As already mentioned within the history of the World Men’s Handball Championship the first indoor World Championship in team handball for men took place in the Deutschlandhalle in Berlin, Germany on February 5, 1938 and February 6, 1938. This tournament was played with only four teams from Europe. Fact is that throughout their whole history, the World Men’s Handball Championships have been dominated by European teams. So any medals have yet to be won by non-Europeans. It also has to be mentioned that the first indoor World Championship in team handball for men was played as a so-called Single-Group-Tournament which means that the tournament was held without a knockout-system.
The Deutschlandhalle is a German arena in Berlin that was basically built for the Summer Olympics being held in 1936. It was opened in 1935 and holds about 8,764 people. Three years later the big arena was the scene of the first indoor World Championship in team handball for men. Thousands of people participated in this great event in order to cheer for their favorite nations.
Because of the fact that the World Championship was an indoor event it turned out to be very important to decorate the whole building. So vertical blinds had to be installed in order to provide a ‘lightproof’ atmosphere. Furthermore vertical blinds were used to divide the four fan areas (Germany, Austria, Sweden, and Denmark) from each other. Each fan area had the possibility to create a fan sliding curtain for their respective nation. The curtain was then installed in each area beneath every tribune. Fact is that the management of the whole event gave also the fans the possibility to create an outstanding atmosphere. Moreover it has to be stressed that nowadays no vertical blinds have to be installed because sports arenas do not get built with large glass facades.
Over the years, however, the whole organization of the World Men’s Handball Championships has changed, introduced new rules and generally developed new facets. Traditionally there were group games that took place in the preliminary and main round. More recently a so-called knockout-system has been introduced after the preliminary round.
