Valuable items including a glass sculpture and medals have been stolen from a memorial dedicated to the 23 victims of the Munich air disaster, which included eight Manchester United players. The theft occurred at the Manchesterplatz memorial in Munich, the site where the aircraft crashed during take-off on 6 February 1958 following a refuelling stop on the way back from a European Cup fixture in Belgrade.
Theft at Manchesterplatz
According to Munich Police speaking to German media, the glass of the display case was broken using a stone. Investigators believe the incident took place between 08:00 and 13:00 local time on Monday, 26 October.
Ifty Ahmed, chair of the Manchester Munich Memorial Foundation (MMMF), stated that the organization was deeply saddened by the event. Ahmed told BBC News that the theft caused emotional distress to the families involved, noting that the perpetrators failed to comprehend the impact of their actions.
Ahmed explained that the memorial has served as a source of comfort for relatives who lost relatives in the tragedy. Despite the stolen artifacts, he emphasized that memories of the victims remain untouched.
Discovery and Investigation
Mark Salzmann, chairman of Red Docs Munich—a Bayern Munich supporters’ group that assists in maintaining the memorial—shared that his mother spotted the damage while driving past the location. Salzmann noted that the missing items included a glass sculpture previously gifted to former Munich mayor Dieter Reiter.
The supporters’ group gathers tributes left by global visitors and exhibits a selection of them inside the display case. Salzmann mentioned that the stolen objects are one-of-a-kind and difficult to replace, though the group is currently conferring with the foundation regarding potential replacements.
Ahmed confirmed that the exact count of missing medals remains uncertain at this stage. While Manchester United offered financial assistance for the repairs, the foundation decided to absorb the costs itself. The shattered glass was successfully replaced on the same day as the incident, as reported by the foundation.
In the wake of the incident, Ahmed noted that fans from rival clubs including Liverpool, Manchester City, and Leeds United reached out with messages of solidarity. A memorial stone was originally placed at the location in 2004, followed by the installation of the display case in 2020, which was formally opened in 2023. The annual remembrance service held at Manchesterplatz in February draws approximately 1,500 attendees from across the globe.
