German Boxing Legend Max Schmeling Dies

[underpants]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=755&e=1&u=/ap/20050204/ap_on_sp_bo_ne/box_obit_schmeling

BERLIN - German heavyweight boxer Max Schmeling, whose bouts against American Joe Louis set off a propaganda war between the Nazi regime and the United States on the eve of World War II, has died at age 99.

The former world champion, one of Germany's biggest sports idols, died Wednesday at his home in Hollenstedt, according to his foundation in Hamburg. No cause of death was given.

"Looking back, I'm almost happy I lost that fight," Schmeling said in 1975. "Just imagine if I would have come back to Germany with a victory. I had nothing to do with the Nazis, but they would have given me a medal. After the war I might have been considered a war criminal."

Although he had lunched with Hitler and had long discussions with propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels, Schmeling angered the Nazi bosses in 1935 by refusing to join the Nazi party, fire his Jewish American manager, Joe Jacobs, and divorce his Czech-born wife, Anny Ondra, a film star.


"I had a happy marriage and a nice wife. I accomplished everything you can. What more can you want?" Schmeling said in 1985.

[Ganja Ninja]

1. I didn't know he was still alive.

99 is a pretty good run.

[bo44]

2. Class act:

A fighter and a gentleman. Ring the bell. Rest in peace.

[blueknight]

3. he actually died VERY RICH,

he was a success out of the ring. he also had a life long respect for joe louis and they became very good friends. he helped joe out financially,and paid for joe's funeral

[Trajan]

4. Yes, he died very rich ....

He opened Germany's first Coca Cola bottling and distribution business ....

What was wonderful about ole Max was his outward and very public respect for Joe Lewis, which cut against Nazi sentiments and policies .... He was very gutsy ....

Max also came to Joe Lewis's aid when Joe hit hard financial straits later in life, readily offering substantial economic help to his old rival .... Truly, a class act ...

Max ? .. May the maidens of Valhalla carry you far into the stars .... You have earned MY respect as a decent human being ....

[quiet.american]

8. That's for sharing that info.... seemed like a very kind person.... n/t

[Beetwasher]

5. This Guy Was A REAL MAN, He Stood Up To The Nazis!

There are few people in history more courageous than this guy. Think about what he did by standing up to the Nazi's like he did, and so publically. An amazing act of conscience.

"During the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Schmeling extracted a promise from Hitler that all U.S. athletes would be protected. He hid two Jewish boys in his Berlin apartment during Kristallnacht (the night of broken glass) in 1938, when the Nazis burned books in a central square and rampaged through the city, setting synagogues on fire. He reportedly used his influence to save Jewish friends from concentration camps."

This guy was a real hero. We need more like him.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

7. MOVIE, anyone?

Surely seems he deserves one. Like Schindler.

[minkyboodle]

10. Showtime did one

Joe and Max http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0281938/ The movie essentially traces his and Joe Louis' lives. Its all right I guess although really if his story interests you, you should check out his autobiography. An absolutely great read that not only tells his story but gives a great look into the wild Berlin scene in the 1920s and early 30s pre Hitler and Germany post WWII in the days of rebuilding. Truly a great man has passed today.
Scott

[hadrons]

6. Spike Lee is working on a film about the Louis/Schmeling fight ....

I story I heard involving Schmeling was just a couple of weeks ago when Ken Burns and Geoffrey Ward were promotating their newest effort on Jack Johnson and they said that Johnson hated Louis (largely because Louis was specifically taught how NOT to be like Johnson) and Johnson placed a huge bet on Schmeling to win (this was the two's first fight) and when Schmeling won Johnson collected his money and drove to Harlem the day after the fight and flashed the huge wad and yelled at the top of his lungs "I TOLD YOU HE (Louis) WAS A CHUM, I TOLD YOU ... "

The same cops that hassled Johnson for years had to go to Harlem to save Johnson from an angry mob.

Schmeling really seemed like a decent guy, I remember how he said he was heartbroken about what happened to Louis in his later years

[Sabriel]

9. He won me many a Trivial Pursuit game

It's safe to answer "Max Schmeling" for just about every boxing question.

[minkyboodle]

11. LOL

I used to use a similar technique on the older blue box genus edition of trivial pursuit. Anything about Hollywood I would answer Clark Gable... I swear I was right at least half the time :)

[Dirk39]

12. A wonderfull guy...

I live in Hamburg and did often see his "coca-cola"-bootling-plant. He wanted a silent funeral without publicity and the public was just informed about his death after his funeral. Hollenstedt is a very small rural village in northern Germany.

He stood away from publicity during the last twenty years and even the media did respect this.
He had a kind of flu and couldn't recover from it.

Hello from Hamburg,
Dirk

[Carl Brennan]

13. Unsung hero

He helped Jews escape from Nazis. Muhammed Ali called him a class act.

RIP Max. You fought the good fight.