Yossef Gutfreund
Encyclopedia
Yossef Gutfreund was an Israel
i wrestling
judge for his country's 1972 Olympic
team. He was murdered in the Munich massacre
by Black September
terrorists along with 10 other members of the Israeli team.
, but later took up wrestling. Munich was his third Olympics as a wrestling referee.
. At around 4:30 am he heard a noise outside the door and went to investigate, thinking that it might be wrestling coach Moshe Weinberg
, who had the other key to the door. He saw the door begin to open and caught a glimpse of masked men with guns on the other side. He threw his weight against the door to try to hold it closed when the intruders attempted to push their way into the apartment, and screamed a warning which allowed his roommate, weightlifting coach Tuvia Sokolovsky, to smash a window and escape. In the adjacent Apartment 2, race-walker Dr. Shaul Ladany was jolted awake by Gutfreund's screams and also managed to escape the building.
Gutfreund and eight other members of Israeli's Olympic team were captured by the terrorists. Two others who resisted the kidnappers, wrestling coach Weinberg
and weightlifter Yossef Romano
, were killed by the intruders during the initial break-in.
Twenty-one hours later, on September 6, Gutfreund was shot and killed by the terrorists during a failed rescue attempt by West German authorities.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
judge for his country's 1972 Olympic
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
team. He was murdered in 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...
by 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...
terrorists along with 10 other members of the Israeli team.
Biography
Yosef Gutfreund attended medical school in Rumania, planning to become a veterinarianVeterinarian
A veterinary physician, colloquially called a vet, shortened from veterinarian or veterinary surgeon , is a professional who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals....
, but later took up wrestling. Munich was his third Olympics as a wrestling referee.
Kidnap and death
On September 5, 1972, Gutfreund was sleeping in the Israeli coaches' quarters in the Olympic VillageOlympic Village
An Olympic Village is an accommodation centre built for an Olympic Games, usually within an Olympic Park or elsewhere in a host city. Olympic Villages are built to house all participating athletes, as well as officials, athletic trainers, and other staff. Since the Munich Massacre at the 1972...
. At around 4:30 am he heard a noise outside the door and went to investigate, thinking that it might be wrestling 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 had the other key to the door. He saw the door begin to open and caught a glimpse of masked men with guns on the other side. He threw his weight against the door to try to hold it closed when the intruders attempted to push their way into the apartment, and screamed a warning which allowed his roommate, weightlifting coach Tuvia Sokolovsky, to smash a window and escape. In the adjacent Apartment 2, race-walker Dr. Shaul Ladany was jolted awake by Gutfreund's screams and also managed to escape the building.
Gutfreund and eight other members of Israeli's Olympic team were captured by the terrorists. Two others who resisted the kidnappers, wrestling coach 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...
and weightlifter Yossef Romano
Yossef Romano
Yossef Romano was a Libyan-born, Jewish Israeli weightlifter with the Israeli team that went to the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany. He was the second of eleven Israeli team members murdered in the Munich massacre by Black September terrorists during that Olympics...
, were killed by the intruders during the initial break-in.
Twenty-one hours later, on September 6, Gutfreund was shot and killed by the terrorists during a failed rescue attempt by West German authorities.