BERLIN -- More than 2,000 Jewish athletes are gathering for the first European Maccabi Games to be held in Germany, at a site built by the Nazis for the 1936 Olympics.
In a nod to the past, organizers of the 14th edition of the games are holding a Holocaust memorial service ahead of the opening ceremony later Tuesday, and many youth athletes were to visit the former Sachsenhausen concentration camp just outside Berlin.
Organizers have said it was a difficult decision to host the games in Berlin, but that it should be seen as a sign of reconciliation 70 years after the end of the Second World War.
In a note of greeting, Chancellor Angela Merkel wrote that "in view of the past, Germany may truly be thankful for the restored diversity of Jewish life in our country and for the renewed trust of the guests from abroad."
German President Joachim Gauck was expected to address the crowd at the opening ceremony, stressing the symbolism of holding a Jewish sporting event on a site built under the Nazis, and emphasizing the close ties Germany has with Israel as they celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations.
The European Maccabi Games, which take place every four years and were last held in Vienna, feature traditional sports like basketball, football, field hockey, and swimming, but also chess and bridge.
This year, about 2,300 athletes from 38 countries are expected to compete in 19 events. Though only Jewish athletes can compete, "let's play together" matches are also being staged with non-Jewish professional and celebrity teams.
Training events and some competitions began before the opening ceremony.
About 600 police officers were to provide security. The games run through Aug. 5.
Adolf Hitler and Colonel General Hermann Goering are on the grand stand in the stadium watching the events on the field at the Olympics in Berlin on Aug. 2, 1936. (AP)
