Thingsstaetten were open air arenas built by the Nazi Party in Germany between 1933 and 1936 to spread the thing movement of the Nazi Party. The Thing Movement called for the people to recognise their Germanic roots and traditions. Plays were staged in these arenas to awaken in the people the notion of Fatherland and the German Folk. These arenas were later also used for political demonstrations for the propaganda of the Nazi Party.

According to Joseph Goebbels the minister for public enlightenment and propaganda of the third Reich, these arenas were supposed to be the parliaments of their times- places were people could gather and discuss. The construction of Thingsstaetten led to the dramatic staging of the Fuhrer cult.

Recently, certain documents of confidential nature have come to light which seem to have been a study commissioned by the Ministry of Propaganda of the NSDAP (The National Socialist German Workers’ Party, commonly known as the Nazi Party) for the creation of a new kind of propaganda instrument. These documents are in the nature of scientific study and form the first drafts of the plan of Thingsstaetten. The pages reveal the decisions made regarding the design of the arenas, their locations and use. Who conducted these studies and when remains unknown. Some pages of this study are presented here.

Experiments on the impact of light from fire and daylight.

Psychological impact of bonfires

Experiments in sound and echo effects in open air and closed spaces

Impact of nature worship