Palestinian terrorists broke into the Olympic Village and entered rooms where the Israeli team were staying, before fighting broke out with athletes and coaches defending the squad, during which weightlifter Yossef Romano and coach Moshe Weinberg were murdered.

Another nine athletes - Yossef Gutfreund, Amitzur Shapira, Kehat Shorr, Andre Spitzer, Jacov Springer, Eliezer Halfin, Mark Slavin, David Berger, and Ze'ev Friedman - were held hostage by the Black September terrorists before being murdered despite numerous attempts to negotiate their safe release.

The massacre marked one of the most horrific moments in the history of the Olympic Games, provoking Israel to carry out covert operations around the world to kill those responsible for the atrocity.

The sculpture includes 11 segments, representing each of the athletes and coaches who were killed and a stainless steel Olympic torch.

It is thought to be the only sculpture commemorating the 11 in the US, and it was unveiled on the same Jewish date as the attack took place in Munich almost 40 years ago.

David Kirschtel, chief executive of the centre, said: "Each day, as people enter our campus, they will see this powerful work of art and be reminded that the human spirit must triumph over evil."

"It is a flame that cannot be extinguished...it rests on the shoulders of athletes who can never be forgotten."

The families of the victims of the massacre have long campaigned for a minute's silence in their honour, and hope they may finally achieve that next year during the London 2012 Olympic Games, which will mark 40 years since the brutal attack.

"All we ask for is a moment of silence for peace between countries," said Ben Berger (pictured with memorial), the father of slain weightlifter David Berger.

"We don't ask for a moment of silence in memory of the Munich 11...they always turn us down with the same excuse - that the Olympics are not a political thing."

The unveiling marks the fourth of 11 events being held in the lead up to the JCC Maccabi Games, a Jewish Olympic style tournament, which will take place at the centre in Rockland.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]