Andre Spitzer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Andre Spitzer
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| אנדרי שפיצר | |
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| Pronunciation | /andˈreː ˈʃpɪtsɐ/ |
| Born | 4 July 1945 |
| Died | 6 September 1972 (aged 27) Fürstenfeldbruck, Munich, West Germany
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| Cause of death | Shooting |
| Body discovered | Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base |
| Resting place | Kiryat Shaul Cemetery Tel Aviv, Israel |
| Nationality | Israeli |
| Citizenship | Romania, Israel |
| Alma mater | Wingate Institute |
| Occupation | Fencing coach |
| Years active | 1964–1972 |
| Known for | Killed by terrorists in the Munich massacre |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) |
| Spouse(s) | Ankie Spitzer |
| Children | Anouk Yael Spitzer |
| Parent(s) | Tibor Spitzer (father) Leonora Spitzer (mother) |
Andre Spitzer (Hebrew: אנדרי שפיצר; born July 4, 1945 – died September 6, 1972) was an Israeli fencing expert and coach. He led Israel's fencing team at the 1972 Summer Olympics. Sadly, he was one of 11 athletes and coaches taken hostage and killed by terrorists in an event known as the Munich massacre.
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Early Life and Fencing Career
Andre Spitzer was born in Timișoara, Romania. His family was Jewish. His parents had survived very difficult times during the Holocaust. When Andre was 11, his father passed away. After this, Andre and his mother moved to Israel.
He served in the Israeli Air Force. Later, he went to Israel's National Sport Academy to study fencing. In 1968, he traveled to the Netherlands to learn even more about fencing from a master named Abraham.
In 1971, Andre married one of his students, Ankie de Jongh. She became Jewish. Soon after, Andre and Ankie moved back to Israel. At just 27 years old, Andre became the best fencing instructor in the country. He helped start the National Fencing Academy. He also became the main fencing teacher at the Wingate Institute.
Andre and Ankie had a daughter named Anouk Yael. She was born two months before the Olympic Games began.
The Munich Olympics
Andre and Ankie Spitzer went to Munich for the Olympics with the rest of the Israeli team. Their baby daughter, Anouk, stayed in the Netherlands with her grandparents.
Andre had a special dream for the Olympics. His wife, Ankie, remembered him seeing members of the Lebanese team. Even though Israel and Lebanon were at war, Andre wanted to say hello. He told Ankie, "That's exactly what the Olympics are all about. Here I can talk to them." He went over and asked them about their results. To Ankie's surprise, the Lebanese team shook his hand and talked back. Andre was very happy, saying, "This is what I was dreaming about!"
During the Olympics, the Spitzers had to go back to the Netherlands. Their daughter, Anouk, had been hospitalized. Doctors said she would be fine, so Andre quickly returned to Munich to rejoin his team.
Terrorist Attack and His Death
Andre returned to Munich just a few hours before a group of Palestinian terrorists, called Black September, broke into the Israeli team's living area. They killed two people and took Andre and eight of his teammates hostage. The terrorists demanded that 234 other terrorists be released from prison.
The Israeli Prime Minister, Golda Meir, spoke with Andre's wife, Ankie. She told Ankie that Israel would not give in to the terrorists' demands. She explained that if they did, no Jewish person would be safe anywhere.
Andre Spitzer was seen once during the crisis. He stood at a second-floor window, with his hands tied. He was talking to the German officials. Andre was the only hostage who spoke German and English well. This made him the main person talking between the terrorists and the German team. At one point, when Andre tried to share information the terrorists didn't want known, one of the terrorists hit him and pulled him away from the window. That was the last time many people saw Andre alive.
After 20 hours of talks, the hostages and terrorists were flown by helicopter to Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base. The terrorists thought they would fly to another country from there. Instead, German police tried a rescue operation. However, it was not well-planned.
After a two-hour gunfight, Andre watched as four of his teammates were killed. A grenade was then set off inside their helicopter. Moments later, Andre and four more of his teammates were shot and killed by the terrorists. Andre was 27 years old. In total, 11 Israeli hostages died. Five terrorists and one German police officer were also killed.
Even after the attack, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided not to stop the Olympic Games. They continued as planned. About a month later, the German government released the three captured terrorists. This happened after other terrorists hijacked a plane and demanded their release.
Aftermath and Legacy
Andre Spitzer was buried with some of his teammates at Kiryat Shaul Cemetery in Tel Aviv, Israel.
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Andre's wife, Ankie Spitzer, decided to stay in Israel with her daughter. She later converted to Judaism. Ankie explained that she wanted her daughter to understand her father's life. She felt that Israel was the best place for them.
Ankie Spitzer confirmed that the Israeli intelligence agency, Mossad, later tracked down and killed many of the people involved in the Munich massacre. However, Ankie said she didn't feel happy about this. She would have preferred for the terrorists to have been put on trial. She said, "I don't live for revenge, I live for justice."
In 1980, Ankie Spitzer married Elie Rekhess. She became known as Ankie Rekhess-Spitzer. For many years, she fought to make the German government admit their mistakes in the failed rescue attempt. In 2003, after the families of the victims sued, the German government paid money to the families. Today, Ankie Spitzer works as a reporter in Israel for Dutch and Belgian television.
For a long time, Ankie Spitzer also asked the International Olympic Committee to have a minute of silence at the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games. This was to honor the 11 athletes who were killed in Munich. Her request was denied many times. However, at the delayed 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, a minute of silence was finally held.
Andre Spitzer has been shown in movies. He was played by Ori Pfeffer in the film Munich and by Pasquale Aleardi in Munich 72: Das Attentat.
See Also
- List of select Jewish fencers
- One minute of silence
