Munich air disaster memorial at Manchesterplatz vandalised and items stolen

A memorial honouring the 23 victims of the 1958 Munich air disaster has been vandalised and items stolen from its display case at Manchesterplatz in Germany, the Manchester Munich Memorial Foundation (MMMF) confirmed this week.

The site commemorates the tragedy of 6 February 1958, when a plane carrying Manchester United back from Belgrade crashed during a refuelling stop in Munich. Eight United players were among those killed. The MMMF said it learned earlier this week that the display case had been broken into and treasured items taken. Manchester United offered to fund repairs, but the charity had already arranged to cover the cost itself.

MMF chair Ifty Ahmed said: “The Manchester Munich Memorial Foundation is deeply saddened by this act of vandalism and theft. Manchesterplatz is a place of enormous significance to the families of the 23 people who lost their lives as a result of the Munich air disaster, and to Manchester United supporters across the world.”

Ahmed also paid tribute to local supporters who responded quickly to the incident. “We are particularly grateful to our friends in Munich, especially the Red Docs, for their continued care and dedication to this very special place, and for acting so swiftly to repair the damage,” he said.

He added: “Those responsible may have damaged a display case and stolen treasured items, but they cannot steal our memories, diminish our friendship or destroy the legacy of those we remember. Their memory will endure, and the bond between Manchester and Munich will remain unbreakable.”

Both Manchester United and Munich Police have been contacted for comment.

The disaster forced United to rebuild their squad under Sir Matt Busby, who guided the club to their first European Cup triumph a decade later, defeating Benfica 4-1 after extra time in the 1968 final. United have since won the Champions League twice more, in 1999 and 2008 under Sir Alex Ferguson.