In the late summer of 1972, at the Olympic Games in Munich, Germany, eleven Israeli athletes were murdered by Arab terrorists.
Portraits of the victims are displayed at the end of a ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary of the massacre of Israeli athletes by Palestinian Black September terrorists at the 1972 Munich Olympics, at the Fuerstenfeldbruck Air Base, southern Germany, on September 5, 2022. (Thomas KIENZLE / AFP)
This video, created by Jeff Brody and first shown at the JCC Maccabi Games in the late 1990s, commemorates the 11 Israeli athletes tragically murdered during the 1972 Munich Olympics. Their memory is honored each summer in various ways as part of the JCC Maccabi Games’ commitment to engaging and educating thousands of athletes, coaches, and families. By sharing their stories, the video underscores the resilience of the Jewish community and the importance of remembering this history within the context of global sports and Jewish identity.
The 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany, were meant to symbolize peace and unity. A testament to this spirit was the motto “The Happy Games,” chosen to represent a world recovering from the devastation of two world wars. However, the Olympics turned into a nightmare on September 5, 1972, when eleven Israeli athletes, coaches, and officials were taken hostage and eventually murdered by a Palestinian terrorist group known as Black September.
At 4:30 a.m., while most of the Olympic Village was still asleep, eight members of Black September scaled the perimeter fence. Disguised as athletes and armed with AK-47s and grenades, they infiltrated the apartments housing the Israeli delegation. The attackers swiftly took eleven members hostage, killing two who resisted: wrestling coach Moshe Weinberg and weightlifter Yossef Romano. Despite their overwhelming firepower, the terrorists’ actions were marked by chaos and brutality. Survivors described harrowing moments of confusion and fear as the militants forced their way into rooms, binding the hands of the hostages and threatening lives at every turn.
Even before the attack, leaders of the Israeli delegation had expressed concerns about their accommodations and the overall security measures. Their apartments were located on the ground floor, which they felt made them vulnerable to potential threats. The team voiced their discomfort to the organizers, suggesting the need for enhanced security or relocation to a less exposed area. However, these concerns were dismissed, with officials insisting that the Olympic Village was secure. This lack of action would later be seen as a tragic oversight in the chain of events leading to the massacre.
Black September, a militant faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), aimed to draw international attention to the Palestinian cause. Their demands were stark: the release of 234 Palestinian and Arab prisoners held in Israeli jails and two German terrorists held in Germany. The German government, unprepared for such an attack, scrambled to negotiate while the world watched in horror. For over 20 hours, tense negotiations unfolded as German officials sought a peaceful resolution.
German authorities attempted a rescue mission at the Furstenfeldbruck airfield, where the terrorists had demanded transportation out of the country. The nine surviving hostages were brought by helicopter. Snipers were deployed, but the operation was marred by poor planning and miscommunication. The inadequacies included insufficient sniper training, a lack of communication between ground forces, and the absence of specialized hostage rescue teams. A firefight ensued, and the terrorists, realizing they were trapped, detonated grenades in a helicopter carrying the hostages and opened fire on the second helicopter. All nine Israeli hostages, five terrorists, and a German police officer were killed. Journalists on the scene reported chaotic scenes of flames, gunfire, and desperate cries—a devastating end to an already tragic event.
The Munich Massacre shocked the world, exposing vulnerabilities in international security and the dark intersection of politics and sports. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) faced criticism for allowing the Games to continue after a brief suspension of 24 hours. While some argued this decision upheld the Olympic spirit, others saw it as a callous disregard for the victims. Many athletes and spectators left the Games, unable to reconcile the festive atmosphere with the enormity of the tragedy that had unfolded.
Black September’s origins lay in the displacement and disenfranchisement of Palestinians following the establishment of Israel in 1948 and the subsequent wars. The group took its name from the bloody events of September 1970, when King Hussein of Jordan expelled the PLO from his country. They viewed the Munich operation as a way to force global recognition of their plight. The group’s rhetoric emphasized a sense of desperation, portraying the attack as a necessary act in a world that ignored their suffering.
Their methods, however, invited widespread condemnation. The massacre marked a turning point in global counterterrorism, leading to the establishment of specialized units like Germany’s GSG 9 and changes in Olympic security protocols. Yet, for many, the most enduring legacy of the Munich 11 was the human cost—the lives lost and families shattered. For decades, debates raged over the balance between political activism and the sanctity of international events like the Olympics.
In the wake of the massacre, Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir faced the harrowing task of responding to the attack on her nation’s athletes. Resolute and determined, Meir authorized “Operation Wrath of God,” a covert campaign to hunt down and eliminate all those involved in planning and executing the Munich Massacre. This decision was driven by a need for justice and a message to the world that acts of terror against Israelis would not go unanswered.
The operation was spearheaded by Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency, which meticulously tracked Black September operatives across the globe. Agents employed a combination of surveillance, subterfuge, and direct action to carry out their mission. High-profile targets included Ali Hassan Salameh, the mastermind behind the attack, who was killed in 1979 by a car bomb in Beirut. The operation also highlighted the complexities and moral ambiguities of such missions, as evidenced by the Lillehammer affair, where an innocent Moroccan waiter was mistakenly killed in Norway due to faulty intelligence.
Wrath of God was not without controversy. Critics questioned the legality and ethics of extrajudicial killings, while others saw the campaign as a necessary deterrent against future acts of terror. For Israel, it was a statement of resilience and a commitment to protecting its citizens at all costs. Meir’s resolve in pursuing justice left an indelible mark on the nation’s history, symbolizing the lengths to which a country would go to defend its people.
In the years following the tragedy, efforts to honor the victims faced obstacles. Relatives of the Munich 11 campaigned for a minute of silence during the opening ceremonies of subsequent Olympic Games. Ankie Spitzer, widow of fencing coach Andrei Spitzer, and Ilana Romano, widow of weightlifter Yossef Romano, became the leading voices in this effort. Their advocacy was relentless and deeply personal, fueled by the pain of loss and the desire to ensure their loved ones were remembered on the global stage.
Despite widespread support from the public and numerous nations, the IOC repeatedly rejected these requests, citing political neutrality. Spitzer and Romano attended nearly every Olympics, holding press conferences, meeting with officials, and rallying support from athletes and governments. Their efforts brought the story of the Munich 11 to the forefront, ensuring it remained a topic of discussion despite the IOC’s resistance.
It wasn’t until the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, nearly 50 years after the massacre, that a minute of silence was observed during the opening ceremony. The moment was deeply emotional and unexpected. Spitzer and Romano, who had been invited to attend, were unaware of the tribute even on the morning of the ceremonies. When the minute of silence was announced, it took them by surprise. A global audience watched in solemn reflection as the victims’ names were read aloud, reaffirming a shared commitment to peace and memory. For Spitzer and Romano, the recognition, though long overdue, marked a poignant culmination of their decades-long fight.
As the 50th anniversary of the Munich Massacre approached in 2022, Germany planned a solemn commemoration in Munich to honor the victims. However, the families of the Munich 11 initially refused to attend. They demanded that the German government acknowledge its mistakes during the botched rescue operation, release relevant files to an international group of scholars for review, and provide adequate compensation to the victims’ families—in line with compensation for other international acts of terror.
Negotiations between the families and the German government grew tense, with time running out. Finally, in the eleventh hour, the German government agreed to the families’ demands. They publicly acknowledged the operational failures of 1972, committed to transparency regarding the events, and offered compensation that met international standards. The families, reassured by these actions, attended the ceremony.
The commemoration was deeply emotional. Held at the site of the tragedy, it included speeches from dignitaries, moments of silence, and the unveiling of a memorial plaque. Ankie Spitzer, representing the families, delivered powerful remarks, emphasizing the importance of remembrance and accountability. The ceremony served as a long-awaited gesture of reconciliation and a reaffirmation of the shared commitment to prevent such tragedies in the future.
The Munich Massacre left scars that remain unhealed. For Israel, it reinforced the urgency of protecting its citizens. The country’s response was swift and decisive. Under the directive of Prime Minister Golda Meir, Mossad launched “Operation Wrath of God,” a covert campaign to track down and eliminate those responsible for the attack. Over the next two decades, suspected Black September operatives were targeted in a series of assassinations that spanned Europe and the Middle East. Mossad’s operations, including the infamous Lillehammer affair, highlighted both the challenges and moral ambiguities of seeking justice.
Internationally, the attack reshaped how nations approached terrorism. The massacre underscored the need for intelligence-sharing and preemptive measures, leading to the establishment of institutions like Interpol’s counterterrorism division. Conferences and summits dedicated to combating terrorism became commonplace, as the global community grappled with the reality that no event, however sacred, was immune from violence.
The story of the Munich 11 is one of tragedy, but also of resilience. The athletes’ families turned their grief into a fight for justice and remembrance. Their efforts ensured that the world would not forget the names of Moshe Weinberg, Yossef Romano, David Berger, Ze’ev Friedman, Eliezer Halfin, Amitzur Shapira, Kehat Shorr, Mark Slavin, Andrei Spitzer Yakov Springer, and Yossef Gutfreund. Survivors and supporters alike have emphasized the importance of education, ensuring that future generations understand the events of 1972 and their implications.
The fight for recognition culminated not only in the minute of silence but also in permanent memorials. A monument now stands in Munich’s Olympic Park, and another in Tel Aviv’s National Sports Center, bearing the names of the victims and a pledge to remember. Annual commemorations draw attendees from around the world, uniting people of all faiths and backgrounds in shared mourning and resolve.
The Munich Massacre serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of peace. Yet, it also underscores the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring power of memory. In remembering the Munich 11, the world honors their lives and reaffirms the commitment to unity and peace in the face of division and violence.
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All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy