From 1973 until the KSK's formation in 1996, the West German (and later German) government assigned all counter-terrorist and special operations activities to the GSG 9, a highly trained police force created shortly after the hostage-taking that transpired during the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. Prior to 1973, the army's "Fernspäher" (Long-Distance Reconnaissance), the navy's "Kampfschwimmer" (Combat Swimmers/"Frogmen"), and (until 1989) the "Special Weapons Escort Companies—Sonderwaffenbegleitkompanien" were the only military units comparable to anything that other nations may have seen as dedicated special forces units.