Østerbro Stadium, Idrætshuset and Øbro-Hallen

Facts

The birth of Danish elitist sport

By Hans Bonde, Professor. dr. phil. (17 stories)

Københavns Idrætspark was an independent institution founded in 1911. Together, the City of Copenhagen and Copenhagen's sporting community established Idrætsparken, Idrætshuset and Østerbro Stadium with its many statues. The entire complex became a hot house for developing Danish elitist sport and competing in the international sporting arena. Idrætshuset opened in 1914 with a hall measuring 19 by 43 metres that seated 2,500 spectators. In 1929-30, Østerbro Swimming Pool was built next to the complex. The swimming pool was designed by architects A. Wittmaack and V. Hvalsøe. It was renovated throughout in 2002.

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The golden torpedo

Story written by Hans Bonde

Time / Periode 1911

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The 1930s marked a breakthrough for women's swimming. Swimmers such as Ragnhild Hveger, Inge Sørensen, Jenny Kammersgaard and Lilli Andersen became national heroines. The greatest of them all was Ragnhild Hveger. She set 44 world records and made Øbro-Hallen Denmark's natural Mecca for competitive swimming. The Times nicknamed Hveger the golden torpedo" when the Danish ladies swimmers won five gold medals at the European Championships in Wembley in 1938. The record books testify that Hveger also would have won if the Olympics had been held in 1940 and 1944, during World War II. She lost a lot of her popularity during the Occupation, though, for maintaining a positive relationship with Nazi Germany. As a result, she moved to Germany in 1943 and became a swimming teacher in Kiel. "