EN:Summer Olympics, Munich 1972
From Historisches Lexikon Bayerns
The 1972 Olympic Games in Munich (26 August to 11 September 1972) brought together 7,147 athletes, along with numerous sports officials, media representatives, politicians, and spectators from around the world, in the Bavarian capital. Preparations began in 1965, culminating in a successful bid in 1966. Over six years, new sports facilities were constructed in Munich, and the city’s infrastructure was significantly expanded. The Games came to symbolise a far-reaching transformation and modernisation process, marking a new international role for Munich, Bavaria, and the Federal Republic of Germany. However, after a successful start, the atmosphere of the "Cheerful Games" was shattered by Palestinian terrorists, who murdered eleven Israeli athletes and a Bavarian police officer. The tragedy of the Munich Olympic Games remains deeply ingrained in global memory.
Sport
Athletes from 122 countries—5,848 men and 1,299 women—participated in 21 sports during the 17-days long Munich Olympic Games. In all these categories, Munich significantly surpassed previous modern Olympic Games - which have generally been held every four years since 1896 - including those in Tokyo in 1964 and Mexico City in 1968. Among the athletic achievements, new world records set in 13 disciplines stood out. Swimmer Schwimmer Mark Spitz (born 1950) won seven gold medals, while swimmer Shane Gould (born 1956) secured three gold medals, one silver, and one bronze. Gymnast Sawao Kato (born 1946) excelled with three gold and one silver medal, as did John Akii-Bua (1949–1997), who set a world record and won gold in the 400-metre hurdles, and crowd favourite gymnast Olga Korbut (born 1955), who claimed three gold and one silver medal. Among the medallists celebrated by the home crowd, the following stood out: Heide Rosendahl (born 1947), with two gold medals (long jump, 4 x 100 metres) and one silver medal (pentathlon); and one gold medal each for runner Hildegard Falck (born 1949), high jumper Ulrike Meyfarth (born 1956), javelin thrower Klaus Wolfermann (born 1946), racewalker Bernd Kannenberg (1942–2021), boxer Dieter Kottysch (1943–2017), dressage rider Liselott Linsenhoff (1927–1999), and skeet shooter Konrad Wirnhier (1937–2002). By the end of the Games, the USSR topped the medal table of participating nations, followed by the USA, the GDR, and the FRG.
The 16-year-old Ulrike Meyfarth (born 1956) from the Federal Republic of Germany won the gold medal in the high jump with a world record of 192 cm. She became the youngest athlete ever to win an individual Olympic track and field event. (Max Scheler/Süddeutsche Zeitung Photo)
Renate Stecher (born 1950) from the GDR competing in the women’s 200-metre heats at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich. She went on to win gold in both the 100 metres and 200 metres, as well as silver in the 4 x 100-metre relay. (Horstmüller/Süddeutsche Zeitung Photo)
The American swimmer Mark Spitz (born 1950) won seven gold medals in total in butterfly and freestyle events, setting a world record in each discipline. (United Archives/TopFoto/Süddeutsche Zeitung Photo)
Track and field athlete Heide Rosendahl (born 1947) from the Federal Republic of Germany secured gold medals in the long jump and the 4 x 100m relay, along with a silver medal in the pentathlon. Dubbed "Miss Athletics" by the press, she emerged as one of the stars of the Games. (Sven Simon/Süddeutsche Zeitung Photo)
Gymnast Olga Korbut (born 1955) from the Soviet Union won four gold medals and two silver medals across various individual and team disciplines. She was one of the crowd favourites of the Games. (Horstmüller/Süddeutsche Zeitung Photo)
Sawao Kato (born 1946) from Japan was successful both in the team competition and in the individual events of parallel bars and the all-around. He won silver on the pommel horse (pictured) and high bar. (Horstmüller/Süddeutsche Zeitung Photo)
Top-level sport and the Olympic Games were in tension in 1972 due to the Olympic regulations allowing only amateurs. This increasingly conflicted with reality, as a growing number of athletes, either as members of the armed forces or college students, maintained the appearance of amateur status while being funded by the military or universities, enabling them to actually dedicate themselves almost entirely to competitive sport. Other workarounds were also employed. For instance, Bundesliga footballers Bernd Nickel (1949-2021) from Eintracht Frankfurt and Uli Hoeneß (born 1952), who had been playing for FC Bayern Munich since 1970, only signed professional contracts after the Olympic Games. This allowed them to join the German football team for the Olympic tournament as purported amateurs.
In connection with the Munich Games, the Trimm-Dich (get fit) movement also provided a significant impetus for grassroots sport, which had been successfully promoted nationwide by the German Sports Federation (later the German Olympic Sports Confederation) since 1970. The focus of the Trimm-Dich initiative was on the link between recreational sport and health. After the Olympic events, many of the facilities specifically built for the Games in Munich were made available for university and recreational sports.
Bid
The proposal to host the Olympic Games in the Bavarian capital came from the President of the National Olympic Committee, Willi Daume (1913–1996), who approached the Lord Mayor of Munich, Hans-Jochen Vogel (SPD, 1926–2020, Lord Mayor 1960–1972), in October 1965. Vogel then secured the approval and support of the Bavarian Minister President, Alfons Goppel (CSU, 1905–1991, Minister President 1962–1978). Together, on 29 November 1965, they also succeeded in winning the support of Federal Chancellor Ludwig Erhard (CDU, 1897–1977, Chancellor 1963–1966), who was from Fürth in Bavaria and lived in Gmund a.T. (Miesbach district). The bid documents were prepared in just a few weeks and submitted to the Olympic Committee on 31 December 1965. Following brief presentations by Willi Daume and Hans-Jochen Vogel, the committee in Rome chose Munich on 26 April 1966, , over competing bids from Detroit, Madrid, and Montreal. Munich promoted its bid with plans for new sports facilities to be built on the Oberwiesenfeld, located near the city centre in the northern part of the city. It highlighted the benefits of short distances between venues and the presence of green spaces, as well as a diverse accompanying arts and cultural programme. Additionally, the bid included a convincing concept for the future use of the buildings and infrastructure constructed for the Games.
The sports official Willi Daume (1913-1996) served as President of the German Sports Federation from 1950 to 1970 and as President of the National Olympic Committee for the Federal Republic of Germany from 1961 to 1991. (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, picture archive rie-000021))
The SPD politician Hans-Jochen Vogel (1926-2020) served as Munich's Lord Mayor from 1960 to 1972. During his tenure, the city successfully bid to host the 1972 Summer Games, and an extensive construction programme was carried out to modernise the city. Photo by Georg Fruhstorfer (1915-2003), 1969 (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, picture archive fruh-15999)
Political context
Munich's chances of a successful bid stemmed from the fact that, at its 63rd session in Madrid in 1965, the International Olympic Committee had approved the German Democratic Republic's own team for the Olympic Games, contrary to the Federal Republic of Germany's claim to sole political representation. In this context, compensation for the Federal Republic appeared possible. Through its alignment with the West in the East-West conflict and the early stages of European integration, and particularly after the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961, the Federal Republic of Germany increasingly gained international recognition. This was demonstrated by high-profile state visits, such as those of French President Charles de Gaulle (1890-1970, French President 1959-1969) in 1962, US President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963, US President 1961-1963) in 1963, and Queen Elisabeth II. (1926-2022, Queen of the United Kingdom from 1952) in 1965. De Gaulle and Elizabeth II were also warmly welcomed in Munich. Following the Olympic Games, the United Nations admitted both the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic to its ranks on 18 September 1973.
Despite various efforts by the International Olympic Committee, it proved impossible to keep politics out of the Games. The East-West conflict, the tensions between the two German states competing with separate teams for the first time, and the broader efforts of détente all had an impact on the event. In the lead-up to the Games, decolonisation in Africa and, under pressure from newly independent African nations, the exclusion of the team from Rhodesia, which was dominated by white rule, attracted international attention. The terrorist attack by Palestinian militants on the Israeli Olympic team brought the Middle East conflict into focus at the Munich Games, once again drawing global attention to it.
Munich and the Olympic Games
Even before the bid for the Olympic Games, Munich's development was marked by a strong dynamism. In 1958, the city celebrated its 800th anniversary, and the year before it had surpassed the symbolic milestone of one million inhabitants, a number that would grow to 1.33 million by 1972. Lord Mayor Hans-Jochen Vogel, elected in 1960 at the age of just 34, symbolised the city's notably youthful population. In the same year, Munich hosted the Eucharistic World Congress of the Catholic Church, the largest international event in Germany since the Second World War. Der SPIEGEL referred to the city as the "secret capital of Germany" (Der SPIEGEL, 22 September 1964). In the early 1960s, the city of Munich adopted the slogan "Weltstadt mit Herz," signalling its intention to reposition itself internationally, even before the Olympic bid. In connection with the Games, Munich also rediscovered the diversity within its urban society. People from different countries of origin, such as guest workers at the many construction sites, or hostesses with intercultural and language skills, received newfound recognition and appreciation.
Due to a significant influx of people and increasing motorisation, Munich had reached the capacity limits of its public infrastructure by the early 1960s. A city development plan adopted in 1963 was designed to address this issue. However, the Olympic Games unexpectedly provided an opportunity to fast-track the urban development projects outlined in the plan, leading to numerous construction sites for sports facilities and transport infrastructure (Mittlerer Ring, Altstadtring, S-Bahn and U-Bahn, pedestrian zones) throughout the city during the years leading up to the Games. The Olympic boom led to a significant rise in the cost of living, especially in rents and real estate. This sparked growing criticism of the Games, some of it with a neo-Marxist slant following the 1968 movement, as expressed by Franz Xaver Kroetz (born 1946) in his stage play “Globales Interesse. Eine satirische Komödie,” (Global interest. A satirical comedy) first performed in 1972. Criticism also came from conservative circles, particularly due to the interventions in the city's historical ensembles, especially in the Maximilianstraße area during the construction of the Altstadtring. In the face of rapid change, a multifaceted discourse on the city's identity emerged in Munich, as expressed by writer Wolfgang J. Bekh (1925–2010) and later by director Helmut Dietl (1944–2015) in the television series “Münchner Geschichten” (Munich Stories, 1974).
Under the motto "München wird modern," (Munich is becoming more modern) the city of Munich displayed numerous construction boards throughout the city to inform the public about the construction of the U-Bahn. Here, the construction board is shown in front of Munich's Theatine Church in 1967. (Alfred Strobel/Süddeutsche Zeitung Photo)
Just in time for the opening of the Summer Games, the newly designed pedestrian zone in Munich's city centre was inaugurated on 30 June 1972. It removed private traffic from the heart of Munich. Photo by Max Prugger (1918-2003), July 1972. (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, picture archive pru-000010)
The awarding of the Games to Munich allowed the long-planned construction of the S-Bahn, including a tunnel crossing beneath the city centre, to be completed within six years. The photo shows the construction site of the Karlsplatz (Stachus) S-Bahn station in 1971. (Alfred Strobel/Süddeutsche Zeitung Photo)
On 19 October 1971, the first section of the Munich U-Bahn, with stops between Goetheplatz and Kieferngarten, was opened to the public during a ceremony at Marienplatz station. (Fritz Neuwirth/Süddeutsche Zeitung Photo)
After the Games, the newly appointed Lord Mayor Georg Kronawitter (SPD, 1928-2016, Lord Mayor of Munich 1972-1978, 1984-1993), who took office in June 1972, advocated for a moderation of the city's growth. In fact, the population even declined for a short period. In international comparison with other cities of comparable size, Munich benefited from a generous public infrastructure, which, due to the expansion accelerated by the Olympics, was able to meet demand satisfactorily for around a quarter of a century. The broadcasting technologies developed for the Olympics strengthened Munich's position as a media hub. Thanks to the modern Olympic Stadium, which could accommodate nearly 80,000 spectators, the city became the focal point of the 1974 World Cup, and FC Bayern Munich rose to become a top European club. It was not until the second half of the 1990s that the infrastructure expanded in connection with the Olympics once again reached its limits. The Mittlerer Ring for car traffic was to be tunnelled over long stretches, and planning began for a second main line of the S-Bahn. In 2001, the decision was made not to renovate the Olympic Stadium but to build a new football stadium in the north of Munich (Allianz Arena), which opened in 2005. The Olympic Park was added to the Bavarian Monument List in 1998. Since 2018, the city of Munich has been working to have the Olympic Park designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Bavaria and the Olympic Games
In Bavaria, the reconstruction after the Second World War was largely completed by the early 1960s. Following the renewal of the statehood of the region in 1946 and the founding of the Federal Republic in 1949, an overall cooperative constitutional practice developed between the state and the federal government, which was further advanced during the preparation and execution of the Games. Although the state's economy continued to lag behind the national average, it caught up noticeably with higher growth rates, a dynamic foreign trade sector, and, eventually, as a result of the "Olympic boom". Since the late 1950s, the state had experienced population gains through migration, and its financial capacity increased significantly, allowing the high investments required for the Games to be undertaken. Accelerated since the mid-1960s, the Free State initiated a comprehensive modernisation process in infrastructure, economy, technology, education, science, and society, which was reflected, among other things, in the first steps towards integrated state planning (Bavarian State Planning Act 1973). The Olympic project provided an opportunity to further stimulate this process.
The fact that a large amount of funding flowed into the state capital with the Games from 1966 onwards became a challenge. This triggered strong criticism in state politics and the state parliament, as there was still significant demand for modernisation and investment in rural areas, including schools, hospitals, road asphalting, etc. At the same time, migration processes to the cities were unmistakable, a trend that state planning and development had aimed to reduce. Accordingly, younger but already influential state politicians from the CSU, which ruled Bavaria with an absolute majority, such as Max Streibl (CSU, 1932-1998, Member of Parliament 1962-1984, General Secretary of the CSU 1967-1971) and Josef Deimer (CSU, born 1936, Member of Parliament 1966-1970), spoke out. In 1967, a fierce, public controversy broke out between State Secretary of Finance Anton Jaumann (CSU, 1927-1994, Member of the State Parliament 1958-1990, State Secretary of Finance 1966-1970) and Lord Mayor Vogel. Critical voices from all parts of the state were heard within the internal regional structure of Bavaria.
In addition to the IOC statutes, the sports federations—particularly those representing lesser-known sports—pushed for their events to be held at the heart of the Games in Munich. This focus on concentrating the competitions in the city sparked criticism, not only in regional politics. Given this, it is understandable that the Munich organising committee and the IOC were in a constant struggle to relocate some events outside of Munich when possible. Ultimately, the canoe course was constructed in Augsburg rather than on the Isar, as originally planned. Preliminary matches for the football tournament, which made its Olympic debut, were played in Augsburg, Ingolstadt, Nuremberg, Passau and Regensburg. The stadiums in these cities were expanded and modernised ahead of the Games. A similar approach was taken with handball, with preliminary matches held in Augsburg as well as in Ulm, Böblingen, and Göppingen (all in Baden-Württemberg), some of which utilised newly built venues. Ultimately, the sailing competitions were relocated from the originally intended lakes in the foothills of the Alps south of Munich or Lake Constance to Kiel in Schleswig-Holstein. The decentralised aspects of the Games contributed to sustaining the high level of public approval, as reflected in opinion polls, and fostering greater acceptance within Bavaria for Munich's role as the state capital and its position as a "gateway to the world".
The Augsburg Eiskanal (Ice Channel) was the world’s first artificial canoe slalom course, constructed specifically for the Olympic Games. It hosted the competitions that had originally been planned to take place on the Isar. Photo of a competition day. Karsten de Riese (born 1942), 1972. (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, picture archive rie-000066)
The Olympic Centre in Kiel, constructed between 1969 and 1972, served as the venue for 16 sailing competitions during the Summer Games. (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, picture archive rie-000088)
Olympic regatta course in Oberschleißheim near Munich, 1972. Photo by Karsten de Riese (born 1942). (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, picture archive rie-000143)
The dressage competition of the 1972 Olympic Games was held in the park of Nymphenburg Palace in Munich. (IMAGO/Sven Simon)
Since the Games were awarded to the city of Munich under Olympic regulations and international media attention was often directed towards the Federal Republic of Germany in connection with this, Bavarian politicians faced the challenge of making their presence felt in line with their interests, particularly given that Bavaria contributed a significant share of the funding for the Games. In this context, the Munich press occasionally expressed concerns that too many "Prussians" (colloq. term for non-Bavarian Germans) were involved in the committees responsible for preparing and organising the Games. The organisers incorporated various Bavarian elements into the visual design of the Games and the accompanying cultural programme, such as modernised white and light blue dirndls for the hostesses, and the event’s signature colours (light blue, light green, and orange), which were interpreted as a reflection of a spring-like atmosphere in Bavaria. Traditional costume groups also featured prominently at the highly praised opening ceremony, which led the British Observer to comment: "How well the Bavarians did it. Not a touch of militarism, not a hint of bombast; no solemn Germanic grandeur". (The Observer, 27.08.1972, 1).
Organisational structure
The Organising Committee of the XX Olympic Games Munich 1972 was established as a registered association in Munich on 3 July 1966 to prepare for and host the Games. Under the presidency of Willi Daume and his deputies, including the Bavarian Minister of Culture (and later Minister of Finance) Ludwig Huber (CSU, 1928-2003), the Federal Minister of the Interior Hans-Dietrich Genscher (FDP, 1927-2016), and the Lord Mayor of Munich, Vogel, its members were predominantly the presidents of the sports associations in the Federal Republic of Germany, many of whom also held leading positions in politics and business.
The organising committee appointed 14 committees comprised of experts, covering areas such as finance, transport, art, visual design, press, protocol, and the sailing competitions in Kiel. From 1967 to 1974, the management and general secretariat, located in Saarstraße, Munich, near the Olympic site, were overseen by Munich lawyer Herbert Kunze (1908-2007), who also served as treasurer of the German Sports Confederation and vice president of the National Olympic Committee (NOC). The former Bavarian Finance Minister Rudolf Eberhard (CSU, 1914-1998, Finance Minister 1957-1964) served as treasurer. In 1966, the City of Munich established its own "Investment Planning and Olympics Department". On 29 April 1966, the Free State of Bavaria decided to set up an Olympic Commission under the leadership of the Ministry of Culture, which was responsible for sport. On 10 July 1967, the city, the Free State, and the federal government signed consortium agreements to cover the investment costs, and to found the Olympia-Baugesellschaft Lim. Munich, which then became the building contractor for the project. Federal Finance Minister Franz Joseph Strauß (CSU, 1915-1988, Federal Finance Minister 1966-1969, CSU Chairman 1961-1988) – among others - served as a member of the company’s supervisory board as a representative of the federal government until October 1969.
Meeting of the Organising Committee for the Olympic Games. Seated on the opposite side of the table are (from left): Hans Steinkohl (CSU, 1925–2003, Second Mayor of Munich 1968–1972), Hans-Jochen Vogel, and Hubert Abreß (1923–2009, Head of the Investment Planning and Olympic Office of the City of Munich). In the foreground, on the right, is Willi Daume. (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, picture archive rie-000022)
The journalist Robert Lembke (1913–1989, born Robert Emil Weichselbaum) served as the managing director of the German Olympic Centre from 1969 to 1972. During the Games, he oversaw radio and television broadcasting. Photo by Georg Fruhstorfer (1915-2003), 1969. (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, picture archive fruh-04099)
In May 1968, the radio and television broadcasters ARD and ZDF agreed to establish a dedicated company, the German Olympic Centre Radio and Television (DOZ). Under the leadership of Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR) and, from January 1969, guided by managing director Robert Lembke (1913–1989), the DOZ was responsible for covering the Games. Its broadcasts aimed to reach over a billion people worldwide, using the new medium of colour television. The "Fördergesellschaft Münchner Stadion" (Society for the Promotion of the Munich Stadium), established in 1955, was transformed in 1966 into the "Verein zur Förderung der Olympischen Spiele 1972 in München" (Association for the Promotion of the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich). Its president, Rudolf Sedlmayer (1905–1974), chairman of the Bavarian State Sports Association, worked alongside vice-presidents and industrialists Werner von Linde (1904–1975) and Otto Betz (1906–1987) from Siemens AG to secure donations of money and goods from industry and business.
Preparation
The concrete planning for the Olympic Games and the necessary construction measures began in 1966. On 1 February 1967, the Olympic construction company announced an architectural competition for the sports facilities at the Oberwiesenfeld, which was won by Behnisch & Partners. The contract for the Olympic Village, which would provide housing for around 15,000 athletes and their support staff, was awarded to the architectural firm Heinle, Wischer and Partners on 1 March 1967. For the necessary infrastructure measures, Munich was able to rely on the 1963 urban development plan, which had prepared the city's future for the next 30 years. On 10 May 1967, construction began on the 4-kilometre-long Underground line from Münchner Freiheit station to the future Olympic Park on the Oberwiesenfeld, thus connecting it to the city centre. At the same time, the expansion of the S-Bahn and U-Bahn rail systems began in 1966, which culminated in the creation of the Munich Transport Association (MVV) for local public transport in the city and surrounding areas in 1971. The Altstadtring and Mittlerer Ring were constructed to streamline car traffic, with the added goal of transforming the city centre, from Marienplatz to Karlsplatz (Stachus), into a pedestrian zone, which was completed and opened in time for the 1972 Games. As training facilities had to be provided for the athletes in addition to the competition arenas, numerous municipal sports facilities were modernised, including a total of 22 district sports facilities, twelve indoor and swimming pools, as well as the stadiums on Grünwalder Straße and Dante Straße.
Financing
In the initial estimates of 1965, the city of Munich projected the costs for the Olympic Games to be 496 million DM. Despite the early scepticism surrounding this calculation, those in charge of politics and the organising committee proceeded with the bid, preparations, and planning. The city, state, and federal government reached an agreement to each cover a third of the costs early on. The federal government sought to redirect funds from investments already planned for Bavaria and limit its share of financing, which would have shifted the risk of cost increases to the state and city.
From 1967 onwards, the financing of the Games came under public scrutiny, especially in Bavaria , when the ambitious design for the Olympic Stadium's tent roof raised concerns about materials and, above all, the unpredictable costs. The political ramifications of this, which coincided with the 1968/69 controversies between the Free State and the Federal Government over the constitutional amendment to establish so-called joint tasks, ultimately led to the negotiation of a new financing model. The state government argued that, with the planned share from the city and the Free State, two-thirds of the costs would ultimately have to be covered by Bavaria, even though the Games would serve largely to represent Germany as a whole.
In a politically controversial decision - especially since CSU chairman Franz Josef Strauß had been Federal Minister of Finance until 1969 - the federal government eventually agreed to bear 50% of the costs for the Games, which was confirmed by the new social-liberal government under Chancellor Willy Brandt (SPD, 1913-1992, Federal Chancellor 1969-1974) in an agreement dated 17 December 1969. The state and city were each left with 25% of the financing costs. The costs for the Games nearly quadrupled the original estimate, amounting to 1.967 billion DM. However, revenue generated from measures such as the Glücksspirale (Spiral of Luck) lottery, the sale of an Olympic coin, television rights, admission tickets, as well as the utilisation of the emblem and other items, amounted to 1.332 billion DM. As a result, the public budgets were ultimately burdened with 635 million DM, of which 154 million DM was borne by the City of Munich, 154 million DM by the Free State of Bavaria, 311.7 million DM by the Federal Government, and 7.7 million DM each by the City of Kiel and the State of Schleswig-Holstein. Despite the huge additional expenditure, it was thus possible to almost stay within the originally estimated budget for the public finances. Bavaria, particularly the state capital Munich, received a broad-based modernisation boost and gained lasting international recognition in return.
Construction of the Olympic Park, sports facilities under the tent roof and the Olympic Village
The realisation of the buildings planned by Günter Behnisch (1922-2010) on the later Olympic site was made easier by the fact that the large area of the Oberwiesenfeld, which had served as an airport until 1939 and, after the war, as a flight school, storage area, and rubble pile for the debris from the bombing raids, was designated as a recreational zone in the 1965 land use plan of the city of Munich. An ice sports hall and a telecommunications tower owned by the Federal Post, later known as the Olympic Tower, were already under construction since 1965. The expansive site, located near the city centre, thus provided ample opportunities for large-scale design.
With the buildings designed by Behnisch and the landscaping of the surrounding park by landscape architect Günther Grzimek (1915-1996), two main complexes were created, separated by the Mittlerer Ring urban motorway. Integrated into the landscape by the greened rubble, now Olympic Hill and the Olympic Lake, and connected by the undulating tent roof, the 80,000-seat stadium, modelled after an amphitheatre, along with the sports hall and swimming pool, formed the central hub in the south. This seamlessly connects across the Mittlerer Ring with the Olympic Village, planned by architects Erwin Heinle (1917–2002) and Robert Wischer (1930-2007), and the accompanying sports fields for training purposes in the northwest. The ensemble was visually complemented by the so-called Four-Cylinder Tower, the headquarters of Munich car manufacturer BMW, which was constructed simultaneously and inaugurated in 1972. The tent roof caused a stir even during the planning phase when it was represented in the architectural firm's model by a woman's stocking. The material for the tent roof, as well as the structural design and corresponding costs, remained unclear for some time, leading to the debate over the tent roof becoming a catalyst for growing criticism of the Olympics. The translucent materials eventually chosen (Plexiglass) and the 74,800-square-metre tent roof were soon interpreted as a symbol of transparency, lightness, and openness to the world.
Aerial view of the Oberwiesenfeld in Munich in 1969. The television tower and the ice sports hall are visible to the right of the centre. Parts of the substructures of the Olympic Hall and the Olympic Stadium have already been constructed. The northern parts of the complex, including the training facilities and the future Olympic Village, have not yet been built. (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, picture archive pru-000202)
Olympic Village, Kusoczinskidamm, 11 September 1972, photo by Karsten de Riese (born 1942). (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, picture archive rie-000167)
Aerial view of the Olympic site shortly before completion in spring 1972. (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, picture archive pru-000348)
The innovative and much-admired tent roof construction by architects Behnisch and Frei presented the engineers with significant challenges. The structure was woven from steel cables. The Plexiglass elements then had to be manually positioned and secured in place. (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, picture archive rie-000001)
Workers building the Olympic Stadium. More than 3,000 workers were employed at the large construction site at the Oberwiesenfeld. 60 percent of them were "guest workers" from Yugoslavia, Turkey, Italy, and Greece. (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, picture archive rie-000109) (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Bildarchiv rie-000109)
The completed Olympic Stadium with the tent roof construction during the 1972 Olympic track and field competitions. Photo by Joachim Kankel (1921-1984). (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, picture archive kank-0002832)
Equestrian stadium in Munich-Riem. Photo by Karsten de Riese (born 1942). (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, picture archive rie-000096)
Cycling stadium at the Oberwiesenfeld in Munich, 1972, photo by Joachim Kankel (1921-1984). (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, picture archive kank-000241)
Culture
The bid from Munich gained attention with the announcement of a broad cultural programme. The organising committee established an art committee under the leadership of Munich's cultural officer Herbert Hohenemser (1915-1992), who sought to engage prominent cultural figures from around the world and across ideological divides, sometimes in vain, as in the cases of Salvador Dalí (1904-1989) or Pablo Picasso (1881-1973). For the "Edition Olympia" portfolio, contributions were secured from Oskar Kokoschka (1886-1980), Eduardo Chillida (1924–2002), Serge Poliakoff (1899/1900–1969) and Victor Vasarely (1906-1997), among others. Architect Werner Ruhnau (1922-2015) curated the Spielstraße (Play Street) on the Olympic site, where international artists from theatre, visual arts, music, and film, as well as the public, participated in pantomimes, puppet theatre, music, dance, multimedia performances, or at the Theatron on the lake stage. In the city centre, the Bavarian State Opera, National Theatre, and other theatres, museums, cinemas, and libraries offered a wide range of performances and exhibitions, including international ensembles from La Scala in Milan, the New York City Ballet, and the Royal Shakespeare Company from London. The Berliner Ensemble from the GDR staged plays by Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956) at the Münchner Kammerspiele (Munich Chamber Theatre). In addition to the Munich Philharmonic and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, concerts were also held by the Vienna, Berlin, and Moscow Philharmonics, the NHK Orchestra Tokyo, and the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, in the Herkulessaal of the Munich Residence and in the Congress Hall of the Deutsches Museum (German Musuem).
The Deutsches Museum presented an exhibition titled "100 Years of German Excavations in Olympia" and "Olympia and Technology". The Haus der Kunst (House of Art) focused on the theme "World Cultures and Modern Art". At the Münchner Stadtmuseum (Munich City Museum), "Bavaria – Art and Culture" was displayed as a self-presentation of the history of the Free State, highlighting its connections with Europe and the world. This exhibition was initiated by a group advocating for a future Haus der Bayerischen Geschichte (House of Bavarian History), with the state historian Karl Bosl (1908-1993) contributing to its conceptualisation. The folklorist Günther Kapfhammer (1937-1993) and the district curator of the Upper Palatinate, Adolf Eichenseer (1934-2015), staged an event titled "Vita Bavarica,” which showcased traditional ways of life and customs from all regions of Bavaria. The Süddeutsche Zeitung described the cultural initiatives for the Games as a "world programme with white-blue accents" (SZ 1.10.1969). Around 1.2 million visitors were counted in the Spielstraße on the Olympic site, while the response to the cultural offerings in the city centre fell short of expectations, with around 650,000 visitors, including over 300,000 for the musical performances. The idea of Munich's “Cheerful Games" was particularly lively in the Spielstraße until it was dismantled following the attack.
Spectators at a theatre performance on the Spielstraße by the Olympic Lake. The Spielstraße was one of the most visited attractions in the extensive cultural programme of the Games. Photo by Jenna Müller-Tuffs (born 1947), 1972. (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, picture archive rie-000032)
Furniture and traditional costumes in the "Bavaria, Art and Culture" exhibition at the Munich City Museum from 9 June to 15 October 1972. (Stadtarchiv München (City Archive Munich), DE-1992-FS-ERG-H-0733)
Performances by the Moscow Puppet Theatre, led by Sergej Obraszow (1901-1992; centre), also took place as part of the "Olympic Summer" art/cultural programme. (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, picture archive timp-021435)
Gala opera concert by the Munich Radio Symphony Orchestra as part of the "Olympic Summer" programme in the Congress Hall of the Deutsches Museum on 1 September 1972. The picture shows (from left to right) the singers Patricia Johnson (born 1934) and Anneliese Rothenberger (1926-2010) together with the actor Gwyneth Jones (born 1936). The concert was conducted by Kurt Eichhorn (1908-1994). (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, picture archive timp-021428)
Image policy and visual design
From the very beginning, Willi Daume and the other organisers saw the Olympic Games as an opportunity to positively shape the image of the Federal Republic of Germany in the world. This was a particular challenge because the prospect of the Olympics in Germany inevitably reminded the global public of the 1936 Games in Berlin and Garmisch-Partenkirchen. While those Games had been secured during the Weimar Republic, they were held in 1936 under Nazi rule and exploited for propaganda purposes both domestically and internationally. Munich had also been labelled the "Capital of the Movement" by the National Socialists, further emphasising the challenge of addressing the city's Nazi past. Remembrance of the victims of Nazi Germany was moved to Dachau, where a small event was held prior to the start of the Games. Leni Riefenstahl (1902–2003), a symbolic figure of the 1936 Games, was initially denied press accreditation but eventually received it for an international newspaper.
The designer and graphic artist Otl Aicher defined the visual identity of the 1972 Games with his design concept. (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, picture archive rie-000012)
On the poster "Visual Identity for the Games of the XX Olympiad Munich 1972," designer Otl Aicher (1922–1991) showcased his design concept for the Games through a range of examples. (Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv, Poster collection 28795)
Aicher's colour scheme was also reflected in the clothing of the hostesses and in the design of the Olympic mascot, "Waldi". The modernised dirndls were styled in light blue and white, referencing the Bavarian national colours. In the photo, the hostesses are presenting the mascot. (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, picture archive fruh-16529)
The clothing for the 20,000 employees and volunteers was designed by the French fashion designer André Courrèges (1923-2016). In September 1971, it was showcased at a fashion show held in the unfinished structure of the Olympic Stadium. (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, picture archive rie-000014)
Overall, the memory of the 1936 Berlin Games and Nazi Germany was supposed to be overshadowed by the design of the 1972 Games. The organisers aimed to present to the world a cosmopolitan, modern Munich, Bavaria and Federal Republic of Germany. This guiding principle influenced both the preparations and the execution of the Games. Hans „Johnny“ Klein (1931-1996), an internationally experienced diplomat and former press officer to Chancellor Erhard, implemented the idea from 1968 on as head of press and public relations for the Games. Otto „Otl“ Aicher (1922-1991) designed the visual concept for the Games. The pictograms he developed, serving as a system of guidance and orientation for the Games, appeared both modern and egalitarian, and evolved into a global visual language. In terms of colours, he avoided references to black, red, and gold. National elements took a back seat, while the colour symbols for Bavaria were brought to the forefront, such as the bright blue used as a dominant colour for the Games. The stadium architects sought to avoid monumentality by embedding the buildings into the designed landscape of the Olympic Park. As part of the security concept, police officers and supporting Bundeswehr soldiers were to avoid wearing uniforms or carrying (visible) weapons whenever possible. The cultural programme, especially in the Spielstraße, showcased a democratic, cosmopolitan, and diverse society. The international media's response to the successful opening ceremony of the Olympic Games on 26 August 1972, as well as the atmosphere at the first competitions and even after the attack, demonstrated that the organisers' concept was effective.
View of the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium in Munich on 26.08.1972. (Sven Simon/Süddeutsche Zeitung Photo)
The opening ceremony of the XX Summer Olympic Games in Munich took place on the afternoon of 26 August 1972. The image shows the traditional greeting from the youth, presented by 3,500 Munich schoolchildren with hand-tied bows and bouquets of flowers. Photo by Karsten de Riese (born 1942). (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, picture archive rie-000029)
The highlight of the opening ceremony was the lighting of the Olympic flame. The cauldron remained at the edge of the east stand of the Olympic Stadium after the games. (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, picture archive pru-000972)
Attack on the Israeli team ("Munich massacre")
The “Cheerful games" were abruptly interrupted by the murder of eleven Israeli athletes following an attack and subsequent hostage taking by the Palestinian terrorist group Black September. On the morning of 5 September, they stormed the Israeli team's quarters in the Olympic Village at gunpoint, demanding the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails. This demand was rejected by the Israeli government under Prime Minister Golda Meir (1898-1978, Prime Minister of Israel from 1969 to 1974). After unsuccessful negotiations with the attackers by a hastily convened crisis team led by Munich Police President Manfred Schreiber (1926-2015), Bavarian Interior Minister Bruno Merk (CSU, 1922-2013, Interior Minister 1966-1977) and Federal Interior Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher (FDP, 1927-2016, Federal Interior Minister 1969-1974), attempts by the police - overwhelmed by the scale and dynamics of the attack - to free the hostages by force failed. The police opened fire on the terrorists at the military airport in Fürstenfeldbruck, from where the attackers and their hostages were to be flown to an Arab country that night. In the ensuing shootout, all the Israeli hostages were killed, and a Bavarian police officer lost his life. Five terrorists were killed, and three others were initially captured, but freed following a plane hijacking a few months later.
The Israeli team enters the Olympic Stadium to applause from the Munich audience during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games on 26 August 1972. (Sven Simon/Süddeutsche Zeitung Photo)
One of the Black September terrorists on the balcony at Connollystraße 31 in the Olympic Village in Munich. (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, picture archive stern-hin-000001)
Journalists in front of the Olympic Village in Munich during the Olympic attack on 5 September. The attack became a globally televised media event. (Max Scheler/Süddeutsche Zeitung Photo)
The picture from 7 September 1972, shows the burnt-out helicopter in which some of the hostages were murdered by the terrorists in Fürstenfeldbruck. (dpa/Süddeutsche Zeitung Photo)
The Games were interrupted for a day, and brought to a close in a completely different atmosphere afterwards. The Olympic ideal was not to fall victim to terror, as the President of the International Olympic Committee, Avery Brundage (1887–1975, IOC President 1952–1972), emphatically stated at the memorial service in the packed Olympic Stadium with the words, “The games must go on”. The closing ceremony of the Games on 11 September 1972, in the Olympic Stadium omitted all the planned elements of a joyous farewell celebration.
Remembrance of the Games
Internationally, the diverse memories of the Olympic Games are largely shaped by the tragedy of the events: a euphoric mood following the start of the “Cheerful Games"—abruptly shattered by the attack. The effort to present a different Germany in contrast to the Nazi era, including the exceptionally warm reception for the Israeli team by the Munich public at the opening ceremony – followed by the violent deaths of Jews in Germany. The trauma of the Holocaust continued to resonate in Israel. A documentary about the attack ("One Day in September," directed by Kevin Macdonald [born 1967], 1999) garnered widespread international attention when it won an Oscar. The Hollywood film adaptation ("Munich,” directed by Steven Spielberg [born 1946], 2005) of the covert retaliation measures against the surviving terrorists and their accomplices—commissioned by Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir but eventually made public—helped keep the memory of the Munich Games alive worldwide. The same applies to the accusations, unsuccessful legal attempts, and demands for the release of all files and compensation for the victims' families, which were only acknowledged decades later.
Memorial plaque in front of the former team quarters at Connollystraße 31 in Munich. It lists the names of the Israeli victims of the terrorist attack at the 1972 Summer Olympics: David Berger (weightlifter, 1944-1972), Seew Friedman (weightlifter,1944-1972), Josef Gutfreund (wrestling referee, 1931-1972), Elieser Halfin (wrestler, 1948-1972), Josef Romano (weightlifter, 1940-1972), Amizur Shapira (track and field coach, 1932-1972), Kehat Shorr (sports shooting coach, 1919-1972), Mark Slavin (wrestler, 1954-1972), Andre Spitzer (fencing coach, 1945-1972), Jaakow Springer (weightlifting referee, 1921-1972) and Mosche Weinberger (wrestling coach, 1939-1972). (Photo by High Contrast, licensed by CC BY 3.0 DE via Wikimedia Commons)
In parts of the Arab world, the attackers were celebrated and are remembered as heroes, even though the act of terror ultimately harmed the Palestinian cause globally. The attack was initially commemorated in Munich in a restrained manner, with a memorial plaque at the Olympic site, in the Olympic Village, and at Fürstenfeldbruck Airport (1999). Additionally, a sculpture by Fritz Koenig (1924–2017) was erected in the Olympic Park in 1995. At the initiative of Bavarian Minister of Culture Ludwig Spaenle (CSU, born 1961, Minister of Culture 2008–2018), the Free State of Bavaria established a multimedia memorial dedicated to the attack and the Israeli athletes. This memorial was inaugurated in 2017 in the presence of Israeli President Reuven Rivlin (born 1939, Israeli President since 2014), Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (SPD, born 1956, Federal President since 2017), and Minister President Horst Seehofer (CSU, born 1949, Minister President 2008–2018).
Memorial erected in Munich's Olympic Park in 1995 by Fritz Koenig (1924-2017). (Stephan Rumpf/Süddeutsche Zeitung Photo)
1999 wurde am Eingang zum Fliegerhorst Fürstenfeldbruck ein Denkmal für die Opfer des Attentats errichtet. Es wurde von Bildhauer Johann Ludwig Götz (geb. 1934) aus Gröbenzell (Lkr. Fürstenfeldbruck) entworfen. (Foto von Cholo Aleman, lizenziert durch CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons)
Memorial site for the victims of the attack in the Olympic Park, 2017. (Stephan Rumpf/Süddeutsche Zeitung Photo)
In Munich and Bavaria, the Games are remembered as a symbol of extensive modernisation and transformation, as well as for the diverse reuse of facilities around the Olympic Park and public transport links. This legacy was further highlighted by the bid for the Winter Olympics, which ultimately failed in 2013 due to local referendums.
Research
Historical research on the Games has predominantly focused on the image policy of the Federal Republic, Munich, and Bavaria (Egger, Gajek, Kurzhals, Large, Jehle, Schiller/Young), the circumstances surrounding the attack (Dahlke, Fox, Kellerhoff, Oberloskamp), and, to a lesser extent, the impact of the Games on urban and regional development (Geipel/Helbrecht/Pohl, Kramer).
Literatur
- Tobias Blasius, Olympische Bewegung, Kalter Krieg und Deutschlandpolitik 1949 – 1972, Frankfurt/Main 2001.
- Matthias Dahlke, Der Anschlag auf Olympia '72. Die politische Reaktion auf den internationalen Terrorismus in Deutschland, München 2006.
- Matthias Dahlke, Demokratischer Staat und transnationaler Terrorismus. Drei Wege zur Unnachgiebigkeit in Westeuropa 1972-1975, München 2011.
- Roman Deininger/Uwe Ritzer, Die Spiele des Jahrhunderts. Olympia 1972, der Terror und das neue Deutschland, München 2021.
- Egon Dheus, Die Olympiastadt München – Entwicklung und Struktur, Stuttgart 1972.
- Simone Egger: „München wird moderner“. Stadt und Atmosphäre in den langen 1960er Jahren, Bielefeld 2013.
- Eva Maria Gajek, Imagepolitik im Olympischen Wettstreit. Die Spiele von Rom 1960 und München 1972, Göttingen 2013.
- Robert Geipel/Ilse Helbrecht/Jürgen Pohl, Die Münchner Olympischen Spiele von 1972 als Instrument der Stadtentwicklungspolitik, in: Hartmut Häußermann/Walter Siebel (Hg.), Festivalisierung der Stadtpolitik. Stadtentwicklung durch große Projekte, Opladen 1993, 278-304.
- Matthias Hell, München '72: Olympia-Architektur damals und heute. Wie die Olympischen Spiele das Stadtbild präg(t)en, München 2012.
- Sven Felix Kellerhof, Anschlag auf Olymia. Was 1972 in München wirklich geschah, Darmstadt 2022.
- Anna Kurzhals, "Millionendorf" und "Weltstadt mit Herz". Selbstdarstellung der Stadt München 1945–1978, München 2018.
- Ferdinand Kramer, München und die olympischen Spiele von 1972, in: Koller, Christian (Hg.): Sport als städtisches Ereignis, Ostfildern 2008, 239-252.
- Ferdinand Kramer: Das Attentat von München, in: Alois Schmid/Katharina Weigand (Hg.), Bayern nach Jahr und Tag. 24 Tage aus der Bayerischen Geschichte, München 2007, 400–414.
- Juliane Lanz, Zwischen Politik, Protokoll und Pragmatismus. Die deutsche Olympiageschichte von 1952 bis 1972, Berlin 2011.
- David Clay Large, Munich 1972. Tragedy, Terror, Triumph at the Olympic Games, 2012.
- Eva Maria Modrey, Das Publikum und die Medien: Die Eröffnungsfeier der olympischen Spiele 1972, in: Frank Bösch/Patrick Schmidt (Hg.): Medialisierte Ereignisse. Performanz, Inszenierung und Medien seit dem 18. Jahrhundert, Frankfurt/Main 2010, 243-275.
- Holger Preuss, The Economics of staging the Olympics. A Comparison of the Games 1972 – 2008, Cheltenham 2004.
- Simon Reeve, Ein Tag im September. Die Geschichte des Geiseldramas bei den Olympischen Spielen in München 1972, München 2006.
- Kay Schiller/Christopher Young, The 1972 Munich Olympics and the Making of Modern Germany, Berkeley 2010 (dt. München 1972, Olympische Spiele im Zeichen des modernen Deutschland, 2012).
- Angelika Schuster-Fox, Olympia-Attentat 1972. Begleitheft zur Errichtung der Gedenkstätte für die ermordeten israelischen Sportler und den deutschen Polizeibeamten am 5. September 1999 in Fürstenfeldbruck, Fürstenfeldbruck 2016.
Sources
- Fritz Auer, Zur Entstehung des Olympiaprojektes vom Wettbewerb bis zur Auftragserteilung —- aus meiner Erinnerung, o.O, o.J.
- Bayerischer Landtag, 5. Legislaturperiode, Plenarprotokoll der 87. Sitzung am 14. Dezember 1965
- Bayerischer Landtag, 6. Legislaturperiode, Beilage 433: Beschluss eines Olympia-Planes, 12. Juli 1967
- Hans-Dietrich Genscher, Erinnerungen, Berlin 1995.
- Bruno Merk, Klarstellungen (Heimatkundliche Schriftenreihe für den Landkreis Günzburg 18), hg. vom Historischen Verein Günzburg e. V., Günzburg 1996.
- München aktuell. Sämtliche Daten und Fakten für alle Besucher der Spiele der XX. Olympiade München 1972 in deutsch, englisch, französisch, hg. v. W. Gloss u. H. Kettgen, Stuttgart [1972].
- Münchner Merkur, 1965-1974
- Olympische Bauten in München. Die Verwirklichung einer Idee (Bauen und Wohnen 7), München Juli 1972.
- Süddeutsche Zeitung, 1965-1974.
- Hans-Jochen Vogel, Die Amtskette. Meine 12 Münchner Jahre. Ein Erlebnisbericht, München 1972.
Further Research
- Keyword search in the online catalogue of the Bibliotheksverbund Bayern (Library Network Bavaria)
- Keyword search in bavarikon
External Links
- Internationales Olympisches Komitee (International Olympic Committee): 1972 Summer Olympics, with medal table and all results
- House of Bavarian History, Bavariathek: Olympic Games in Munich - 1972
- Jüdisches Museum München Blog (Jewish Museum Munich Blog): Twelve Months - Twelve Names
- Website of the Olympic Park Munich
- Bayerischer Rundfunk: 50 years of the Olympics: Munich 1972
Related Articles
20. Olympiade, Sommerolympiade, Olympia 1972, Olympics, Games
Cite
Ferdinand Kramer, Summer Olympics, Munich 1972, published 26 August 2022, English version published 25 February 2025; in: Historisches Lexikon Bayerns, URL: <https://www.historisches-lexikon-bayerns.de/Lexikon/EN:Summer_Olympics,_Munich_1972> (17.03.2025)