Amitzur Shapira
Encyclopedia
Amitzur Shapira was an Israel
i short distance runners in the 1950s and a coach for the Israeli track and field team at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany
. At the time of his death he was also one of the country's best track coaches.
. For many years, he served as a teacher and educator at the Wingate Institute's
Jewish College.
he was the head coach for the Israeli track and field team. During the 1972 Olympics he and 10 other members of the Israel Olympic team were taken hostage by Arab
terrorists at the games. Two of the Israelis were shot in the beginning of the ordeal and the other nine (including Shapira) were held hostage
and then later were murdered on the tarmac
of Furstenfeldbruck airbase during a botched rescue attempt by Munich
police and Bavarian
border guards.
Amitzur Shapira was the coach of Esther Shachamarov
who later became an Israeli Olympic athlete (in 1976, she became the first Israeli to reach an Olympic final). When she heard the news that her coach had been murdered she withdrew from the 1972 Olympics.
Amitzur Shapira is buried in Kiryat Shaul cemetery in Tel Aviv
.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i short distance runners in the 1950s and a coach for the Israeli track and field team at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany
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...
. At the time of his death he was also one of the country's best track coaches.
Early life
Amitzur Shapira was born in Israel and was a resident in HerzliyaHerzliya
Herzliya is a city in the central coast of Israel, at the western part of the Tel Aviv District. It has a population of 87,000 residents. Named after Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern Zionism, Herzliya covers an area of 26 km²...
. For many years, he served as a teacher and educator at the Wingate Institute's
Wingate Institute
The Wingate Institute is a sports training facility located south of Netanya, Israel, established in 1957. Named after Orde Wingate, the facility serves as the host facility for numerous Israeli national teams as well as a military training base....
Jewish College.
Munich massacre
When Shapira went to the 1972 Summer Olympics1972 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....
he was the head coach for the Israeli track and field team. During the 1972 Olympics he and 10 other members of the Israel Olympic team were taken hostage by Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
terrorists at the games. Two of the Israelis were shot in the beginning of the ordeal and the other nine (including Shapira) were held hostage
Hostage
A hostage is a person or entity which is held by a captor. The original definition meant that this was handed over by one of two belligerent parties to the other or seized as security for the carrying out of an agreement, or as a preventive measure against certain acts of war...
and then later were murdered on the tarmac
Tarmac
Tarmac is a type of road surface. Tarmac refers to a material patented by Edgar Purnell Hooley in 1901...
of Furstenfeldbruck airbase during a botched rescue attempt by Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
police and Bavarian
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
border guards.
Amitzur Shapira was the coach of Esther Shachamarov
Esther Roth-Shachamarov
Esther Roth-Shachamarov is a former Israeli track and field athlete. She specialized in the 100-meter hurdles and the 100-meter sprint.-Records:...
who later became an Israeli Olympic athlete (in 1976, she became the first Israeli to reach an Olympic final). When she heard the news that her coach had been murdered she withdrew from the 1972 Olympics.
Amitzur Shapira is buried in Kiryat Shaul cemetery in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
.
See also
- Munich massacreMunich massacreThe 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...