Ulrich K. Wegener

The full story of the 1972 Munich Olympics Massacre and the Israeli revenge operation 'Wrath of God.' The 1972 Munich Olympics were interrupted by Palestinian terrorists taking Israeli athletes hostage. Besides footage taken at the time, we see interviews with the surviving terrorist, Jamal Al Gashey, and various officials detailing exactly how the police, lacking an anti-terrorist squad and turning down help from the Israelis, botched the operation.

It is a horror scenario that unfolds on September 5, 1972, in the Olympic Village in Munich. Eight Palestinian terrorists sneak into the Israeli team’s quarters, kill two Israelis, and take nine others hostage. The German security forces are completely unprepared for such a crisis situation. When, after tough negotiations, the terrorists and their hostages are to be flown out, the police prepare a rescue operation at the Fürstenfeldbruck military airport. But that is when disaster strikes.

The spectrum of topics ranges from political history with a focus on contemporary history (especially National Socialism and post-war history) to cultural history and social history. In addition, ZDF-History also regularly deals with pre-modern history, art and cultural history.