Forty years ago eleven athletes and officials were murdered at the Olympics in Munich.
As the media frenzy around this year’s London games ramps up from Over-Excited to Orgasmic, you can bet that at tonight’s opening ceremony, there will not be a minute’s silence to commemorate this appalling violation of what we are told is the Olympic Spirit. The Prime Minister doesn’t think it would be appropriate, apparently. Perhaps the corporate sponsors would be offended. Just imagine the outcry were such a memorial refused for athletes of any other nation murdered in the same circumstances. Ho hum. Do I smell hypocrisy? Perish the thought.
Tired of the Olympics? – you will be.
To show that this event will not be forgotten, Crox Minor and I (at her instigation) went to the beach, where we said the prayer below. Crox Minor threw a bouquet of flowers into the waves, and at 11 am we observed a minute’s silence.
‘May El Malei Rachamim – our God who is full of mercy – comfort and support all those who remember their loved ones who died while contributing to the Olympic spirit and healthy competition in the Games of the Twentieth Olympiad, held in Munich in 1972. For those whose lives were changed forever by the events of 5th and 6th September 1972, when terrorists invaded the peaceful village and eleven sportsmen were murdered, we pray that their forty years in the wilderness of their loss may be helped in some way by the knowledge that so many congregations around the world are thinking of them on this Shabbat.
On this Shabbat, we recall the names of:
Mark Slavin, 18, Wrestler
Eliezer Halfin, 24, Wrestler
David Berger, 28, Weightlifter
Ze’ev Friedman, 28, Weightlifter
Yossef Romano, 31, Weightlifter
Andre Spitzer, 27, Fencing coach
Moshe Weinberg, 33, Wrestling coach
Amitzur Shapira, 40, Track coach
Yossef Gutfreund, age 40, Wrestling referee
Yakov Springer, 51, Weightlifting judge
Kehat Shorr, 53, Shooting coach
May their memory always be for a blessing - zichronum livracha.’
(By Rabbi Richard Jacobi, Woodford Liberal Synagogue, from the Liberal Judaism website.)
I can only say that the original idea of the Olympics was to channel man’s competitive nature away from war and conquest and into a sportsmanlike competition. The failure to commemorate 11 athletes who were brutally murdered 40 years ago in Munich in 1972 has caused me to lose all interest in these events.
Perhaps it is the pragmatic decision. A minute’s silence can only work if you know that everybody will observe it. Even in football in this country, the minute’s silence when someone associated with the game has died has been almost entirely replaced by a minute’s applause (which has the merit of drowning out any dissidents). There will be many people in the stadium from countries where relations with Israel are strained, that the opportunity to make a protest whilst the eyes and ears of the world are upon them may well be irresistable (remember the Black Power salutes on the rostrum at Mexico in 1968). This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t remember the athletes who died; just that advocating a minute’s silence, having not thought through the possible outcomes, is ill-advised.
What are you afraid of? Embarrassment?. How dreadful.
Perhaps, I am more cynical about human nature than your and Steve’s idealised viewpoint. I cannot forget that the winning of the Olympic bid was followed just a day later by the worst terrorist outrage on English soil. I know of no connection, but I do not see why we should offer hostages to fortune.
As horrid as that was, it is an entirely distinct, albeit awful, event. In this case we are talking about the murder of Olympians who participated in the Olympics (and should have been protected). No one proposed that the games be nullified or that anyone be held hostage to terror and bad fortune. Merely that the lives of these murdered athletes–athletes whose lives were taken from them in their prime, at an event that is supposed to represent “the best in human abilities–” should be commemorated. The absence of this minimal tribute to their lives is a disgrace to the Olympics.
If there are countries who would not observe a minute of silence for murdered athletes of ANY country, they have no business participating in the olympics.
During the minute’s silence for absent friends, their memory was for a blessing.
People should not forget those tragic events and don’t repeat again.
Henry, I agree entirely that this appalling event should be remembered, but I think the way you chose to do it resonates with more honesty than would a one minute silence at the opening ceremony. Personally I would not have favoured the inclusion of such a silence last night simply because I dislike the ‘enforced’ ceremony. Many of us I am sure reflect in our own way (as you did) about the dumb actions of those terrorists, certainly those of us old enough to clearly remember the atrocity as it happened.
And let’s also not forget the German policeman who died that day.
Mossy, I think you’re right. And that’s why I appreciated the ‘absent friends’ vibe last night—it was in the context of 7/7 but there was also room for other remembrances: and I’m convinced not a few were thinking of Munich.
Agreed, Richard. A little like Remembrance Day, too.
Absolutely. Did you notice that while the first and second wars were as defining as anything for the UK, they were, along with other conflicts, covered by that tasteful and understated moment with the poppies and the folk in uniform standing still? Not anti-war, not jingoistic; just right.
You’ve got it right Henry – Teach children peace.
The thing was, though, it was the other way round. It was Crox Minor’s idea to go to the beach to observe a minute’s silence – not mine.
Good for Crox Minor.
In that case
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLX2jjg4kWs&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dC93Q75I2NY&feature=related
Your observance was very nicely done. Well done Crox Minor (and yourself).
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