Gliding, Open

The gliding demonstrations, held at Staaken Aerodrome, did not have a competitive element. Seven countries sent pilots, which participated in a number of demonstrations. A notable participant was Swiss Hermann Schreiber. He won the 1936 gold medal for aeronautics, thanks to being the first person to cross the Alps by glider (in 1935). Another participant, Hanna Reitsch would replicate that feat in 1937, becoming the first woman to do so. She was a decorated test pilot and female gliding pioneer, and became the first woman to compete in World Gliding Championships in 1955. Hungarian pilot Lajos Rotter set a new world record for longest predeclared flight, when he flew from Rangsdorf to Kiel (to see the Olympic sailing regatta), recording a distance of 336.5 km.

The day before the main demonstrations, Austrian pilot Ignaz Stiefsohn died when his plane lost a wing and he crashed.