Yossef Gutfreund facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Yossef Gutfreund
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| Born | 1 November 1931 |
| Died | 6 September 1972 (aged 40) |
Yossef Gutfreund (born November 1, 1931 – died September 6, 1972) was an Israeli wrestling judge. He was part of Israel's team for the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. Sadly, he was one of 11 Israeli team members who died during an attack by a group called Black September. This tragic event is known as the Munich massacre.
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Who Was Yossef Gutfreund?
Yossef Gutfreund was born in Romania. He first studied medicine, hoping to become a veterinarian. However, he later found his passion in wrestling.
He became a wrestling referee and was very good at it. The 1972 Munich Olympics was his third time serving as a wrestling referee at the Olympic Games.
The Munich Attack
On September 5, 1972, Yossef Gutfreund was sleeping in the Israeli coaches' area. This was located in the Olympic Village in Munich. Around 4:30 in the morning, he heard a noise outside his door.
He thought it might be another coach, Moshe Weinberg, who had a key. But when the door started to open, he saw masked people with weapons.
Gutfreund's Heroic Actions
Yossef Gutfreund was a big man, standing 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing 290 pounds. He quickly pushed his body against the door. He also shouted a warning to his teammates inside the room.
His strength against the attackers was so great that it bent the door's hinges. This brave act created a few precious seconds. These moments allowed his roommate, weightlifting coach Tuvia Sokolsky, to break a window and escape.
In the next apartment, race-walker Dr. Shaul Ladany also heard Gutfreund's shouts. He too managed to get out of the building safely.
The Hostage Situation
Despite his efforts, Yossef Gutfreund and eight other members of the Israeli Olympic team were captured. They were taken hostage by the attackers. Sadly, two other team members, wrestling coach Moshe Weinberg and weightlifter Yossef Romano, were killed during the initial break-in.
The hostage situation lasted for about 21 hours. On September 6, Yossef Gutfreund and the other hostages were killed. This happened during a rescue attempt by the West German police.
