Relatives, athletes attend memorial for 1972 Olympic victims: GERMAN BUNGLING, ISRAELI SLAUGHTER

Ankie Spitzner, the widow of one of the athletes killed at the 1972 Games, speaking at Sunday's memorial ceremony in Munich. (Photo: AP)

Relatives and athletes joined in a memorial service Sunday for the 11 Israelis killed at the 1972 Munich Olympics, standing in a moment of silence, listening to songs and speeches and promising not to forget the victims.

Amid extraordinary security and in cool, drizzly weather, 25 relatives of the athletes who were killed attended the one-hour ceremony at the monument to the victims, a large stone tablet placed at the bridge linking the former Olympic village to the Olympic stadium. The victims' names are etched in the stone in German and Hebrew, with the solemn words: "In honor of their memory."

An Israeli flag was draped across the tablet, with 11 candles burning and fresh wreaths laid at the foot of the monument. Six Israeli flags fluttered in the wind.

The use of the village by the 17-member Israeli team and others in Munich for the European championship marks the first time it has been used by athletes since the Munich Olympics. The village is normally used as a student dormitory.

During the ceremony, police helicopters circled above, the main highway passing under the bridge was closed off in both directions and police sharpshooters scanned the area from atop the bridge supports.

On September 5, 1972, Palestinian terrorists stormed an Olympic Village apartment house at the Munich Olympics, killing two Israeli athletes and holding the others hostage in an effort to gain the freedom of 200 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

In a botched rescue attempt after a 20-hour standoff, nine more Israeli athletes were killed, as well as five terrorists and a German policeman.

"The Israeli team arrived in Munich in 1972 in order to participate in Olympic spirit, to strive in peace and brotherhood," Jack Cohen, general secretary of the Israeli athletics federation, said during the ceremony.

"But they did not achieve their mission, instead they returned in 11 caskets," Cohen said.

Israel's ambassador to Germany, Shimon Stein, said the Israelis were killed "in cold blood, with the knowledge of [Palestinian leader] Yasser Arafat."

In the rescue attempt at the Fuerstenfeldbruck airfield just outside Munich, the Israelis died in two helicopters after a shootout between the terrorist and police. Ankie Schpitzer, the widow of fencing coach Andrei Schpitzer, one of the 11 victims, said it was difficult for her to see the police helicopters providing security for the ceremony because of the memories they brought back.

"We are here not to forget and not to forgive," said Schpitzer who was at the 1972 games with her husband.

She also assailed the International Olympic Committee, which has refused to commemorate the victims out of fears of an Arab boycott of the games.

Michal Rot, the 20-year-old daughter of Esther Rot, an Israeli athlete in 1972 who escaped capture because female competitors were in a different building, performed a song she composed in memory of the tragedy.

The relatives listened to the national anthem and placed wreaths at the monument. They later also visited the Fuerstenfeldbruck airfield.

All 17 Israeli athletes competing at the 2002 European Championships also took part in the memorial ceremony, among them Alex Averbukh, who Saturday won the pole vault competition, giving Israel its first gold and the first medal of any kind at a major athletics meet.

"It was unbelievable," Nili Abramski, a 10,000-meter runner, said of her teammate.

"To think that he did it in the same stadium, it was the most amazing thing," Abramski said. "And to hear the Israeli national anthem in this stadium."

She praised Germans spectators. "They stayed for the medal ceremony and listened to the anthem."

Coming a day before the memorial service, Averbukh's triumph was highly emotional, and the 27-year-old athlete, draped in the Israeli flag, fought back the tears as the national anthem was played to a packed house.

"Of course I know about the tragic events from 1972, but I think sometimes you need to put the past behind you and think of the future," said the Russian-born Averbukh, who has been through hard times after losing his father, who was also his coach, last December. "I would like to dedicate this medal to him," he said.

"I also dedicate this medal to the people of Israel," said Averbukh, who received congratulatory calls from Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, President Moshe Katsav and Foreign Minister Shimon Peres. "I want to give a little present to the Israeli people because the news from there is not so good."

Ankie's words are a refreshing change, and of course, she is right.

For an engaging, disturbing, and authoritative documentary about the slaughter of 11 Israeli atheletes at Munich's 1972 Olympics, see "One Day in September."

I think it was both. The incometent German police probably weren't in on the German government's plan to stage a plane hijacking in order to set the remaining Palestinian vermin free.

this was the incident that gave terrorists the green light to wage war against innocents for the past 30 years. plane hijacks, bombs in barracks, bombs in discos, attacks on our ships...all culminating in the outrage of 9/11. since that day in 1972, i've hated palestinians and mistrusted arabs.

Talk about blaming the victims! How about "Palistinian Terrorist Killers, Israeli victims ... 25 years of Terror, Murder and Hatred brought to you by Arafat and the PLO" The Pali-Nazis had already killed two athletes before the German police ever got involved. 1972 was a long time ago and police forces were not trained and equiped to deal with this kind of stuff. Even now, with lots of experience and training hostage standoffs often end in death. It's not the police, it's the terrorists. Duh !

She also assailed the International Olympic Committee, which has refused to commemorate the victims out of fears of an Arab boycott of the games.

This speaks volumes. Ofcourse euroes/liberals don't care.

Why don't you watch the documentary to get the full story, Jack Black. You obviously aren't familiar with it. The Germans were such "victims" that they set up a fake plane hijacking with a few male "hostages" in order to have an excuse for the Palestinian terrorists they had in custody to go free. The Germans also refused help from the Mossad which was offered to them by Golda Meir, who knew the Germans were a bunch of world class dumb-sses.

Yes, indeed. I have not only seen the film (three times), I own the DVD.

I would also recommend the companion book of the same title by Simon Reeve, now available as a trade paperback.

And by the way, Andre and Ankie's last name is Spitzer.

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