Terror at Olympia 1972: Munich in fear and shock!

Terror at Olympia 1972: Munich in fear and shock!

On September 5, 1972, a devastating assassination attempt occurred as part of the Olympic Games in Munich, which threw a deep shadow on the sporting event. This turbulent episode is now discussed in the film September 5 , directed by Tim Fehlbaum, which was shot in Germany in 2024. The action of the film is precisely anchored in the historical reality and addresses the role of the media that reported on this event and the moral questions that arise from it.

The hostage -taking started early in the morning at 4:40 a.m. when the Palestinian terrorist organization "Schwarzer September" attacked the Israeli team's neighborhood and took hostage. The world experienced the dramatic events in the Olympic village, while the ABC Olympic team, just 100 meters away, heard the shots in his studio. Producer Geoff and sports director Roone Arledge opted for live reporting, which fundamentally changed the role of the media in crisis situations. This decision contributed to the fact that journalists subsequently slipped into the role of war rapporteurs, such as Duisburglive.de reported.

The 1972 Olympic Games were not only a sporting event, but also a symbol of global media networking. These games have been broadcast live via satellites for the first time worldwide. Germany appeared as a host to present a cheerful and open picture after the first games on German soil were in a completely different light after 1936. Tragically, this dream was overshadowed by a bomb attack, which was transferred live from sports television, which put the ethical limits of media reporting on the test, as nd-aktuell.de describes.

Tim Fehlbaum, the director of the film, dealt intensively with the topic and wanted to present an authentic perspective on the events. The filming included around 90 hours, with scenes being replaced to create a documentary feeling. The media images that were published during this time have remained in the memory to this day and illustrate the challenge of distinguishing between necessary reporting and voyeuristic interest. Furthermore, when presenting the victims, care was taken to do this with the necessary piety, which the director clearly emphasized.

admission prices and film screenings

The admission prices for the film screenings of September 5 are attractive:

• Tuesday to Thursday: € 8.90 (7.50 € reduced)
• Friday, Saturday, Sunday and public holidays: € 9.90 (€ 8.50 reduced)
• Monday cinema day: 7 €
• Adventure children's cinema on Sunday: € 5.50
• Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon: € 7 for performances at 3:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.

The 1972 Olympic Games were characterized by radiant moments, such as the victory of Mark Spitz, who won seven gold medals in swimming. But the terrible incident of the hostage -taking and the subsequent tragedy, in which a total of eleven Israelis and a police member were killed, will not be forgotten in the annals of sports history. Despite this shock, the IOC maintained the competitions and IOC President Avery Brundage confirmed that "the games have to go on".

The challenges of media reporting and the technological development of the time were taken up by Falue tree in his film in order to illustrate the complexity of events and to enable contemporary reflection on the events of 1972, such as the Sportschau.de In summary.