The text is in plain language.
The text is about the digital place of remembrance Fürstenfeldbruck.
It is about the assassination attempt at the 1972 Olympic Games.
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But plain language is particularly important for these people:
- People with learning difficulties
- People who cannot read very well
- People who don't speak German very well
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There are texts and pictures for each topic.
Here is the overview:
- Why is there a place of remembrance?
- What is an assassination?
- What are the Olympic Games?
- Who can take part in the Olympic Games?
- How did the Olympic Games come to Munich?
- What was different at the 1972 Olympic Games?
- What happened before the attack?
- What happened during the attack?
- What happened after the attack?
- The victims should not be forgotten
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Why is there a place of remembrance?
On September 5, 1972, there was an assassination attempt at the Olympic Games.
So over 50 years ago.
O-lym-pic is a difficult word.
That's how you say it: O lüm pisch.
The Olympic Games are big sports competitions.
A detailed explanation can be found below.
The Olympic Games were in the city of Munich at the time.
Many people died in the attack.
That is why there is a digital place of remembrance.
So that people can inform themselves:
- What happened.
- Who the victims were.
The victims should not be forgotten.
And people should not forget the assassination.
What is an assassination?
Attentat is another word for terrorist attack.
An assassination is a very bad act.
An assassination attempt is intended to injure people.
Or kill them.
Someone who carries out an assassination is a terrorist.
Or a terrorist.
A terrorist wants to achieve something with the attack.
For example, a change in policy.
Or the release of prisoners.
Or he does it because of a religion.
Terrorists want to scare other people.
And terrorists want to spread violence.
What are the Olympic Games?
The Olympic Games are big sports competitions.
Athletes from all over the world take part.
The Olympic Games are always held in a different country.
The symbol for the Olympic Games is 5 rings.
The rings are connected to each other.
Each ring has a different color.
- Blue
- Yellow
- Black
- Green
- Red
The rings are a symbol for these 5 parts of the earth:
- Asia
- Europe
- America
- Africa
- Australia
The rings are a sign of this:
Sport unites all people on earth.
Because athletes from all 5 parts of the world are taking part.
There are competitions in various types of sport.
competition means:
Athletes compete against each other.
Take wrestling, for example.
Athletes from every team take part.
The best athlete wins.
The types of sport are, for example:
- Light athletics
Light athletics is jumping, running and throwing far.
- Fencing
Fencing is fighting with a sword.
A rapier is a thin sword.
- Weight lifting
Weight lifting is lifting heavy dumbbells.
A barbell is a metal bar with heavy weights.
- Wrestling
Wrestling is fighting with the body.
- Shooting
- Swimming
- Sailing
There are also Olympic Games for people with disabilities.
For example, physically or mentally.
Who can take part in the Olympic Games?
For many athletes, this is a dream come true:
Being at the Olympic Games.
That's the case with the Olympic team:
Only the best athletes are allowed to join the team.
The athletes are selected.
It is important where the athletes live.
You must live in the country from which the team comes.
Some athletes move to another country for this reason.
For example, to the country of Israel.
How did the Olympic Games come to Munich?
Willi Daume was the head of the
Olympic Committee in Germany.
Committee is a difficult word and means:
A group of experts who advise others.
Willi Daume said:
The Olympic Games should be in Germany.
He was committed to this.
The Lord Mayor of Munich also wanted this.
That was Dr. Hans-Joachim Vogel.
He wanted the Olympic Games in Munich.
You have made a strong case for this:
That the Olympic Games are coming to Munich.
Because many people were against it.
The Olympic Committee of all countries
then said anyway:
The Olympic Games are to be held in Munich.
Many people helped with the preparations.
A lot of things had to be redone.
Because Munich is an old city.
Many things were newly built.
For example:
- New sports facilities
- many apartments
The athletes would later live there.
That's why the apartments are called the Olympic Village.
But other things have also been improved:
- Roads
- Houses
- Bus and train
That cost a lot of money.
More than one billion euros.
What was different at the 1972 Olympic Games?
Many people have said:
The 1972 Olympic Games were to be different from the previous ones.
There should be no dark memories of the Nazis.
Nazi is the abbreviation for National Socialist.
Nazis are against certain groups of people.
For example, against foreigners and Jews.
It was like this:
The Olympic Games had already been held in Germany once before.
In 1936, the Olympic Games were held in Berlin.
At the time:
-Was Adolf Hitler the head of Germany.
- And Adolf Hitler's party had a lot of power.
There was only one party left in Germany.
The National Socialist Party.
At that time, the party decided:
As it should be at the Olympic Games.
But that was not to be the case at the 1972 Olympic Games.
Germany wanted to show the world:
- We are a friendly country.
- We are open to all people.
- With us, everyone has a say.
Everyone should see that.
That's why there were also new rules for the police:
- The police should only have a few weapons with them.
- And don't wear police uniforms either.
What happened before the attack?
The Olympic Games opened on August 26, 1972.
There was a big opening ceremony.
The opening ceremony was held in the Olympic Stadium.
From the city of Munich.
There were a lot of people at the opening ceremony.
Over 80 thousand spectators were in the stadium.
And many people attended the opening ceremony
seen on television.
Or heard on the radio.
About one billion people.
The opening ceremony was a great celebration.
There was festive music.
All the athletes ran into the stadium.
7 thousand athletes from different countries took part.
Never before have so many people been there.
At an opening ceremony organized by the
Olympic Games.
There were also 27 participants from Israel
with us.
There have never been so many participants from Israel.
15 athletes from Israel wanted to take part in the sports competitions.
They were to compete against each other in many battles.
For example, when swimming, lifting weights
or sailing.
The Olympic Games should go on so merrily.
Until September 11.
What happened during the attack?
Something bad happened on September 5.
There was an assassination attempt in the Olympic Village that day.
Many athletes lived in the Olympic Village.
The athletes came from different countries.
The athletes from Israel also lived there.
The terrorists from the Olympia attack belonged to one group.
The name of the group was: "Black September".
It was a group of men.
The men all lived in the country of Palestine.
They have carried out assassinations.
They wanted to achieve things with the attacks.
For example:
That prisoners come out of prison.
It was the same with the land of Palestine and the land of Israel:
There have been repeated disputes for a long time.
And wars between the two countries.
Fighters from Palestine were in prison in Israel.
On September 5, 8 terrorists entered the Olympic Village.
Very early in the morning.
The terrorists had many weapons with them.
The terrorists broke into a house.
The athletes from Israel lived in the house.
The terrorists shot a coach and an athlete.
Because they fought back.
Fortunately, some athletes from Israel were able to run away.
9 athletes from Israel were taken hostage.
This means:
The athletes were captured and detained.
They had to stay in the apartment.
Even though they didn't want to.
The hostages were in great fear for their lives.
The terrorists had many weapons with them.
They shot.
If the athletes didn't do what the terrorists wanted.
Some athletes wanted to fight back.
But the terrorists were stronger.
The police in Munich received an emergency call at 5 o'clock in the morning.
The emergency call said:
Someone was shooting in a house in the Olympic Village.
The police then drove to the Olympic Village.
And cordoned off the area around the house.
This means that nobody is allowed to go there.
Many politicians also traveled to the Olympic Village.
And the police chiefs.
That day it was like this:
The sporting battles continued for the time being.
But in the afternoon, a spokesman said:
The betting battles do not take place further .
There is a break.
Until the assassination is over.
The terrorists did not let the hostages go.
The hostages were bound at the hands and feet.
They couldn 't move.
The terrorists said:
325 freedom fighters from Palestine sit
in prison.
In Israel.
Release them.
Then we release the hostages.
But the government of Israel didn't want to do that.
The police negotiated with the terrorists for a long time.
Almost 20 hours in total.
Because the police wanted to:
That no one dies.
The hostages had to stay tied up in the room the whole time.
The police have made various plans.
How she can free the hostages from the house.
But then they realized:
That is too dangerous.
The plan is not good.
They had to think again and again.
The terrorists wanted to continue negotiations in the afternoon.
But the terrorists did not want to stay in Germany.
They wanted to fly to Egypt with the hostages.
The police said:
There is an airport in the town of Fürstenfeldbruck.
An airplane can take off from there.
From the Olympic village to Fürstenfeldbruck
it is about 30 kilometers.
Then the police sent helicopters.
To the Olympic Village.
The helicopters were supposed to pick up the terrorists and the hostages.
The helicopters arrived at 10 p.m. that evening.
The terrorists are with the hostages
went to the helicopters.
The hostages were tied together.
The terrorists have them
guarded with dangerous pistols.
The police had thought:
There are 5 terrorists.
Now the police have seen it:
There are more terrorists.
There are 8 terrorists.
All the terrorists and hostages have boarded the helicopters.
The helicopters have flown off.
But nobody told the police in Fürstenfeldbruck:
There are 8 terrorists.
Not just 5 terrorists.
There were already police officers at the airport in Fürstenfeldbruck.
They had hidden.
The police wanted to free the hostages.
When the hostages board the aircraft from the helicopters.
The helicopters arrived in Fürstenfeldbruck at 10:30 pm.
It was already dark.
And there were few lamps at the airport.
The terrorists have gotten out.
They wanted to change planes.
The police have started
to shoot at the terrorists.
The terrorists fired back.
It was a firefight.
That means everyone was shooting at each other.
It took almost an hour and a half.
Almost 90 minutes.
The terrorists shot 8 hostages.
In the helicopters.
A hostage in a helicopter is
died of smoke inhalation.
A helicopter is
explodes during the firefight.
A Bavarian police officer has also died.
5 terrorists have died.
Also the 2 leaders of the group.
The police have arrested 3 terrorists.
What happened after the attack?
That night, September 5, the assassination was over.
But nobody knew that yet.
Because the police didn't say right away :
Many people have died.
They didn't say it until the next morning.
Everyone only found out about it on September 6.
Many people were very sad and shocked.
That so many people died in the attack.
The Land of Israel has said:
Now the Olympic Games have to stop.
But the Olympic Committee has decided:
The sports betting battles continue.
The terrorists have already destroyed so much.
Violence must not be allowed to win.
The head of the Olympic Committee said:
The games must go on.
This is English.
That's how you say it: se gems mast go on
This means translated:
The battles must go on.
The betting battles then continued without Israel.
There was a mourning ceremony for all the victims.
September 11, 1972 was the last day.
From the Olympic Games in Munich.
On the last day there was a closing ceremony in the Olympic Stadium.
The graduation ceremony should be cheerful.
For example, there should be music and dancing.
But nobody wanted to celebrate.
Everyone was sad.
The mood was very bad.
There is always a fire burning at the Olympic Games.
It burns all the time.
The fire was put out at the closing ceremony.
Then all the spectators stood up.
There were more than 60 thousand spectators.
They remembered the dead.
The victims should not be forgotten
12 people were killed in the attack.
11 members of the team from Israel and
a Bavarian policeman.
The members of the team from Israel were:
- Trainer
- Arbitrator-Judge
- Athletes at the Olympic Games
Her dream had come true:
They were allowed to take part in the Olympic Games in Munich.
Some of the men had previously moved to Israel.
They had experienced terrible things.
Because in some countries it was like that:
People have been treated badly.
For example, because of religion.
Or skin color.
People have therefore moved to another country.
For example to Israel.
That was often difficult.
People needed a lot of permits.
It often took a long time before people were allowed to move.
The athletes were in Munich for two weeks at the Olympic Games.
Then the assassination happened.
The 11 members of the team from Israel have died.
And the Bavarian policeman died.
He wanted to help free the hostages.
The victims should not be forgotten.
David Berger
David Berger is in the photo.
David Berger was born on May 24, 1944.
In the city of Cleveland.
It is spoken like this: Cliw-land.
Cleveland is a city in the country USA.
David Berger lives there with his family.
David Berger has 2 younger siblings.
He's finishing school.
Then he studies:
- Psychology,
- Business economics
- and Jura.
He then writes a doctoral thesis.
David Berger is a weightlifter.
He wants to take part in the Olympic Games.
David Berger moves to Israel.
He is 26 years old then.
He makes the Olympic team in Israel.
His dream comes true:
He is allowed to travel to the Olympic Games in Munich.
He competes in weight lifting.
But he is quickly eliminated from the competition.
Nevertheless, David Berger is staying in Munich.
He wants to see the betting matches.
And stay with his team.
Then the assassination happens.
The terrorists take David Berger hostage.
David Berger dies on September 6 in Fürstenfeldbruck.
From smoke inhalation caused by fire.
Ze'ev Friedman
Ze'ev Friedmann is in the photo.
The name Ze'ev is pronounced like this: Ze ev.
Ze`ev Friedmann was born on June 10, 1944.
In the land of Russia.
His parents come from Poland.
They fled from the Nazis to Russia.
Ze'ev Friedman's parents want to emigrate to Israel.
They therefore moved back to Poland in 1957.
They want to emigrate from there to Israel with their son.
That works in 1960:
The family moves to Israel.
In Israel, Ze'ev Friedman is finishing school.
Ze'ev Friedmann is a very good athlete.
First he does gymnastics.
Then he starts lifting weights.
He wins many betting matches.
Ze'ev Friedmann makes the Olympic team for Israel.
He is allowed to travel to the Olympic Games in Munich.
He sets several records for Israel.
Then the assassination happens.
The terrorists take Ze'ev Friedmann hostage.
Ze'ev Friedmann dies on September 5 in Fürstenfeldbruck.
The terrorists shoot him.
Yossef Gutfreund
In the photo is Yossef Gutfreund.
The name Yossef is pronounced like this: Jos sef.
Yossef Gutfreund is born on November 1, 1931.
In the Republic of Moldova.
The family of Yossef Gutfreund moves
to Israel in 1948.
The parents have a small hotel.
Yossef Gutfreund works in an electrical store.
He marries and has 2 daughters.
Yossef Gutfreund is a wrestler:
A wrestler is an athlete who fights against other athletes.
Yossef Gutfreund is also a referee for betting matches.
He is a referee at the Olympic Games in Munich.
Then the assassination happens.
The terrorists want to get into the apartment.
Yossef Gutfreund holds the door shut.
He won 't let the terrorists in.
A colleague from the team can run away.
Then the terrorists will come in after all.
The terrorists take Yossef Gutfreund hostage.
Yossef Gutfreund dies on September 5 in Fürstenfeldbruck.
The terrorists shoot him.
Eliezer Halfin
In the photo is Eliezer Halfin.
The name Eliezer is pronounced like this: Eli esa.
Eliezer Halfin was born on June 18, 1948.
In the country of Latvia.
Eliezer Halfin grew up in Latvia.
He has a sister.
Eliezer Halfin is a wrestler.
In 1969, the family moved to Israel.
In Israel, Eliezer Halfin remains a wrestler.
There is a large sports center in Israel.
There, Eliezer Halfin meets a trainer: Moshe Weinberg.
The name Moshe is pronounced like this: Moshe.
Moshe Weinberg becomes the coach of Eliezer Halfin.
Eliezer Halfin has a dream:
He wants to take part in the Olympic Games.
He is good enough.
He is allowed to travel to the Olympic Games in Munich.
He has 3 betting matches.
He wins a betting match.
He loses 2 competitions.
After that, he stays in Munich.
He watches the other betting matches.
Then the assassination happens.
The terrorists take Eliezer Halfin hostage.
Eliezer Halfin dies on September 5 in Fürstenfeldbruck.
The terrorists shoot him.
Yossef Romano
In the photo is Yossef Romano.
The name Yossef is pronounced like this: Jos sef.
Yossef Romano was born on April 15, 1940.
In the country of Libya.
It is pronounced like this: lü-bi-jen
Yossef Romano grew up in Libya and Palestine.
He has 10 siblings.
After school, he learns the trade of interior decorator.
Once it is like this:
Yossef Romano is 20 years old.
He is on the beach with a friend.
He lifts his friend high into the air.
A weight-lifting trainer sees this.
The coach addresses Yossef Romano.
This is how Yossef Romano becomes a weightlifter.
He soon wins the first betting matches.
He becomes the best weightlifter in Israel.
In his weight class.
In 1964, he married Ilana.
They have 3 children.
Yossef Romano is allowed to go to the Olympic Games.
He injures himself in a match.
He needs treatment.
He needs an operation.
That's why he wants to fly home.
He wants to have the operation there.
The assassination takes place the day before the return flight.
Yossef Romano wants to stop the terrorists.
But the terrorists shoot Yossef Romano.
Yossef Romano dies in Munich on September 5.
Kehat Schor
In the photo is Kehat Schor.
Kehat Schor was born on February 21, 1919.
In the country of Romania.
Kehat Schor grew up in Romania.
After the war, he marries.
He becomes a father.
Kehat Schor would like to emigrate to Israel.
With his family.
They need a permit for this.
You have to wait a long time.
In 1963, the family is allowed to emigrate to Israel.
Kehat Schor is a good sports shooter.
He also works as a trainer for sport shooters.
2 athletes from the team are allowed to take part in the Olympics.
Kehat Schor comes to Munich with the athletes.
Then the assassination happens.
The terrorists take Kehat Schor hostage.
Kehat Schor dies on September 5 in Fürstenfeldbruck.
The terrorists shoot him.
Amitzur Shapira
In the photo is Amitzur Shapira.
Amitzur Shapira was born on July 9, 1932.
In the land of Israel.
Amitzur Shapira grew up in Israel.
He is a good lightweight athlete.
He studies.
Then he gets married.
He has 2 children with his first wife:
A son and a daughter.
Amitzur Shapira becomes a coach for lightweight athletes.
He meets his second wife.
They have 2 children.
He is going to the Olympic Games as a coach.
He accompanies a sportswoman.
She is a sprinter and hurdler.
She must:
Being able to run fast and jump over obstacles.
The hurdler is good.
She makes it to the semi-finals.
Then the assassination happens.
The terrorists take Amitzur Shapira hostage.
Amitzur Shapira dies on September 5 in Fürstenfeldbruck.
The terrorists shoot him.
Mark Slavin
Mark Slavin is in the photo.
Mark Slavin was born on January 31, 1954.
In the country of Belarus.
Mark Slavin grew up in Belarus.
He has 2 siblings.
He goes to a sports school.
He learns to wrestle there.
He becomes youth wrestling champion.
Mark Slavin's family moves to Israel.
Mark Slavin is 18 years old.
He quickly made the Olympic team in Israel.
As a wrestler.
Mark Slavin's first bout is scheduled for September 5.
But then the assassination attempt happens on September 5.
The terrorists take Mark Slavin hostage.
Mark Slavin dies on September 5 in Fürstenfeldbruck.
The terrorists shoot him.
Andrei Spitzer
Andrei Spitzer is in the photo.
Andrei Spitzer was born on July 4, 1945.
In the country of Romania.
Andrei Spitzer grew up in Romania.
He learns to fence.
He is good.
He wins betting matches.
Andrei Spitzer's father dies.
Andrei Spitzer is 11 years old.
Andrei Spitzer moves to Israel with his mother.
Andrei Spitzer is 19 years old.
He works as a coach in the sport of fencing.
He also works as a trainer in the Netherlands.
There he meets Ankie.
They marry and have a daughter.
Andrei Spitzer is going to the Olympic Games as a coach.
His daughter is 2 months old.
Then the assassination happens.
The terrorists take Andrei Spitzer hostage.
Andrei Spitzer dies on September 5 in Fürstenfeldbruck.
The terrorists shoot him.
Yakov Springer
In the photo is Yakov Springer.
The name Yakov is pronounced like this: Ja kov.
Yakov Springer was born on June 10, 1921.
In the country of Poland.
Yakov Springer grew up in Poland.
His family dies in the war.
Yakov Springer survives.
He flees to another country.
After the war, Yakov Springer returns to Poland.
He marries and has 2 children.
He studies.
Then he works in the sports department.
In the city of Warsaw.
The family moves to Israel.
Yakov Springer works there as a sports teacher.
And he trains trainers for weightlifters.
Yakov Springer comes to the Olympic Games as a referee.
Then the assassination happens.
The terrorists take Yakov Spinger hostage.
Yakov Springer dies on September 5 in Fürstenfeldbruck.
The terrorists shoot him.
Moshe Weinberg
Moshe Weinberg is in the photo.
The name Moshe is pronounced like this: Moshe
The nickname is Muni.
Moshe Weinberg was born on September 19, 1939.
In the land of Israel.
Moshe Weinberg grew up in the city of Haifa.
Haifa is a city in Israel.
Moshe Weinberg grew up with his grandparents.
A neighbor shows Moshe Weinberg how to wrestle.
Moshe Weinberg enjoys wrestling.
The neighbor trains Moshe Weinberg.
Moshe Weinberg will be a very good wrestler.
He often wins the Israeli championships.
Moshe Weinberg later becomes a wrestling coach.
He works in a large sports center in Israel.
Moshe Weinberg meets a woman there.
They get married.
And they have a son.
Moshe Weinberg is going to the Olympic Games as a coach.
The son is 2 months old.
Then the assassination happens.
The terrorists are coming.
Moshe Weinberg defends himself.
The terrorists shoot him.
Moshe Weinberg dies in Munich on September 5.
He is the first victim of the assassination attempt.
Anton Fliegerbauer
Anton Fliegerbauer is in the photo.
Anton Fliegerbauer was born on March 5, 1940.
In Germany.
Anton Fliegerbauer grows up in Westendorf.
In the federal state of Bavaria.
He has 2 siblings.
The parents have a farm.
Anton Fliegerbauer also wants to become a farmer.
But then he becomes a policeman after all.
He marries and has a son.
Anton Fliegerbauer works for the police in Munich.
Then the assassination happens.
The police are to free the hostages.
Anton Fliegerbauer is here to help.
A terrorist shoots Anton Fliegerbauer.
Anton Fliegerbauer dies on September 5 in Fürstenfeldbruck.
Translated and checked (by people with learning difficulties) by FÜP- FortSchritt Übersetzungs-und Prüfbüro für Leichte Sprache.
Further information about FÜP can be found here: www.fortschritt-bayern.de/angebote/leichte-sprache
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