The bid to host the XX Olympic Games on April 26, 1966 marked the end of the post-war era in Munich: The Games brought about a lasting positive change in the cityscape and image of the Bavarian capital. More than 20 years after the end of the Second World War, Munich was finally to shake off the historical ballast of the "capital of movement" under the Olympic rings and present itself to the world as an urban, modern, cosmopolitan and international metropolis. The subway and pedestrian zone were built, and a spectacular Olympic site with a visionary, iconic design was created on the ruins of the war.

"The cheerful games" were supposed to come, and cheerful games they were - until the September 5 Munich massacre of Israeli athletes cast a dark shadow over Munich's Olympic fairy tale.