Munich 1970 Attack: Neo-Nazi, Not Left-Wing Group, Now Suspected in Deadly Arson
For decades, the deadly arson attack on a former Jewish retirement home in Munich on February 13, 1970, which claimed the lives of five men and two women, has been attributed to the left-wing urban guerrilla group “Tupamaros Munich.” This narrative, perpetuated by certain media outlets and researchers, painted a picture of anti-Jewish sentiment infiltrating the militant left under the guise of anti-Zionism. However, new revelations are now shattering this long-held belief, pointing to a far more sinister perpetrator.
The Long-Held Narrative Under Scrutiny
The attack, which saw an accelerant spread and ignited in the stairwell of the building in Reichenbachstraße, resulted in victims suffocating or burning to death during a Sabbath. It was considered the worst anti-Jewish attack in post-war Germany. The prevailing theory linked it to a failed bombing attempt in Berlin on November 9, 1969, where a bomb planted by a Verfassungsschutz (domestic intelligence) informant, Peter Urbach, in a drink machine at the Berlin Jewish Community building failed to detonate. While the “Tupamaros Westberlin” claimed responsibility for the Berlin incident, co-founder Dieter Kunzelmann later denied any involvement in his autobiography, stating such an action would be unthinkable given Germany’s past.
A “Hitler-Obsessed” Neo-Nazi Emerges as the True Suspect
Last week, Der Spiegel reported a groundbreaking development: the deadly arson in Munich was likely the work of Bernd V., a neo-Nazi born in 1944 with a “Hitler obsession.” Bernd V. was a convicted criminal from Munich with a history of burglaries, art theft, and possession of Nazi memorabilia and weapons. His ideological leanings were reportedly shaped by an SS uncle.
The Unfolding Investigation: Ignored Clues and New Leads
The new investigation was triggered by a witness who came forward in January 2025, initially contacting Andreas Franck, chief public prosecutor and antisemitism commissioner for the Bavarian judiciary. The witness, whose relative was part of Bernd V.’s “burglary gang,” provided crucial details to investigators. According to her testimony, on the night of the arson, the group had unsuccessfully attempted to burgle a Munich jewelry store. Following this failure, V. allegedly declared his intention to set fire to the nearby Jewish community center.
Crucially, a previous witness statement from the 1970s regarding the perpetrator’s appearance and age aligns with Bernd V.’s profile. Furthermore, an ex-inmate had also provided information about V. as a possible culprit, but this lead was not thoroughly pursued at the time.
Following the 2025 witness testimony, the Munich public prosecutor’s office initiated a preliminary review and has now launched a new murder investigation. However, criminal prosecution is no longer possible, as Bernd V. died in 2020, as did his alleged accomplices.
Calls for Accountability and Transparency
Despite the inability to prosecute V., the public prosecutor’s office aims to investigate whether there were any accomplices or individuals who aided him. Clara Bünger, domestic policy spokesperson for the Left parliamentary group in the Bundestag, demanded on Sunday that it must be clarified why clues pointing to V. were ignored when he could still have been held accountable, and “who in which authorities knew what and when.”
In 2020, the German government, in response to a request from the Left party, stated that 25 tips regarding alleged individuals from the right-wing extremist scene had been received by the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office. However, crucial evidence, such as a petrol canister, is no longer available, with the government stating, “The whereabouts of these items could not be traced.” Furthermore, the government declined to disclose what German intelligence agencies knew about the incident, citing “unreasonable effort.”
