The Games of the XX Olympiad, held in Munich in 1972, marked the return of these international games to Germany for the first time since Berlin in 1936, which was overshadowed by Hitler's exploitation of the games as a showcase for his belief in the superiority of his Aryan race. At the onset of the 1972 games, Germans were proud and hopeful, and cultural forms were flourishing in a prosperous Munich. A "green Olympic games" theme meant that a new public transit system and a comprehensive plan was undertaken to build Olympiapark, a stadium and recreation complex in the city's Oberwiesenfeld area, which had been largely abandoned since its use in World War II as an airfield.
The games themselves at the time were the largest so far, with 195 events and more than 7,000 athletes from 121 nations, and archery and. The first ten days passed peaceably until the morning of September 5 when eight Palestinian terrorists broke into the Olympic village, killed two Israeli Olympic athletes and took nine of them hostage, ultimately killing them, too. The games were suspended for 34 hours. However, the positives of the games included American swimmer Mark Spitz's seventh gold medal, Russian heavyweight wrestler Ivan Yarygin first gold medal, and West German Liselott Linsenhoff, who became the first female equestrian to win a gold medal in an individual event.
Munich Now
The games left a lasting impact on the city's infrastucture. The Olympic Park, a complex comprised of four separate areas, hosts sporting, entertainment and other special events such as trade fairs and exhibitions. More than 166 million people have visited it since the games.
Most Americans think of Munich and immediately associate the city with beer, as it is the home of Oktoberfest each year, a celebration of German culture. But Munich reveres its culture and heritage all year long, hosting its "Long Nights of Music" which is marked by hundreds of concerts in the spring, and "Long Night of the Museums" in the fall, with museums and galleries staying open late. These days, the compact, walkable city, with its high quality of life and population of 1.3 million people, is also home to many banking, technology and insurance companies. Densely populated, it must balance its growth without giving up on efforts toward sustainability -- like many cities in the 21st century.
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