A wreath was laid by International Society of Olympic Historians members San Charles Haddad, left, President Christian Wacker, centre, and David Wallechinsky ©Nicholas Wolaver/ISOH

The International Society of Olympic Historians (ISOH) has laid a wreath at the memorial in Munich to mark the 50th anniversary of the terror attack on the Israeli team at the 1972 Olympics.

Eleven members of the team lost their lives and a Munich policeman also died as a result of the attack in 1972, which began in the early hours of September 5.

American Olympic historian and author David Wallechinsky, a past ISOH President, led the tribute.

"These members of the 1972 Israeli team were not murdered because of who they were as individuals, they were not murdered because of anything they had said or anything they did, they were murdered because of their religion, they were murdered because they were Jewish," Wallechinsky said.

Author and Olympic historian David Wallechinsky speaking at the memorial in Munich's Olympic Park today ©ITG
Author and Olympic historian David Wallechinsky speaking at the memorial in Munich's Olympic Park today ©ITG

"Before I was born, members of my family were murdered by Germans and attacked, they were murdered and attacked not because of who they were as individuals but because of their religion."

Wallechinsky was joined by current ISOH President Christian Wacker and fellow member San Charles Haddad, founding President of the Palestine Rowing Federation.

"I hope the day comes when all Palestinians will come to not just look at Jews and Israelis, and judge them by their religion or nationality, or by the policies of the Israeli Government," Wallechinsky insisted.

"I hope that they will look at every single Jewish person and every single Israeli as an individual, and I hope when every Israeli and every Jew will not look at the Palestinians based on the actions of a minority who commit terrorist acts, but instead at every Palestinian as an individual." 

Elsewhere in the park, hundreds of cyclists took part in a cycle ride, entitled "Cycling and Remembering '72".

Cyclists set out on a commemorative ride from Munich's Olympic Park to the Fürstenfeldbruck air base ©ITG
Cyclists set out on a commemorative ride from Munich's Olympic Park to the Fürstenfeldbruck air base ©ITG

Riders began at the Olympic Park and cycled to the Fürstenfeldbruck air field where the hostages were taken by helicopter 50 years ago.

All the Israeli hostages were killed in a firefight at the air base, along with a Munich policeman who was killed in the crossfire.

The riders in today's event all wore t-shirts printed specially.

Each displayed the name of one of the victims of the terror attack. 

The anniversary of the attack is set to be commemorated by German and Bavarian authorities tomorrow (September 5) with separate events at the Olympic Park and at Fürstenfeldbruck.