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Mark Slavin

1954 – 1972

Israeli wrestler and Munich Massacre victim

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About Mark Slavin

Lived 1954 – 1972 (aged 18). Mark Slavin was a Russian and Israeli amateur wrestler, coach, athlete and olympic competitor, known for Munich Massacre.

Plaque in front of the Israeli athletes' quarters commemorating the victims of the Munich massacre. Mark Slavin (, ; 31 January 1954 – 6 September 1972) was an Israeli Olympic Greco-Roman wrestler and victim of the Munich massacre at the 1972 Summer Olympics.

He was the youngest of the victims at the age of 18. He was taken hostage with eight other Israeli athletes. Slavin was shot by machine gun fire in a helicopter during a botched rescue attempt.

Slavin was born in Minsk, Belarus SSR, and had taken up wrestling as a youth to defend himself against antisemitic attacks. Slavin soon became noted as a talented wrestler, and won the Soviet Greco-Roman wrestling middleweight junior championship in 1971. Slavin had moved to Israel just four months before the Olympic games and he joined Hapoel Tel Aviv and the Israeli Olympic Team. The 1972 Olympics was due to be his first international competition for Israel, and Slavin had been considered Israel's most likely medal winner at the Munich games.

Slavin had been staying in Unit 3 at 31 Connollystraße in the Olympic Village, with fellow wrestlers Gad Tsobari and Eliezer Halfin, and weightlifters David Berger, Yossef Romano and Ze'ev Friedman. Slavin had been due to make his Olympic debut on the day heavily armed Palestinian terrorists broke into the Olympic Village and captured him while the Olympic athletes were still asleep.

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Important facts

People in Mark Slavin's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Frequently asked questions

Who was Mark Slavin?

Israeli wrestler and Munich Massacre victim (1954–1972)

When was Mark Slavin born?

Mark Slavin was born on 31 January 1954 in Minsk.

When did Mark Slavin die?

Mark Slavin died on 6 September 1972 in Fürstenfeldbruck.

What was Mark Slavin's occupation?

Mark Slavin was an amateur wrestler, coach, athlete and olympic competitor.

What was Mark Slavin known for?

Mark Slavin was known for Munich Massacre.

What nationality was Mark Slavin?

Mark Slavin was Russian and Israeli.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Mark Slavin

· Wikidata: Q473785

· DBpedia: Mark Slavin

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Mark Slavin. https://biography.guide/mark-slavin/

MLA: "Mark Slavin." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/mark-slavin/.

Chicago: "Mark Slavin." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/mark-slavin/.

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