50 years ago, on September 5, 1972, Palestinian terrorists attacked the Israeli team headquarters at the Olympic Games in Munich. The terrorist organization Black September takes eleven athletes and coaches hostage. The rescue attempt at the Fürstenfeldbruck airfield turned into a disaster. All Israeli hostages die, plus five Palestinians and a German policeman.
For the 50th anniversary, Sky is reconstructing the events in an elaborate docudrama. “1972 – Munich’s black September” will be shown on September 4, 2022 at 10:10 p.m. on Sky Documentaries. The film will be available on demand from Sky and the streaming service Wow from September 2nd.
“1972 – Munich’s Black September” illuminates the events from three perspectives – the victims, the perpetrators and the police officers. The focus is on three people whose lives were changed forever by the terrorist attack. Including Ankie Spitzer. Her husband, fencing coach André Spitzer, was killed in the assassination. He was only 27 years old. To this day, his widow is fighting for an admission of guilt by the German government for the failed rescue operation.
On the other side is Jamal al Gashey (69). The youngest of the Palestinian assassins survived the shooting in Fürstenfeldbruck. After that he has to live with his guilt and the fear of revenge. Today, al Gashey is the only 1972 assassin still alive. He is said to be hiding in Africa.
Guido Schlosser faces the cameras for the first time. In 1972 he was one of the young police officers who were supposed to overpower the assassins on the escape plane. Since they felt inferior to the heavily armed terrorists, they refused the order. Schlosser wants to counter the blame game today. The documentary accompanies him on a moving journey to Israel. There he meets contemporary witnesses, including Ankie Spitzer.
“1972 – Munich’s Black September” combines game scenes with archive material and interviews with eyewitnesses who have not yet come to the public. “Cineastic quality” promises Christian Asanger, Vice President Entertainment at Sky Germany, for the game scenes. “But it was particularly important to us that we never lose sight of the fate of the twelve victims of this horrific attack. This film is dedicated to them.”
The docudrama is not the only Sky contribution to the anniversary of the Olympic attack. The “Munich Games” series based on a fictional scenario will also start on September 4th. A friendly match between a German and an Israeli football club is to take place 50 years after the assassination. In the run-up there are rumors of an attack on the game. History seems to repeat itself…
Phillip Kadelbach (“Our Mothers, Our Fathers”) directed “Munich Games”. The six-part series will be available on Sky and Wow from September 2nd.
