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Description
Grenzschutzgruppe 9 (GSG 9) (Border Protection Group 9) is the elite Police Tactical Unit of the German Federal Police (Bundespolizei). GSG 9 counterparts on the state level are the Special Deployment Commandos (Spezialeinsatzkommandos (SEK)

On September 5, 1972, the Palestinian terrorist movement Black September infiltrated the Summer Olympic Games in Munich, West Germany, to kidnap 11 Israeli athletes, killing two in the Olympic Village in the initial assault on the athletes' rooms. The incident culminated when German police - who were not trained or equipped for counter-terrorism operations, and had underestimated the number of terrorists involved - attempted to rescue the athletes. Police did not have a specialized tactical sniper team at that time. The army had snipers, but the German Constitution did not allow the use of German Armed Forces on German soil during peacetime.

The police rescue failed, and the operation led to the deaths of one policeman, five of the eight kidnappers and all of the remaining nine hostages.

As a consequence of the mismanagement of the Olympic tragedy, the West German government created the GSG 9 under the leadership of then Oberstleutnant Ulrich Wegener so that similar situations in the future could be responded to adequately and professionally. Many German politicians opposed its formation, fearing GSG 9 would rekindle memories of the Nazi Party's Schutzstaffel (SS). The decision was taken to form the unit from police forces, as opposed to from the military, like the equivalent forces in other countries, on the ground that German federal law expressly forbids the use of the military forces against the civilian population. Composing the special force from police personnel would avoid that. The unit was officially established on 26 September 1972 as a part of Germany's federal police agency, the Bundesgrenzschutz (Federal Border Guard Service, renamed Bundespolizei or Federal Police in 2005). However, the then-BGS did have something of a paramilitary nature, used military ranks (until 1976), had combatant status (until 1994), and could (at least theoretically) draw conscripts (until the present).

In 2017, the GSG9 announced that a CT unit meant to handle CBRN situations will be based in Berlin.[3]

The unit operates by the Israeli Sayeret Matkal training and organization standards. It also trains with the Israeli Yamam Special Police Unit who specialize in Anti Terror warfare.

The name GSG 9 stood for Grenzschutzgruppe 9 (Border Guard Group 9) and was chosen simply because the BGS had eight regular border guard groups at the time. After the 2005 renaming, the abbreviation "GSG 9" was kept because of the fame of the unit and is now the official way to refer to the unit. Its formation was based on the expertise of the British SAS Counter Terrorist Units and Israeli Special Operations.

GSG 9 is deployed in cases of hostage-taking, kidnapping, terrorism and extortion. The group may also be used to secure locations, neutralize targets, track down fugitives, and sometimes conduct sniper operations. The unit is very active in developing and testing methods and tactics for these missions. The group may provide advice to the different states of Germany, ministries or international allies. The group assists the Bundespolizei and other federal and local agencies on request.

From 1972 to 2003, they reportedly completed over 1,500 missions, discharging their weapons on only five occasions. At the SWAT World Challenge in 2005, GSG 9 won eight out of eight events, beating 17 other teams. GSG 9 defended its championship the following year, and placed fifth in 2007.

Germany offered to render assistance to India in the wake of the November 2008 Mumbai attacks. GSG 9 helped train and upgrade the National Security Guards, the primary Indian counter-terrorism unit. Further help was provided to the Mumbai Police so that they could raise a police tactical unit.

Description
Grenzschutzgruppe 9 (GSG 9) (Border Protection Group 9) is the elite Police Tactical Unit of the German Federal Police (Bundespolizei). GSG 9 counterparts on the state level are the Special Deployment Commandos (Spezialeinsatzkommandos (SEK)

On September 5, 1972, the Palestinian terrorist movement Black September infiltrated the Summer Olympic Games in Munich, West Germany, to kidnap 11 Israeli athletes, killing two in the Olympic Village in the initial assault on the athletes' rooms. The incident culminated when German police - who were not trained or equipped for counter-terrorism operations, and had underestimated the number of terrorists involved - attempted to rescue the athletes. Police did not have a specialized tactical sniper team at that time. The army had snipers, but the German Constitution did not allow the use of German Armed Forces on German soil during peacetime.

The police rescue failed, and the operation led to the deaths of one policeman, five of the eight kidnappers and all of the remaining nine hostages.

As a consequence of the mismanagement of the Olympic tragedy, the West German government created the GSG 9 under the leadership of then Oberstleutnant Ulrich Wegener so that similar situations in the future could be responded to adequately and professionally. Many German politicians opposed its formation, fearing GSG 9 would rekindle memories of the Nazi Party's Schutzstaffel (SS). The decision was taken to form the unit from police forces, as opposed to from the military, like the equivalent forces in other countries, on the ground that German federal law expressly forbids the use of the military forces against the civilian population. Composing the special force from police personnel would avoid that. The unit was officially established on 26 September 1972 as a part of Germany's federal police agency, the Bundesgrenzschutz (Federal Border Guard Service, renamed Bundespolizei or Federal Police in 2005). However, the then-BGS did have something of a paramilitary nature, used military ranks (until 1976), had combatant status (until 1994), and could (at least theoretically) draw conscripts (until the present).

In 2017, the GSG9 announced that a CT unit meant to handle CBRN situations will be based in Berlin.[3]

The unit operates by the Israeli Sayeret Matkal training and organization standards. It also trains with the Israeli Yamam Special Police Unit who specialize in Anti Terror warfare.

The name GSG 9 stood for Grenzschutzgruppe 9 (Border Guard Group 9) and was chosen simply because the BGS had eight regular border guard groups at the time. After the 2005 renaming, the abbreviation "GSG 9" was kept because of the fame of the unit and is now the official way to refer to the unit. Its formation was based on the expertise of the British SAS Counter Terrorist Units and Israeli Special Operations.

GSG 9 is deployed in cases of hostage-taking, kidnapping, terrorism and extortion. The group may also be used to secure locations, neutralize targets, track down fugitives, and sometimes conduct sniper operations. The unit is very active in developing and testing methods and tactics for these missions. The group may provide advice to the different states of Germany, ministries or international allies. The group assists the Bundespolizei and other federal and local agencies on request.

From 1972 to 2003, they reportedly completed over 1,500 missions, discharging their weapons on only five occasions. At the SWAT World Challenge in 2005, GSG 9 won eight out of eight events, beating 17 other teams. GSG 9 defended its championship the following year, and placed fifth in 2007.

Germany offered to render assistance to India in the wake of the November 2008 Mumbai attacks. GSG 9 helped train and upgrade the National Security Guards, the primary Indian counter-terrorism unit. Further help was provided to the Mumbai Police so that they could raise a police tactical unit.