Berlin Sportpalast
A former Berlin indoor arena remembered for ice sports, mass entertainment, political rallies, and Nazi-era propaganda speeches.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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History
Berlin Sportpalast opened in November 1910 on Potsdamer Straße in Schöneberg, then part of Berlin's rapidly expanding urban landscape. Its principal original purpose was to provide a large enclosed rink for ice hockey and skating. The scale of the facility made it a technical and cultural sensation, and it was regarded at the time as the world's largest indoor skating venue. Depending on its configuration, the building could accommodate as many as 14,000 people. The arena's program soon developed into a broad mixture of sport and popular entertainment. In addition to ice hockey and skating, it hosted six-day bicycle races, boxing matches, and figure-skating exhibitions. Max Schmeling was among the prominent boxers associated with the venue, and the arena also hosted the Bockbierfest, which combined Bavarian music, dancing, beer, and food. These events made the Sportpalast a mass-entertainment institution rather than a narrowly specialized sports facility. The building acquired a second identity during the political conflicts of the Weimar Republic. Its large floor and seating capacity made it suitable for party conventions and mass rallies. Social Democratic, Communist, and National Socialist speakers all used the venue during the 1920s and early 1930s to present programs to large audiences. Following the Nazi takeover in 1933 and the suppression of Germany's other political parties, the Sportpalast became an especially valuable stage for Nazi leaders. Adolf Hitler and Joseph Goebbels delivered speeches there, and Goebbels treated the arena as a major political platform because of its size and ability to create a sense of collective participation. Several of the building's most historically consequential events occurred during the Nazi period. Hitler's September 4, 1940, Winterhilfe address announced an expansion of bombing against British cities. In 1937, an unidentified person in an SS uniform reportedly attempted to assassinate Hitler at the venue. The event for which the Sportpalast is most remembered took place on February 18, 1943, when Goebbels delivered his Total War speech. Speaking to a selected Nazi audience after the German defeat at Stalingrad, he sought to intensify public commitment to the war and normalize the demands of total mobilization. The speech made the building an enduring symbol of Nazi propaganda and political spectacle. The Sportpalast suffered extensive damage during the Second World War. By 1945 its roof had been destroyed and the building was in poor condition. Public ice sports resumed in 1951, but the lack of a roof exposed the rink to the elements and created an uncomfortable environment for spectators. A new roof was subsequently constructed, and the venue reopened in improved condition in 1953. During the early postwar period, banker Heinz Henschel attempted to restore the arena's fortunes; he had previously played there as a member of the Berliner Schlittschuhclub. After the division of Berlin, the arena was located in West Berlin. Its earlier role as the city's leading political meeting hall did not return, but it continued to host a varied schedule. Sports and skating shared the calendar with concerts and other public events. International performers appearing there included Bill Haley, Louis Armstrong, Mahalia Jackson, the Beach Boys, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, The Nice, and the Mothers of Invention. The venue thus remained part of West Berlin's cultural infrastructure even as its prewar political significance receded. Economic conditions ultimately determined the building's fate. By the 1970s, the Sportpalast was no longer profitable to operate. It closed in 1973 and was demolished. A large residential development was built on the site and became known as the Sozialpalast. The site's successive identities reflect Berlin's changing history: an early modern indoor sports facility, a Weimar-era mass meeting hall, a Nazi propaganda stage, a damaged postwar arena, and a Cold War concert venue.
- 1973
Closure and demolition
[1]The unprofitable arena closed and was demolished; a high-rise housing complex later occupied the site.
- 1953
Reopening after roof reconstruction
[1]A replacement roof enabled the venue to reopen in a more usable postwar form.
- 1945
Severe wartime damage
[1]The building's roof was destroyed and the arena was left badly damaged at the end of the war.
- 1943
Total War speech
[1]Joseph Goebbels delivered his major Total War address at the Sportpalast on February 18.
- 1933
Nazi takeover changes the venue's political role
[1]After the Nazi seizure of power and the abolition of rival parties, the Sportpalast became a major venue for Nazi rallies and speeches.
- 1920
Expansion into mass political and cultural events
[1]The venue became a regular setting for political meetings, festivals, cycling races, boxing, and other large public events.
- 1910
Opening of the Sportpalast
[1]The arena opened in November on Potsdamer Straße as a major enclosed ice-skating and ice-hockey facility.
Products and positioning
A major multi-purpose public venue combining indoor ice sports, mass entertainment, concerts, festivals, and political assembly.
Sports facility · 1910
Indoor ice rink
The Sportpalast was originally designed around a large enclosed ice rink. Ice hockey and skating were its defining early activities, and the rink's scale helped establish the building as an internationally notable indoor sports facility.
Event venue · 1910
Multi-purpose event hall
Beyond winter sports, the building accommodated six-day bicycle races, boxing, figure-skating exhibitions, festivals, political meetings, and concerts. Its flexible capacity could reach approximately 14,000 people depending on the event layout.
Controversies
Brand decisions
1973
Closure and demolitionOtherBackground
By the 1970s, operating the venue was no longer profitable.
Action taken
The Sportpalast was closed and demolished.
Aftermath
A high-rise residential complex known as the Sozialpalast was built on the site.
1953
Postwar reopening after roof reconstructionStrategyBackground
The arena's first postwar ice-sport reopening was hindered by the absence of a roof, which exposed spectators and events to the weather.
Action taken
A replacement roof was constructed and the venue reopened in improved condition.
Aftermath
The Sportpalast resumed use as a sports, entertainment, and concert venue in West Berlin.
Recent events
- 1973
Sportpalast closes and is demolished[1]
Other
The venue ceased operations because it was no longer profitable and was subsequently demolished; a high-rise residential complex later occupied the site.
- 1953
Sportpalast reopens with a replacement roof[1]
Other
After reconstruction work, including installation of a new roof, the arena reopened for a wider range of events.
- 1951
Postwar ice-sport events resume[1]
Other
Public ice sports returned to the venue, although the open-air condition of the damaged building made the experience impractical for spectators.
- 1945
War damage closes the Sportpalast[1]
Other
The building emerged from the Second World War badly damaged, including the destruction of its roof.
- 1943
Goebbels gives the Total War speech[1]
Other
On February 18, Joseph Goebbels delivered his major Total War speech at the Sportpalast, calling for intensified German mobilization after the defeat at Stalingrad.
- 1940
Hitler delivers Winterhilfe address at the arena[1]
Other
Hitler used a September address at the Sportpalast to announce a shift toward bombing British cities, marking an escalation in the air war.
- 1937
Assassination attempt against Hitler reported at the Sportpalast[1]
Other
An unknown person wearing an SS uniform reportedly attempted to assassinate Adolf Hitler at the arena.
- 1920
Sportpalast becomes a major interwar political meeting hall[1]
Other
During the Weimar Republic, major political parties, including Social Democrats, Communists, and National Socialists, used the venue for mass meetings and speeches.
- 1910
Berlin Sportpalast opens as a major indoor skating venue[1]
Other
The arena opened in November as a large enclosed ice rink for skating and ice hockey, quickly becoming a prominent Berlin attraction.
Sources1 sources
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