“Erinnerungsort 72” Olympic Assassination
The mixed reality (MR / XR) app “Erinnerungsort 72” (Remembrance Place 72) was developed for the district office of Fürstenfeldbruck to mark the 50th anniversary of the Olympic massacre. This is an immersive retelling of the tragic events of September 5, 1972. In the context of the location at the air base in Fürstenfeldbruck, users can view details of the historical events “on site” or remotely via “at home” mode with 360° panoramic views. Find out what happened, remember or commemorate the victims. At a total of seven stations, the historical events are retold with narration, image overlays of archive recordings, eyewitness statements and animated 3D models.
Digital place of remembrance Fürstenfeldbruck
“We don’t want to forget the dead. The digital place of remembrance is a good way to keep the memory alive and to pass it on to young people. The Olympic assassination affects the whole world. A place of remembrance that can be visited worldwide fits in well with this.” Thomas Karmasin, district administrator Fürstenfeldbruck. (translated via Google Translator)
“One can only learn from history if we make what happened appropriately accessible. By combining the AR App’s “on site” and “at home” modes, with the help of the experienced team at Augmented Minds, we have created an interactive, digital bridge to the tragic event of September 5, 1972.” Silke Seiz, Project manager memorial site of the 1972 Olympic attack in Fürstenfeldbruck. (translated via Google Translator)
AR and VR technology provide access to the historical site
The seven stations at the Fliegerhorst FFB
(military security area)
Archive image of the old tower at the
Fürstenfeldbruck air base as a digital overlay
At the moment and probably until 2026, the scene of the tragic events of the Olympic attack, the Fürstenfeldbruck air base, is owned by the Bundeswehr. Therefore, the old tower is not open to the public.
For the 50th anniversary and beyond, the site can now be visited with the help of virtual reality. Seven 360 degree shots were taken on site and serve as backgrounds in the “at home” version. After the withdrawal of the Bundeswehr or on special occasions, the app can also be experienced with the “on site” version. This mode is already included in the app and can be used in guided tours at the air base. With augmented reality navigation, users are guided from one station to the next. The digital content is displayed directly in the camera image. For example, a historical recording of the old tower.
Make historical content accessible
The two helicopters the day after the massacre
The two helicopter models on the landing field
“AR AND VR are so great for making history come alive.” Dominik Aufleger, one of three historians of the project team. (translated via Google Translator)
The app uses different ways to present the historical recordings in a varied way. A video on the Olympics in Munich, the hostage-taking in the Olympic Village and reports from the police spokesman and a reporter near Connollystrasse explain what happened in Munich at the beginning of the guided tour. The preparations of the police with the planned ambush are explained in front of the tower at the air base: Animated 3D models show the positions of the police gunners, the landing pads of the helicopters and the escape plane. The landing of the helicopter and the subsequent exchange of fire between Palestinian terrorists and the police is accompanied, like all other stations, by narration and background music. Historical photos from the day after are superimposed on the camera image as overlays and blend seamlessly into today’s, real view of the place and allow past and present to merge seamlessly.
Digital commemoration of the victims
Public memorial in front of the entrance gate
Picture gallery at the last station: Commemoration
“Remembering, commemorating, looking back and admonishing” are the pillars of the commemorative work of the digital place of remembrance. In addition to the detailed descriptions of the events at the air base, the focus is on the nine killed Israeli athletes and the German policeman. Images of the twelve victims are displayed at two of the seven stations. At the last station, the memorial in front of the tower, the pictures are lined up in a gallery. Their names, other pictures and texts about the career show the people who lost their lives in this tragic event.
If you want, you can place a flower, a stone or a candle to commemorate. This personal moment of remembrance can also be saved as a picture or shared with contacts or via social media in the form of a collage.
A large complementary project team
iPads with headphones, rollup, press kits and
Trailer on the big screen
Markus Ambrus and Rainer Lonau
Augmented Minds
“Place of Remembrance 1972” is the result of constructive and well-managed cooperation between specialized experts and service providers.
The concept for the project has been promoted by the district office of Fürstenfeldbruck since 2019. Project manager Silke Seiz and later also project assistant Sandra Moser coordinated the conception and implementation with the project partners. In addition to researching and processing historical facts, the historians Dominik Aufleger, Anna Greithanner and Robert Wolff were also responsible for the conception of the storyboard and the provision of archive recordings. Technical planning, prototype and app development including the creation and preparation of content such as 3D models and animations were the responsibility of Augmented Minds. In order to create visual and content connections with the associated website www.erinnerungsort-fuersten
Screenshots
Links
- Apps in German and English: Apple iOS Store und Google Play Store
- Digital place of remembrance website
- Reporting Merkur.de
- Reporting in the Süddeutsche Zeitung
About Fürstenfeldbruck District Office
2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the Olympic assassination. The district of Fürstenfeldbruck has been keeping the memories alive for 25 years. The first commemoration event took place in 1997, and in 1999 a memorial was erected in front of the gates of the air base, which provides a place for remembrance in the district. Every year on September 5th, the victims, their relatives and the survivors are commemorated in Fürstenfeldbruck.
In 2012, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary, the district held a large commemoration event in the presence of Israeli relatives. In 2013 the Forum for Remembrance Work was founded, which deals with the solution of a worthy permanent place of remembrance. In 2018, the possibility of a “digital place of remembrance” was discussed, in 2019 the idea was decided in the district committees, in 2020 a concept was created and the implementation has been worked on since 2021.
Sponsor
The project is funded by the Free State of Bavaria, represented by the Bavarian State Ministry for Education and Culture, the BMW Group, the International Olympic Committee and the German Sport Foundation.
