Gad Tsobari
Encyclopedia
Gad Tsobari (born 1948) is an Israel
i-born light-flyweight freestyle wrestler and a member of Israel's 1972 Olympic
team. He finished 12th (of 50) in his event, and was considered a possible medal threat at the Montreal Games of 1976. Tsobari was the only survivor of the six athletes housed in Apartment 3 at 31 Connollystraße, which was the second apartment taken by Arab terrorists in the early morning hours of September 5, 1972 in an event called the Munich massacre
.
Although he was originally taken hostage by the Black September
fedayeen, Tsobari was able to escape with the help of his already-wounded coach, Moshe Weinberg
, who attacked the terrorists and received fatal gunshot wounds in the process. While Weinberg was fighting the terrorists, Tsobari dashed down a flight of stairs and through an underground garage, even as one of the terrorists pursued and shot after him. Tsobari found his way to the Olympic Village security building, where he informed officials about the break-in at the Israeli quarters.
Nearly 18 hours later, Tsobari and the rest of the Israeli Olympians not taken hostage watched the helicopters take off for Fürstenfeldbruck
airbase, where the massacre would occur.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i-born light-flyweight freestyle wrestler and a member of Israel's 1972 Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
team. He finished 12th (of 50) in his event, and was considered a possible medal threat at the Montreal Games of 1976. Tsobari was the only survivor of the six athletes housed in Apartment 3 at 31 Connollystraße, which was the second apartment taken by Arab terrorists in the early morning hours of September 5, 1972 in an event called the Munich massacre
Munich massacre
The Munich massacre is an informal name for events that occurred during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Bavaria in southern West Germany, when members of the Israeli Olympic team were taken hostage and eventually killed by the Palestinian group Black September. Members of Black September...
.
Although he was originally taken hostage by the Black September
Black September (group)
The Black September Organization was a Palestinian paramilitary group, founded in 1970. It was responsible for the kidnapping and murder of eleven Israeli athletes and officials, and fatal shooting of a West German policeman, during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, their most publicized event...
fedayeen, Tsobari was able to escape with the help of his already-wounded coach, Moshe Weinberg
Moshe Weinberg
Moshe Weinberg was the coach of the Israeli international wrestling team as well as being the coach of Hapoel Tel Aviv. He was the Israeli youth champion in wrestling and also the adult champion for a period of 8 years. He began his career in Hapoel Haifa, later becoming a certified coach at...
, who attacked the terrorists and received fatal gunshot wounds in the process. While Weinberg was fighting the terrorists, Tsobari dashed down a flight of stairs and through an underground garage, even as one of the terrorists pursued and shot after him. Tsobari found his way to the Olympic Village security building, where he informed officials about the break-in at the Israeli quarters.
Nearly 18 hours later, Tsobari and the rest of the Israeli Olympians not taken hostage watched the helicopters take off for Fürstenfeldbruck
Fürstenfeldbruck
Fürstenfeldbruck is a town in Bavaria, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Fürstenfeldbruck. it has a population of 35,494. Since the 1930s, Fürstenfeldbruck has had an air force base....
airbase, where the massacre would occur.