1972 Summer Olympics: The Munich massacre

Cosmopolitan and colorful is how Munich aims to present itself to the world as Olympic host in 1972. Organizers are hoping to change Germany's image as the country hosts its first Games since the Nazis staged the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. The local police are in civilian clothes and are unarmed. For 10 days, Munich celebrates a peaceful festival with guests from all over the world.

From a sporting point of view, there are memorable performances, none less than those of American swimmer Mark Spitz, who wins seven gold medals. The West German hosts have their own triumphs to celebrate, too. On September 4, 16-year-old Ulrike Meyfarth (pictured) sets a new world record as she wins gold in the high jump. The fans are euphoric. But just hours later, everything will change.

Eight members of the Palestinian terrorist organization "Black September" break into an Israeli team apartment in the Olympic Village in the early hours of September 5. They shoot dead wrestling coach Moshe Weinberg and seriously injure weightlifter Josef Romano. He bleeds to death while nine other hostages are tied up in the same room and forced to watch him die.

The terrorists demand the release of more than 200 prisoners from Israeli custody. In return, they would release the hostages. German Interior Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher (third from left) and other officials negotiate with the terrorists' leader, who calls himself Issa. Genscher and others even offer to take the place of the hostages in order to win their freedom. The terrorists refuse.

"Should we give in, then no Israeli in the world can feel that his life is safe," says Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir, rejecting what she termed "blackmailing of the worst kind." Israel offers to send special forces to free the hostages, but this is turned down by the West German government.

Initially, the sporting events continue despite the murders and the hostage-taking. While police officers seal off the building occupied by the terrorists, visitors continue to pack the Olympic Park. Only after Israelis hold a demonstration to demand the Games be suspended do the organizers order that events not be held on the afternoon of September 5.

The Bavarian police are not well equipped to deal with a hostage-taking. Armed police officers attempt to storm the apartment at 31 Connollystrasse, but do not go unobserved. Live television footage shows the officers approaching the hostage-takers — and the terrorists are among those tuning in. The plan to free the hostages is quickly aborted.

The terrorists' ultimatum is extended several times. Finally, it is agreed that they should be taken to a nearby military airport by two helicopters and from there flown out to Cairo together with the hostages. However, the German negotiators only agree to the demands as a pretense. They are aiming to set a trap for the terrorists. But their plan will go horribly wrong.

A Boeing waits at Fürstenfeldbruck Airport with police officers disguised as the crew. They are meant to overpower the assassins. But the officers are neither adequately armed nor trained. They abort the mission on their own authority. The remaining few police officers at the airport do not know that there are eight hostage-takers and not, as previously believed, only five.

When two terrorists inspect the Boeing, the police open fire. An hours-long firefight ensues. Reinforcements arrive late, hindered by the many onlookers gathered outside the airport. The terrorists blow up one of the helicopters with a hand grenade, before shooting dead the remaining prisoners in the second. In the end, 15 people are dead: A policeman, five of the attackers and all nine hostages.

A memorial service for the victims is held in the Olympic Stadium on September 6. There, IOC President Avery Brundage announces that the Games will not bow to terror. "The Games must go on," he said. Opinion is divided on whether this was the right decision. The Munich Games do indeed continue but are no longer cheerful in the remaining days.

A few days after the attack, Ankie Spitzer, widow of murdered fencing coach André Spitzer, arrives at Connollystrasse to pick up her husband's personal belongings. "It was chaos, there was blood everywhere," she said in a documentary on German public broadcaster ZDF. "There was food on the floor, plus they hadn't let the hostages go to the bathroom. It was terrible."

By that time, Munich's police department under Chief Manfred Schreiber (pictured) had already published a report. It states that "no mistakes were made" and that "nothing could have been done better" with the available means and under the given circumstances. Instead, it says, Israel "issued the hostages with death sentences" by rejecting the terrorists' demands.

It didn't take long for the three surviving assassins to escape West Germany. When a West German airliner was hijacked in Zagreb in October 1972, the three were flown to the former Yugoslavia and exchanged for the passengers and crew of the airliner. Rumors persist to this day that the hijacking of Lufthansa Flight 615 was staged by West German authorities to rid themselves of the terrorists.

A proper reexamination of how the events played out has never been conducted. The investigation files are set to remain under lock and key until 2047. Inquiries by the surviving relatives have repeatedly been rejected. Above all, however, there has never been an official admission of guilt from the German side – and a dispute over financial compensation for the relatives has yet to be resolved.

So far, €4.6 million ($4.62 million) has been paid to the bereaved families, with a further €5.4 million recently offered. The families are demanding about €10 million per victim. "I am no longer prepared to endure further insults," says Ankie Spitzer (photo), spokeswoman for the relatives, for whom the behavior of German officials since 1972 has left deep scars.

Therefore, the bereaved families will boycott a memorial service to mark the 50th anniversary of the attack. They have asked Israeli President Isaac Herzog to do the same. "This is our final decision, because we feel that the abuse and the way we are being treated has not stopped," Spitzer says.