From the Archives, 1972: Terror at the Munich Olympics
First published in The Age on September 6, 1972
Guerillas holding 13 hostages in Village
MUNICH, September 5 – An Arab commando group armed with machineguns this morning invaded the Israeli quarters at the Olympic Village, killing one team member, wounding another, and taking at least 13 hostages.
A Palestinian terrorist in Munich, 1972.Credit:Russell McPhedran
The guerrillas, who also carried boxes of explosives, threatened to kill all their hostages unless 200 Arab terrorists held in Israel were released.
They also demanded safe passage out of West Germany in an “Arab airliner”.
They rejected a West German offer of an “unlimited amount of money” for the release of their hostages and reaffirmed their demands.
The Arabs originally placed a noon (9 p.m. Melbourne time) deadline on their demands, but this passed without incident as negotiations between the terrorists and West German authorities continued.
Later, the deadline was extended to 5 p.m. (2 a.m. Wednesday Melbourne time).
They also threatened to shoot one hostage every two hours after the new deadline if their demands were not met.
There was speculation that the Games would be called off but the President of the National Olympic Committee (Mr. Willi Daume) said later that they would continue. “The insane crime of last night will meet with abhorrence all over the world,” he said.
Ankie Spitzer, widow of the Israeli fencing coach, Andre Spitzer, who was slain by Arab terrorists, surveys the room where the incident occurred at Munich’s Olympic Village.Credit:AP
“But the Olympic committee believes peace is stronger than political, fanatical murder.”
Negotiations with the guerrillas were being conducted by Munich police chief Manfried Schreiber and the Mayor of the Olympic Village, Walther Troeger.
The West German Minister of the Interior was on his way to Munich to join the negotiations.
Allowed to go
Between eight and 10 Arabs — all members of the Palestinian “Black September” organisation —were believed to be involved in the raid.
The commandos struck shortly after 5 a.m. after climbing the fence around the village.
They first burst into the quarters of the Hong Kong and Uruguayan teams, but were allowed to leave.
One man, identified as wrestling coach Moshe Weinberger, 32, was shot dead as the guerrillas moved into the Israeli section.
Another Israeli, a man, was shot during the invasion, but the commandos would not allow him to be removed from the building for treatment.
A postman who left the village at 4.30 a.m. said he had seen “two groups of four or five men each” jumping the fence around the living quarters.
Commenting on the postman’s report, an official said: “We didn’t pay much attention to it. We thought these were some athletes coming home a bit late and having some fun.”
Guards on all gates were trebled to prevent movement in and out of the village.
Hundreds of police swarmed into the village after the first report of the shooting and all athletes were told to stay in their quarters.
Others who had left the village on training runs were refused permission to return.
Australian runner Cheryl Peasley was forcibly ejected when she tried to enter the Village.
Miss Peasley, 21-year-old university student from Fairfield, NSW, walked up to the main gate with her father, Bruce Peasley.
One of the guards shoved Miss Peasley, grabbed the Olympic identification tag pinned to her blouse and tore it off.
Miss Peasley who, at 5 ft. 9 ½ in., was nearly as tall as the guard, promptly grabbed the tag back. The guard then shut her and Mr Peasley outside the gate.
Miss Peasley was wearing a “civilian” skirt and blouse, not her Olympic uniform or tracksuit. The brown-haired Sydney girl was distraught and nearly in tears after the incident.
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