Rivlin to attend Munich Olympic memorial in Germany
The Israeli president and his German counterpart will attend a dedication ceremony in Germany for the new Munich memorial site in honor of the 11 Israeli athletes and coaches murdered in the 1972 Olympics.
The site was declared a memorial five years ago in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the terror attack and contains the biographies of all the victims.
"For us, it is a breakthrough," said Ilana Romano, widow of Israeli weightlifting champion Yossef Romano, who was one of the murdered athletes.
German President Walter Steinmeir and Minister-President of Bavaria Horst Seehofer are also expected to take part in the ceremony along with Rivlin and the families of the victims. "This site will stand as evidence of the inherent danger of hatred and the cruel brutality of terrorism," said Rivlin.
The memorial came to fruition as a result of continuous efforts from Romano and Ankie Spitzer, widow of fencer Andre Spitzer. "We've been waging this stubborn struggle for 45 years," said Romano.
"The goal was to remember the victims of the Olympic games, ensure proper commemoration and expose the entire chain of events that happened on that cursed day. In the beginning, we encountered discouraging words from German authorities and even heard accusations that we brought the war to German soil. But German media supported us."
Even after the decision to establish the memorial was made, the families still encountered resistance, this time from neighbors who were opposed to the construction site.
"Ankie and I flew to Germany three times to confirm the site. We are very excited. Last year, Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, held the first official memorial ceremony in Rio for the fallen, and there was nary a dry eye. A site will now be in Munich. For us, it is a breakthrough. A moment of happiness."
