[1] The Australian team was part of the largest ever gathering of Paralympians, the 22 male and 8 female competitors took their place among some 984 athletes from 43 nations.

The team enjoyed significantly better accommodation than the underground carpark they had inhabited in Tel Aviv, and many were partial to the social happenings that centred on a large beer marquee erected in the athlete's village.

As a result of their success at the 1970 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games, finishing second to England and winning 32 gold and 103 total medals, Australia was ranked among the top five nations for Paralympic competition.

Among these fundraising efforts were exhibitions from the ‘Amazing Wheelchair Wizards’, who would challenge local darts teams to tournaments and put on displays of trick archery shooting.

[5] This is in contrast to later Paralympics that include events for participants that fit into any of five different disability categories; amputation, either congenital or sustained through injury or illness; cerebral palsy; wheelchair athletes; visual impairment, including blindness; Les autres, any physical disability that does not fall strictly under one of the other categories, for example dwarfism or multiple sclerosis.

[12] President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Gustav Heinemann, welcomed competitors and spoke of his hopes for the upcoming games, declaring: "It is my sincere wish that the games that are about to begin may demonstrate to the world what sporting achievements those people are capable of, who have to live with a severe disability; also that they may contribute further towards ending the questionable classification of the disabled as a ‘fringe group’.

The oath read: "In the name of all competitors, I promise that we will take part in these games, rejecting and abiding by the rules which govern them, in the true spirit of friendship, unity, and sportsmanship for the glory of sport and the honour of our teams.

The athletes were transported from the Centre to the Sports Ground by US Army buses that had many of the seats removed allowing space for approximately 20 wheelchairs.

[3] Australian athlete Terry Giddy said everyone enjoyed the German hospitality, "They had this bloody big beer tent, you know, and everyone got into it... Um, but you sorta try not to do it the night before you're competing though so that was a sort of a, bit of a no-no.

Australia represented by: Men - Alan Conn, John Dwyer, Roy Fowler, Eric Magennis, Terry Mason, Victor Salvemini, Tony South Women - Margaret Ross, Pam Smith[1] The Australian archery team won one silver and one bronze medal.

[17] Australia represented by: Men - Ray Barrett, Brian Chambers, Kevin Coombs, Frank Ponta, Terry Giddy, Dennis Kay, John Martin, Terry Mason, Robert McIntyre, Bob Macmillan, Hugh Patterson, Vic Renalson, Cliff Rickard, Victor Salvemini Women - Tracey Freeman, Cherrie Ireland, Elizabeth Richards, Elaine Schreiber, Pam Smith[1] The Australian athletics team won 11 medals - three gold, four silver and four bronze medals.

[18] Vic Renalson was also successful, claiming silver in the men's precision javelin and bronze in the discus 3 along with his gold medal in the heavyweight weightlifting.

[1] Frank Ponta had intended to compete in the Pentathlon as well, however due to a clerical error Australian officials failed to nominate him.

This was the first time the event for tetraplegic (quadriplegic) athletes was held at the Paralympics and Rickard's medal was Australia's second in snooker after John Newton's bronze at the 1968 games in Tel Aviv.

[1] Australia represented by: Men – Eric Boulter, Brian Chambers, Russell Morrison Women – Pauline English, Pam Foley, Cherrie Ireland, Elizabeth Richards[1] The Australian swimming team won nine medals - one gold, three silver and five bronze.

Australia's final swimming medal came in the women's 3x50m medley relay 2-4, with the team finishing in third place behind South Africa and the Netherlands.

[1] Australia represented by: Men - Brian Chambers, Kevin Coombs, Terry Giddy, John Martin, Robert McIntyre, Hugh Patterson, Frank Ponta, Victor Salvemini [16] In the preliminary rounds, Australia were defeated by eventual gold medalists United States 85 to 29; silver medalists, Israel, 101 to 36 and France 74 to 53.

The speakers at the ceremony were Vice-Chancellor and Minister for Foreign Affairs Walter Scheel, Mayor of Heidelberg Reinhold Zundel and Sir Ludwig Gutmann, who officially declared the games closed.