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April 15, 2026

Book Review: GSG 9: From Munich to Mogadishu: The Birth of Germany's Counterterrorism Force

Cover for GSG 9: From Munich to Mogadishu: The Birth of Germany's Counterterrorism Force
Military History |

Author: Martin Herzog

| Reviewed by: Lester W. Grau, Russian analyst, Foreign Military Studies Office
 
In the wake of the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre, Germany forged GSG 9—an elite counterterrorism unit that would stun the world with its daring 1977 rescue mission in Mogadishu. Martin Herzog’s gripping account traces the unit’s evolution from humble beginnings to global renown, drawing on exclusive interviews and archival research. This book tells the untold story of how one covert force reshaped modern counterterrorism—and inspired the creation of America’s Delta Force.
 

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Keywords: counterterrorism, special operations, German Federal Police, hostage rescue, Delta Force