The role of nationalism in the 1972 Munich Olympics film

Munich and the Role of Nationalism in Sports

Sports figures have always been a glorified group within traditional societies. From cultures around the world, sports stars are honored and praised much more so than other members of the societal group. As a result, sports has become just as much of a mythological part of a nation's culture as it is a practical source of entertainment. Thus, a nation's sports teams and power can have an impact on the society's sense of nationalism. This is exactly what is seen in the movie Munich, where Israel feels the need to violently avenge the murder of many of its sports superheroes. The film clearly shows how sports teams and events can help bolster a strong sense of nationalism, especially within the context of international competitions. This same sentiment remains the same today, although the degree to which it affects nationalism may have been dulled down over the years.

The film was a shocking revelation of secret events after a major international incident. Directed by Steven Spielberg, the 2005 film is a historical rendition of actual events that occurred in the early 1970s. Black September terrorists had attacked and killed many Israeli athletes in the 1972 summer Olympics. The group was mainly Palestinian descent, thus fueling the tension between Israel and Palestine and impacting the overall feeling of nationalism within the Israeli state. In response, the Israeli government secretly approved assassins to hunt down members of the Black September group, the Mossad. However, the movie turns dark after several assassinations. The main character, Avner begins to openly question the morality of the actions he and his team is undertaking. The end of the film shows the actions undertaken by the Mossad as nationalistic revenge, but it can also be seen as an act of terrorism in itself.

The film presents interesting concepts in regards to the relationship between nationalism and sports in 1972. Clearly, the era was one where there was an enormous source of tension between Israel and the Arabic world. In that sense, the summer Olympic Games presented Israel a chance to prove itself as a superior country over its international competitors. However, this was cut short with the massacre of the many athletes that died at the hands of Palestinian terrorists. What resulted was a massive blow to the nationalism of Israel that then prompted a need for revenge. This clearly shows a strong connection between sports performance within an international context and the ability for a country to have pride within its own nationalism.