A Perfectly Normal Day

Opening the doors in the morning, locking up at night – and in between, everything has to run perfectly. That is how Urban Kiss describes a typical day at the German House. This “in between” means several hundred guests every day, additional press conferences, a theme day hosted by the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and, often at very short notice, the popular “medal walks” followed by an impromptu party whenever a German athlete wins a medal. Throughout the 17 days of the Olympic Games, and for a further ten days during the Paralympics, the Messe Düsseldorf team is on continuous duty. Since the Sydney 2000 Games, Messe Düsseldorf has been a key partner of Deutsche Sport Marketing (DSM) in organizing and delivering the German House. As a key partner of Team D and Team D Paralympics, it brings experience from a total of eleven German Houses to the organization, project management and implementation. No two days are ever the same.

Julia Kuntze-Braun is usually the first to arrive at the German House in the morning, coordinating the volunteer team. Around midday, the core team comes together for its daily jour fixe. Technology, operations, catering, security and several other trades review the previous day and discuss the program for the day ahead. Urban Kiss is also part of this round. He heads the Special Events team at Messe Düsseldorf and, together with his colleagues and Deutsche Sport Marketing GmbH, coordinates a wide range of service providers. In the early afternoon, when the German House opens its doors, things really get going. With radios constantly at hand, Kiss and his team stay in close contact with all trades. Is an extra cleaner needed somewhere? Is the technology ready for the press conference? Everything prepared for the VIP guests?

Party time for medals

What will actually happen on any given day is often still unclear by lunchtime. One reason is the proximity of the German House to the Cortina Sliding Centre Eugenio Monti – the successor to the legendary ice track where James Bond raced in "For Your Eyes Only" in 1981. German medal hopes traditionally rest largely on the highly successful lugers and bobsleigh teams. And that can mean more often than once: party time at the German House. As Urban Kiss puts it: “That’s when it gets loud and the fog machines go into overdrive.”

Patrick Muno then has to be flexible and reshuffle plans at short notice. He is responsible for the stage program and the medal walks. And Karsten M. Houf, who is responsible among other things for coordinating the catering service providers, knows that it is likely to be another long night. More often than not, Houf is the one who stays on duty until the very end.