Germany's president Frank-Walter Steinmeier has apologised for a number of failures by his nation earlier than, throughout, and after the lethal assault on the 1972 Munich Olympics.
It got here because the nation marked half a century since Palestinian militants killed 11 Israeli athletes.
On Monday, Steinmeier attended a ceremony along with his Israeli counterpart Isaac Herzog. at Fuerstenfeldbruck airfield exterior Munich, the scene of a botched rescue try that left 9 Israeli athletes, a West German police officer and 5 of the assailants lifeless.
"As head of state of this nation and within the title of the Federal Republic of Germany," mentioned Steinmeier. "I ask you for forgiveness for the shortage of safety of the Israeli athletes on the time of the Olympic Video games in Munich and for the shortage of clarification afterwards, and for the truth that what occurred occurred."
Relations of the slain athletes have fought for half a century for Germany to recognise its obligations. Final week, simply earlier than the anniversary, they agreed to compensation of €28 million.
Earlier, at one other memorial, Munich mayor Dieter Reiter additionally apologised for big errors made by politicians that day.
"On behalf of the Metropolis of Munich, I stand right this moment, 50 years later, ashamed," mentioned Reiter. "These accountable for the 1972 Summer season Olympics in Munich made momentous errors. I'm sorry for that, and I apologise for it. I apologise for the truth that after the assault, they didn't do what humanity would have demanded: to confess errors and take duty for them."
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