In a symbolic ceremony held at the historic Olympiastadion, the city of Berlin officially announced its intention to once again host the Olympic Games. Still in the preliminary phase, the proposal —under the name Berlin+— envisions a sustainable approach, making use of existing sports infrastructure and involving four other federal states: Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony, and Schleswig-Holstein. The initiative aims to host the Games in 2036, 2040, or 2044, and must submit its plan to the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) before Saturday to be considered in the national selection process.
The choice of the Olympiastadion was no coincidence: it hosted the 1936 Games under the Nazi regime, and Berlin seeks to reframe that past with a project focused on diversity and historical memory. “These Games will inevitably be a reflection on 1936,” said Mayor Kai Wegner. “But they also show how much Berlin has changed in a century: today we are an open, international, and democratic city.” The memory of the past and the promise of a fairer and more inclusive future come together in this ambitious bid.
A bid between historical memory and civic challenge
Following the model of Paris 2024, Berlin+ proposes a decentralized Games, where iconic venues such as the Brandenburg Gate and the former Tempelhof Airport will host beach volleyball and skateboarding, respectively. Other plans include sailing events in Kiel and Rostock, and water sports in Grünau, which was also a venue in 1936. The Olympic Stadium, the centerpiece of the proposal, has been transformed from its dark origins into a symbol of modernity and sport, and is currently the home of Hertha Berlin.
However, the path is not free of challenges. Germany’s recent history with the Games includes several failed attempts —such as Hamburg 2024 and Munich 2022— many of them blocked by citizen referendums. A movement called “NOlympia Berlin” has already started collecting signatures to trigger another vote. Meanwhile, political voices like that of the Green Party criticize the public spending associated with an Olympic bid. Nevertheless, the International Paralympic Committee values the diversity of the proposals, and Berlin hopes to stand out with its sustainable and collaborative approach. The internal process of the DOSB will continue until 2026, when Germany’s official bid will be defined.
