The Manchester Munich Memorial Foundation (MMMF) has expressed its deep sadness after commemorative pieces honouring the victims of the 1958 Munich air disaster were stolen from a memorial in Germany. German newspaper Hallo München reported that the items were removed from a glass display cabinet situated at Manchesterplatz in Munich on Monday. According to local police reports, the showcase was shattered using a stone, with authorities determining the act took place between 08:00 and 13:00 local time.
The site marks the location of the tragic aviation incident that occurred on 6 February 1958, when an aircraft crashed while attempting to take off following a refuelling stop in Munich. A total of 23 people lost their lives, including eight Manchester United footballers who were travelling home following a European Cup fixture held in Belgrade, in what was then Yugoslavia. A dedicated memorial stone was originally placed at the grounds in 2004, followed by the addition of the glass display case in 2020, which was officially inaugurated in 2023.
The stolen memorabilia included several medals alongside a glass sculpture that had originally been presented to Dieter Reiter, the former mayor of Munich. Mark Salzmann, chairman of Bayern Munich supporters' group Red Docs Munich, explained that his mother discovered the broken cabinet while driving past. The supporters' club actively tends to the site by collecting tributes left behind by fans from across the globe and housing select items within the glass case. Although Manchester United offered to fund the necessary repairs, the MMMF opted to pay the expenses itself, with Red Docs Munich ensuring the broken glass was replaced that very day.
Looking ahead, Red Docs Munich and the foundation are considering plans to seek out replacements for the stolen objects, despite acknowledging that the unique tributes cannot be easily substituted. MMMF chair Ifty Ahmed highlighted the enduring significance of the monument for the victims' families and supporters worldwide, stressing that while perpetrators damaged the display and took treasured items, “they cannot steal our memories, diminish our friendship or destroy the legacy of those we remember.” Salzmann affirmed that incoming messages of solidarity demonstrate an unbreakable bond and a friendship between Manchester and Munich that “will never go away.”