Munich massacre

Quick Facts: Who was Munich massacre?

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Munich massacre

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A 1972 terrorist attack during the Munich Summer Olympics targeting Israeli athletes.

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Origins & Early Life

The Munich massacre was a terrorist attack during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany, carried out by eight members of the Palestinian militant organisation Black September. The militants infiltrated the Olympic Village, killed two members of the Israeli Olympic team, and took nine other Israeli team members hostage. Those hostages were later also killed by the militants during a failed rescue attempt. Black September commander and negotiator Luttif Afif named the operation "Iqrit and Biram", after two Palestinian Christian villages whose inhabitants were expelled by Israel during the 1948 Palestine war. Intelligence files suggest that some West German neo-Nazis may have assisted Black September in the 1972 Munich massacre, though the extent of their involvement remains debated.

Career & Major Achievements

Shortly after the hostages were taken, Afif demanded the release of a significant number of Palestinians and non-Arab prisoners held in Israel, as well as one of the West German–imprisoned founders of the Red Army Faction, Ulrike Meinhof. The list included 328 detainees. West German police from the Bavarian Police ambushed the terrorists, killing five of the eight Black September members, but the rescue attempt failed, resulting in the deaths of all the hostages. A West German police officer was also killed in the crossfire. The West German government faced criticism for the rescue attempt and its handling of the incident.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The three surviving perpetrators were arrested but were released the following month in a hostage exchange after the hijacking of Lufthansa Flight 615. By then, the Israeli government had launched an assassination campaign, which authorised the Mossad to track down and kill anyone who had played a role in the attack. Two days before the start of the 2016 Summer Olympics, Brazilian and Israeli officials led a ceremony where the International Olympic Committee (IOC) honoured the eleven Israelis and one German killed at Munich. During the 2020 Summer Olympics, a moment of silence was observed in the opening ceremony. Ahead of the 1972 Olympics, the West German Olympic Organising Committee aimed to discard Germany's military image, wary of the propaganda portrayed by the 1936 Summer Olympics under Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1948: 1948 Milestone — Black September commander and negotiator Luttif Afif named the operation "Iqrit and Biram", after two Palestinian Christian villages whose inhabitants were expelled by Israel during the 1948 Palestine war.
2. 1972: 1972 Milestone — The Munich massacre was a terrorist attack during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany, carried out by eight members of the Palestinian militant organisation Black September.
3. 2016: 2016 Milestone — Two days before the start of the 2016 Summer Olympics, Brazilian and Israeli officials led a ceremony where the International Olympic Committee (IOC) honoured the eleven Israelis and one German killed at Munich.
4. 2020: 2020 Milestone — During the 2020 Summer Olympics, a moment of silence was observed in the opening ceremony.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Munich massacre

True or False: “The West German authorities immediately and fully acted upon all intelligence regarding potential threats to the Olympic Village before 1972.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): Authorities failed to act on a tip-off received three weeks prior, according to Der Spiegel, suggesting a significant mishandling of security protocols.

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