A foundation set up to honour a police officer gunned down in the Munich Olympics massacre 52 years ago has been awarded EUR 2 million in compensation for his death.
Riot police officer Anton Fliegerbauer died in an exchange of gunfire with Palestinian terrorists who had taken Israel’s Olympic athletes hostage.
Fliegerbauer was killed with all of the hostages during a shocking gun and grenade battle when the Palestinians opened fire on their helpless captives.
Many believed that German police chiefs had botched the operation to contain the terrorists and negotiate a peaceful end to the drama.
The bloodbath exploded when police tried to recapture the hostages and led to the death of 11 athletes, five terrorists and Fliegerbauer.
Now his family has finally been given a EUR 2 million payout, with Fliegerbauer’s son asking that it be donated to the foundation.
The charity specialises in helping psychologically traumatised children to recover.
In 2022, the families of the dead athletes received EUR 28 million (GBP 24 million) in compensation after a decades-long struggle.
On the 50th anniversary of the massacre Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier apologised for the botched rescue and the cruel treatment of bereaved families.
The bill for the officer’s compensation is split between city officials in Munich, Bavarian State Chancellor Florian Herrmann and the German federal government.
Bitterness over the bungled hostage rescue is spelt out on an official memorial at the 1972 Olympic Park saying: “The police failed in this attempt, and the operation ended in disaster.
“All of the hostages and the German police officer Anton Fliegerbauer, as well as five of the terrorists, died.”
