A FRENCH REPORTER RECORDS WITH ENORMOUS ATTENTION TO DETAIL THE MINUTE-BY-MINUTE DETAILS OF THOSE 20 HOURS, BEGINNING WITH THE EARLY MORNING OCCUPATION OF THE ISRAELI QUARTERS IN THE OLYMPIC VILLAGE TO THE HOLOCAUST AT FURSTENFELDBRUCK AIRPORT WHEN THE TERRORISTS KILLED THE HOSTAGES. THE DRAMA UNFOLDS AS THE AUTHOR DESCRIBES THE STOICISM OF CAPTURED ATHLETES, THE MEMORIES OF THEIR LAST MOMENTS, AND GLIMPSES INTO THEIR PERSONAL LIVES. THE FEROCITY OF THE ARAB TERRORISTS IS REFLECTED IN THEIR CONVERSATIONS WITH GERMAN NEGOTIATORS, INTERSPERSED WITH REFLECTIONS OF THE ARAB-ISRAELI WARS, PALESTINIAN RESISTANCE METHODS, AND SKETCHES OF THE TERRORISTS' PERSONAL HISTORIES. GERMAN AND OLYMPIC OFFICIALS, ARAB LEADERS, AND JEWISH OFFICIALS ARE SIMILARLY PROFILED WHILE IN THE BACKGROUND, A WORLDWIDE TELEVISION AUDIENCE WATCHES. THE ISRAELI POLICY OF NONNEGOTIATION WITH TERRORISTS COUPLED WITH GERMAN INEXPERIENCE IN HANDLING HOSTAGE SITUATIONS PLAYED A MAJOR PART IN THE TRAGIC ENDING TO THE MUNICH GAMES WHOSE PARTICIPANTS CONDUCTED A MOURNING SERVICE FOR THE SLAIN ATHLETES. THE INTRUSION OF POLITICS INTO THIS WORLDWIDE SPORTING EVENT IS DISCUSSED, AS IS THE STAIN ON WEST GERMANY'S POST-WORLD WAR II IMAGE AND THIS FURTHER DAMPENED ISRAELI-ARAB RELATIONS. SOME FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. (WJR)