GSG 9 der Bundespolizei is the elite police tactical unit of the German Federal Police responsible for counter-terrorism, hostage rescue, and other high-risk operations. It was established in September 1972, only weeks after the failed police rescue attempt during the Munich Olympics hostage crisis, becoming one of the first modern dedicated counter‑terrorism units and a model for similar forces worldwide. GSG 9 gained international prominence after successfully ending the 1977 Lufthansa Flight 181 hijacking in Mogadishu. The unit is headquartered in Sankt Augustin, near Bonn, with an additional base in Berlin, and has been subordinate to Federal Police Directorate 11 since 2017. German state police maintain their own tactical units known as Spezialeinsatzkommando (SEK).