Family members of the victims of the massacre of 11 israeli olympians during the 1972 games in munich only learned the horrifying details of how they were treated 20 years later, including. Palestinian terrorists broke into the israeli teams quarters, instantly killing 2 and keeping another nine in brutal. Munich massacre 100 photographs the most influential. The games were marred by a terrorist attack in which palestinian militants held members of the israeli team hostage. It was held in munich, germany from august 26, 1972 to september 11, 1972. The full story of the 1972 munich olympics massacre and the israeli revenge operation wrath of god, published by arcade publishing. Feb 01, 2017 the munich massacre caused world leaders to crack down on security against giant scale terrorists. Eight palestinian terrorists killed two members of israeli olympic team and then took nine others hostage. Back in 1972, a homeless person could hop over a two foot fence and stroll right up to the athletes. Munich massacre, an overview of the terrorist attack at the 1972 olympic games in munich, germany. Beginning with the background of the games why was munich chosen as the host city, particularly after the memories of the berlin 1936 summer games and how did internal west german politics play out in the landing of the games. Adolf hitlers use of those games as a platform for the propagation of nazi ideology was roundly criticized, as was the blatant racism and antisemitism that characterized the games. David clay larges book, munich 1972, is a wellwritten examination of the 1972 olympics. The munich massacre was an attack during the 1972 summer olympics in munich, west germany.
High contrastwikimedia eyewitnesses confirmed the official account of later years and the facts recorded by reeve. They dont regard them as victims of the olympic movement but as 11 israeli victims. Aftermath of the munich olympic massacre thoughtco. Coming up on this weeks episode, i will be exploring the 1972 munich massacre. The munich olympics massacre september 56, 1972 category. The 2012 london olympics marked the 40th anniversary of the tragic massacre of israeli athletes at the 1972 munich games. Sep 05, 2017 a permanent memorial to the munich massacre is opening this week at the site of the 1972 olympic games. Munich massacre terrorists helped unwittingly by canadians in 1972 olympic atrocity by cathal kelly sports columnist sat. Sep 10, 2018 the munich massacre was a terrorist attack during the 1972 olympic games. Golda meir and the israeli cabinets top secret committeex. Plaque commemorating the victims of the 1972 munich olympics massacre. The munich massacre was an archetypal black swan in that. The munich massacre was an attack during the 1972 summer olympics in munich, west. A permanent memorial to the munich massacre is opening this week at the site of the 1972 olympic games.
Jump from munich massacre victims back to destination munich home. Finally, after 4 long decades, dozens of classified documents that were stored in the israel state archives were released in time to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the massacre of israeli athletes. One example of the recently released documents is this urgent cable sent on september 5, 1972 to the israeli ambassador. The munich massacre was an attack during the 1972 summer olympics in munich, west germany, at which eleven israeli olympic team members were taken hostage and eventually killed, along with a german police officer, by the palestinian terrorist group black september. Reeve talked about his latest book, one day in september. Giving a proper treatment to the 1972 munich olympics is a complex task because the black september hostage taking tends to act as the gigantic elephant in the room that everyone either remembers or wants to know something about. Outline the main historical debates, perspectives or interpretations you will be discussing discuss the role that westgerman authorities played during the 1972 munich olympic crisis, specifically addressing their preparation prior to black september. The munich massacre was an attack during the 1972 summer olympics in munich, west germany, in which the palestinian terrorist group black september took eleven israeli olympic team members hostage and killed them along with a west german police officer shortly after the crisis began, a black september spokesman demanded that 234 palestinian prisoners jailed in israel and the west germanheld. How did the 1972 munich massacre affect the worlds view. For the 2016 mass shooting, see 2016 munich shooting. The munich massacre caused world leaders to crack down on security against giant scale terrorists. Tragedy struck the 1972 olympics in munich when eight palestinian terrorists invaded the olympic village on september 5 and killed two members of the israeli.
Jim mckay presents gymnastics icon olga korbut uneven bars routine at the 1972 olympics imasportsph duration. The munich games marked the first return of the olympics to a german city since the 1936 games in berlin. The previous page of this story has questions and answers, a runthrough of what actually happened and quotes from people invloved in the tragedy, including one of the terrorists. Munich massacre simple english wikipedia, the free.
In 1972, munich hosted the olympic games and a stadium was built, together with an underground rail system. The munich massacre was an attack during the 1972 summer olympics in munich, west germany, targetting 11 members of the israeli olympic team, who were taken hostage and eventually killed. Longhidden details reveal cruelty of 1972 munich attackers. Psychologists documentary focuses on the 1972 munich massacre. The israeli response to the munich olymipic massacre alexander b. The olympics celebrate the best of humanity, and in 1972 germany welcomed the games to exalt its athletes, tout its democracy and purge the stench of adolf hitlers 1936 games. The tense standoff between gunmen and police at the olympic village was played out in front of tv viewers worldwide.
Cameron remembers israeli victims of 1972 munich olympics massacre video the prime minister attends a commemoration service in london for 11 israelis who were killed during the 1972 munich. The munich massacre was an attack during the 1972 summer olympics in munich, west germany, in which the palestinian terrorist group black september took. Bookstore glossary library links news publications timeline virtual israel experience. Oct 26, 1972 hijacked on october 26, 1972, the lufthansa flight 615 was hijacked by terrorists and they threatened to blow up the plane if germany did not release the three black september group members captured after being involved in the munich massacre. The 1972 munich olympics massacre and israels deadly response. The 1972 summer olympics in munich essay 1719 words bartleby. Munich massacre captured on screen the importance of television was never more apparent. Dec 01, 2015 family members of the victims of the massacre of 11 israeli olympians during the 1972 games in munich only learned the horrifying details of how they were treated 20 years later, including.
On september 5, 1972, the world woke up to images of the munich olympics in the throes of a hostage crisis. Once inside the canadians went on their way, none the wiser to the fact that their companions had been a commando squad of palestinian terrorists. Munich 1972 olympic games, athletic festival held in munich that took place august 26september 11, 1972. On september 5, 1972, the world woke up to images of the munich olympics in. Henry kuttner, working as a bbc studio manager and interpreter in munich, recalls his memories as follows. The israeli response to the 1972 munich olympic massacre and the development of independent covert action teams chapter 1 introduction the experiment in 1972, the israeli mossad initiated one of the most ambitious covert counterterrorist campaigns in history. Families of the israeli athletes killed at the 1972 munich games continue to press for an official moment of silence at fridays opening ceremony in london. Authorities used their past mistakes in the past to help them prepare for the future. A munich synagogue held the coffins of the victims of the attacks at the 1972 olympics. After a lengthy court fight, in 2004 the families of the munich victims reached a settlement of 3 million with the german government.
Terrorists representing a branch of the palestine liberation organization breached apartments housing. Dec 02, 2015 a munich synagogue held the coffins of the victims of the attacks at the 1972 olympics. Sep 06, 1972 munich olympics massacre the 1972 olympic games in munich were billed as the peaceful games, since it was the germanys first time hosting since the end of world war ii. Opening of munich massacre memorial in germany is a. It was the trump card which the terrorists, alone in the world, must. Documentary interviewing the widows and children of the massacre victims and. The situation was ended by a huge gunfight that left five of the terrorists and all of the nine hostages dead. Massacre in munich the olympic games in munich will always be overshadowed by the murder of the entire israeli team, killed after they were taken hostage by palestinian militants. In 1972 the olympics returned to germany for the first time since 1936.
Jul 28, 2019 the munich olympics opened on august 26, 1972, with 195 events and 7,173 athletes representing 121 countries. Munich olympics massacre the 1972 olympic games in munich were billed as the peaceful games, since it was the germanys first time hosting since the end of world war ii. The 1972 summer olympics were an international multisport event. Sep 03, 2016 jim mckay presents gymnastics icon olga korbut uneven bars routine at the 1972 olympics imasportsph duration. Back then, nazism was hitting its stride and adolf hitler hoped to use the games as a way to show off the superiority of his aryan race on a worlds stage. Sadly, however, it ended in tragedy when a terrorist incident led to the death of a number of israeli athletes.
On that day, before the horror struck, ankie spitzer wasnt supposed to be in the village, but she roamed it freely with her. The munich olympics opened on august 26, 1972, with 195 events and 7,173 athletes representing 121 countries. The 1972 olympics were the second olympics to be held in germany. Eleven israeli olympic team members were held hostage and subsequently killed, along with a german police officer, by the palestinian terrorist group black september. Of the eight attackers, five were killed by the police. The 1972 munich olympics hostage crisis essay 2337 words. How did the 1972 munich massacre affect the worlds view on. Plo terrorists castrated israeli hostage in 1972 munich. An international calamity, the murder of the athletes by the palestinian extremist black september group on september 5, 1972, naturally spurred increased security measures at all subsequent olympic games. The history and legacy of the notorious terrorist attack on israeli athletes at the 1972 summer olympics charles river editors 4. The munich massacre was an attack that happened on 56 september during the 1972 summer olympics in munich, bavaria, germany. The incident also forced the united states federal. Nov 25, 2019 the 2012 london olympics marked the 40th anniversary of the tragic massacre of israeli athletes at the 1972 munich games. Striking back provides a good background on the israeli palestinian conflict which endures to this day.
The israeliegyptian peace process in the reporting of western journalists. Black september demanded the release of 234 political prisoners jailed in israel. On the morning of september 5, palestinian terrorists in ski masks ambushed the. The munich massacre was a terrorist attack during the 1972 olympic games. The west german invitation had been extended, in part at least, to offer the world a contrast to the. Families of the victims of 1972 munich massacre call for. The olympic village has gotten much more safe as a result. The germans called it the games of peace and joy, and as israeli fencer dan alon recalled, taking part in the opening. Good introduction to the 1972 munich massacre and israels response. David clay large takes a different tack in munich 1972. Now that german government officials have put forth a clearcut tribute to the 11.
Munich massacre simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The 1972 summer olympics were the second summer olympics to be held in germany, after the 1936 games in berlin, which had taken place under the nazi regime. The terrorists demanded the israeli government to release 234 prisoners held in israeli jails. The book centers on the 1972 munich olympic massacre of the israeli olympic team, and details a number of security failings of the munich authorities which allowed the events to unfold as they did. Opening of munich massacre memorial in germany is a challenge.
A lot of this was covered in spielbergs munich, though what that movie failed to make explicit is that the retaliation israel undertook was not against the actual perpetrators of the munich massacre, but towards lowlevel black september operatives who had tangential ties to the plo and fatah. Olympische sommerspiele 1972, officially known as the games of the xx olympiad, was an international multisport event held in munich, west germany, from 26 august to 11 september 1972 the event was overshadowed by the munich massacre in the second week, in which eleven israeli athletes and coaches and a west german police officer at olympic village were. The 1972 summer olympics in munich essay 1719 words. The israeli response to the 1972 munich olympic massacre and the. The israeli response to the munich olymipic massacre. According to the same program, the crisis committee delegated to make decisions on how to deal. Another name for that olympic game was the 1972 olympics massacre. What happened at the 72 munich olympics my jewish learning. Paymaster of 1972 munich massacre terrorists israel. Jun 1 in iraq, the vice chairman of the revolutionary command council, saddam hussein, oversees the seizure of iraqi oil from international interests jun 2 in west germany, members of the red army faction, including andreas baader, are arrested after a shootout with the police jun 8 in south vietnam, a tactic has been to bomb villages to discourage support of the viet cong. According to 1972 facts on file, the west german police identified yossef gutfreund. Sep 04, 2017 45 years ago today, the joyous olympic games erupted in unprecedented tragedy. Most germans hoped the munich games in 1972 would at least in some way help to heal the racial wounds caused by hitler.
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