Munich widows call for silence at Olympic opening

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The Munich Olympics in 1972. Palestinian guerrillas from the Black September group break into the Israeli section of the Olympic village -- demanding the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. They initially kill two hostages. Within 24 hours, another nine Israelis, five Palestinians and a German policeman were dead after a standoff and a botched rescue effort.

Now U.S. politicians and relatives of the Israeli team members continue to pursue their campaign for a minute's silence at the opening ceremony in London to honor the dead.

The issue is proving to be a diplomatic headache for International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge, who had hoped to end the debate with a surprise tribute to the victims in the Olympic village in London.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) ANKIE SPITZER's husband Andrei was killed in 1972.

"But we do ask all the people who are going to be in the stadium, of course we cannot reach them personally, if Jacques Rogge is going to speak, for them to get up and silently stand for a minute, quietly. And that will be, for us, a victory. Even if it is not going to be 80,000 people in the stadium, but even if it is only one person, we feel that we already made progress."

The Munich massacre was the worst attack in the history of the Olympic Games.

Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters