The aim is to reconstruct as accurately as possible the events that unfolded at Connollystraße 31 in Munich, where the hostages were taken and two of them murdered. This involves, in particular, an examination of the decisions taken by the crisis management team and their communications with the perpetrators, representatives of the Israeli government, and the media. It also includes a look into the cooperation between the federal government, state government, and Munich city authorities, and their interaction with Israeli security services. Why was an Israeli offer to send special forces to free the hostages not accepted? What circumstances helped lead to the decision to move the terrorists and hostages to Fürstenfeldbruck? 

The rescue attempt at the Fürstenfeldbruck Airfield ended with the deaths of all nine remaining hostages. One German police officer also died during the operation. Five of the eight terrorists were killed, and three were arrested. At 10:36 PM, the two helicopters carrying the hostages and the perpetrators landed, and at 1:15 AM, the police secured the scene. There are, however, conflicting accounts about what happened in the intervening time. What new insights can emerge regarding the events in Fürstenfeldbruck? What remaining contradictions can be resolved by connecting all available sources? 

Could the terrorist attack have been prevented? This question has often been raised, especially by the victims’ families and the Israeli athletes who survived the attack. Within this context, the research team will examine the security concepts developed in preparation for the games. What role did the International Olympic Committee (IOC) play in this context? What did the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) and the Office for the Protection of the Constitution know about the threat? What sort of cooperation took place with Israeli, European, and American intelligence services? What warnings did the German security agencies receive, and how were they handled? 

The Palestinian perpetrators and their supporters will also be the subject of reexamination. How and with whose assistance did the “Black September” commando members plan and prepare their acts of violence on September 5, 1972? What new insights can emerge regarding the recruitment and training of the perpetrators, and how they acquired their weapons? How and with whose assistance were they able to scout out the location of their attack? One area of focus will be the cooperation between the perpetrators and German supporters. The collaboration between “Black September” and German right-wing radicals has yet to be researched to any significant degree. The Palestinian commando's connections with other actors, especially in Arab countries, will also be the subject of analysis. What role did Libya, for example, play in the planning and preparation of the attack? 

On October 29, 1972, a Palestinian commando hijacked Lufthansa Flight 615, the jet known as “Kiel,” which was en route from Damascus to Frankfurt. This allowed them to press for the release of the three arrested terrorists so that they could escape prosecution. There have been repeated allegations that a deal was made between German authorities and the plotters behind the hijacking. A comprehensive investigation into the events of October 29 is thus another central goal of the research project. Who was responsible? Who decided in favor of the release of the prisoners and when? Did the West German authorities know anything about the hijackers’ plans? What evidence could suggest that there were agreements between German actors and the Palestinians behind the scenes? 

Were the events covered up, whitewashed, or brushed aside by the German and particularly the Bavarian authorities after the events? This question includes the immediate investigations at the crime scene, the inquiries into the arrested terrorists, and the internal review of the failed police operation. How did the official documentation on the attack come about, which absolved the German officials of any failures? In what manner did the public prosecutor’s investigation into German officials proceed? How earnest was the attempt to bring the surviving perpetrators, backers, and plotters of the attack to justice? Did one or more of the surviving commando members later reside in the Federal Republic of Germany? And if so, what did the German security services know about it? 

Following the release of the three surviving perpetrators, the German embassy in Tel Aviv spoke of the “most severe crisis” in German-Israeli relations since the establishment of diplomatic relations. How extensive was this crisis? How did cooperation subsequently develop at levels beneath official diplomatic circles as well as relations among security and intelligence services? How did the attack and Germany’s response shape public opinion in Israel? What sort of reactions can be distinguished within Germany’s Jewish communities? 

The immediate West German political responses to the attack included tighter entry conditions for citizens from Arab states, bans on Palestinian organizations, and an accelerated deportation process. What impact did these policies have on relations with the Arab world? How did West Germany cooperate with Arab states to prevent further attacks? The attack also led to the professionalization of the fight against terrorist threats. How did the Federal Intelligence Service (BND), the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), and the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) respond? How was the GSG 9 created in West Germany, and how was this special unit then trained?

The research team will also examine the contacts between West Germany and the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and Fatah. Did these contacts intensify after 1972 with the aim of preventing further attacks in West Germany? If so, who was active in these secret diplomatic efforts and what agreements were made?

Over the course of several decades, the families of the victims sought clarity on the attacks, appropriate compensation, and a commemoration worthy of the events. The German treatment of these families has yet to be researched sufficiently. How did the authorities and politicians communicate with the victims’ relatives? What motives shaped their behavior, and who bore the responsibility? The topic also encompasses the unfolding of memorial culture and victim commemoration in the decades following the attack. What narratives concerning the attack have existed and continue to exist? What role has the media played? How did actors such as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Jewish communities influence remembrance policy and commemoration?