the second largest in the city after Berlin's Olympiastadion
Olympic Stadium (Berlin)
The Olympiastadion is a sports stadium in Berlin, Germany. There have been two stadiums on the site: the present facility, and one that is called the Deutsches Stadion which was built for the aborted 1916 Summer Olympics. Both were designed by members of the same family, the first by Otto March...
with 20,000 seats (15,000 covered) and is used by football sides Hertha BSC II, Berliner FC Dynamo
Berliner FC Dynamo
Berliner FC Dynamo is a German association football club and is the successor organization to the club that played in East Berlin as Dynamo Berlin from 1953 to 1966.-Founding and Stasi patronage:...
and Türkiyemspor Berlin
Türkiyemspor Berlin
Türkiyemspor Berlin is German association football club from Berlin. The club began in 1978 as a loose association of young footballers playing recreationally as Kreuzberg Gençler Birliği , named after the Berlin district of Kreuzberg...
.
History
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n army. Some housing was constructed on the site late in the 19th century, but this was a short-lived use and the area soon became an open space used for sports. Between 1892 and 1904, the site served as the ground of Hertha BSC. The city of Berlin purchased the land in 1912 and developed it for sports use in 1913.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the division of the capital city, the area was part of what became East Berlin
East Berlin
East Berlin was the name given to the eastern part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. It consisted of the Soviet sector of Berlin that was established in 1945. The American, British and French sectors became West Berlin, a part strongly associated with West Germany but a free city...
, in the Soviet zone of occupation. A football and athletics stadium, with a capacity of 30,000 spectators, was built on the site in 1951, for use during the World Youth Festival that year. Known initially as Berliner Sportpark, East German municipal officials re-named the facility the Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn
Friedrich Ludwig Jahn
Friedrich Ludwig Jahn was a German gymnastics educator and nationalist. He is commonly known as Turnvater Jahn, roughly meaning "father of gymnastics" Jahn.- Life :...
-Sportpark the following year, to honour the centenary of the birth of the man known in Germany as the father of gymnastics. The stadium was refurbished in 1988 and its capacity reduced to the present-day number.
Use of the site
From 1963 to 1989, the facility hosted the Olympic Day of Athletics competition, modeled on a similar event staged each year in West BerlinWest Berlin
West Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945...
. The meet saw the setting of several world records, including Uwe Hohn
Uwe Hohn
Uwe Hohn is a German athlete and coach. Hohn was the only athlete to throw a javelin more than 100 meters....
's record javelin throw of 104.80 meters on 20 July 1984 – the first time a throw of over 100 meters was made.
East German first division club Berliner FC Dynamo
Berliner FC Dynamo
Berliner FC Dynamo is a German association football club and is the successor organization to the club that played in East Berlin as Dynamo Berlin from 1953 to 1966.-Founding and Stasi patronage:...
played its DDR-Oberliga
DDR-Oberliga
The DDR-Oberliga was, prior to German reunification in 1990, the elite level of football competition in the DDR , being roughly equivalent to the Oberliga or Bundesliga in West Germany.-Overview:Following World...
home fixtures here. In addition, the national side
East Germany national football team
The East Germany national football team was from 1952 to 1990 the football team of East Germany, playing as one of three post-war German teams, along with Saarland and West Germany....
played ten international matches at the stadium between 1951 and 1990, including its 13 March 1974 contest versus Belgium, which ended with a 5–2 victory in front of a record 30,000 spectators.
The stadium was used by the Berlin Thunder
Berlin Thunder
The Berlin Thunder were a professional American football team in NFL Europe, which was a springtime American football league serving primarily as a developmental league for the National Football League. Most of the players were young American professional players assigned by NFL teams to receive...
of the NFL Europe
NFL Europe
NFL Europe was an American football league which operated in Europe from 1991 until 2007. Backed by the National Football League , the largest professional American football league in the United States, it was founded as the World League of American Football to serve as a type of spring league...
, whenever the Olympiastadion was unavailable. The amateur side of Hertha BSC (Hertha BSC II) also use the facility, when they expect an unusually large crowd or where there are security concerns related to a match. The final of the Berlin Cup is also held here each season.
In July 2006 the first team of Hertha BSC played its UEFA Intertoto Cup
UEFA Intertoto Cup
The UEFA Intertoto Cup, also abbreviated as UI Cup and originally called the International Football Cup, was a summer football competition for European clubs that had not qualified for one of the two major UEFA competitions, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup. The competition was discontinued...
semi-final match against FK Moscow (0–0) in front of 8,500 spectators here, as well as its UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
qualification home contest against Georgian
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
club FC Ameri Tbilisi
FC Ameri Tbilisi
FC Ameri Tbilisi is a Georgian football club based in Tbilisi. The club was founded in 2002.Ameri won promotion for the Second Division after the 2002-03 season. In 2003/04 they finished 12th out of 16 and were to be relegated, but were saved after withdrawal of two teams. In 2004/05 they became...
(1–0).
The facility also serves as a concert venue and has welcomed performers such as Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
.
See also
- 20012001 Speedway Grand Prix of GermanyThe 2001 Speedway Grand Prix of Germany was the first race of the 2001 Speedway Grand Prix season. It was take place on 5 May in the Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark in Berlin, Germany- Starting positions draw :...
Speedway Grand Prix of GermanySpeedway Grand Prix of GermanyThe Speedway Grand Prix of Germany is a speedway event that is a part of the Speedway Grand Prix Series.-Winners:-Most win: Hans Nielsen Tomasz Gollob 2 times-See also:... - Berlin Old NordbahnhofBerlin Old NordbahnhofThe old Berlin Nordbahnhof was a short-lived passenger railway terminus in Berlin, Germany. It was situated in Prenzlauer Berg, close to the borders with Gesundbrunnen, in the area of the "Mauerpark".-Geography:...