Max Schmeling/Joe Louis

Been watching a documentary on the two famous fights between the pair. Most of what i had been told about Schmeling growing up about how he rejected the Nazi regime etc turns out was not true. He did promote the regime abroad ar times before the 1938 loss. However He did do great things in his life like hide Jeeish boys from the Nazis during 'the night of the long knives'. Also of course he paid for some of Joe Louis's funeral expenses.
What got me thinking about the subject was that the Sauerland promotions CEO said in the build up to the fights in Germany this week that Schmeling was Germany's greatest ever fighter.
My question is do you agree with that?

He is the most famous. He had a right hand to rival any top heavyweight in history. I don't lay any blame on him having to cooperate with the NAZI party as he was a German and we must factor in that it would have been difficult for him to openly oppose the regime.

His 2 fights with Louis transcended the sport. It was bigger then just a boxing contest as there were many political factors to consider at that time.

Still hard to look past any German fighter taking the mantle of greatest ever ahead of Ottke.

Yeah i dont blame him either its difficult to see what else he could do at the time. And i also agree he is the most famous but is he the best? There are a lot of caveats with Ottke as we all know

Ottke greater than Schmeling, deary me ONETWO.

It was more in his private life that he opposed the Nazi regime, quite understandably at the time he had to show solidarity in public or run the risk of frankly being killed. His deeds in later life are more indicative of him as a man, generosity and harboring a single Jew during the war was beyond the call of duty.

I think Schmeling is generally a good man. Far too easy for us to look back on the Nazi regime and say we would have done more of Schmeling should not have done certain things. I have read Schmeling's autobiography and he tells stories of having friends of his who literally disappeared overnight, solely for opposing the regime too vocally. When faced with such dangers to do anything takes enormous bravery, in sheltering jewish children and retaining his jewish mamager Max took risks he could quite easily have avoided and deserves praise for that.

As you have said in the original post Max paid towards Joe's funeral expenses but he was equally as generous with other former opponents. When Mickey Walker fell on hard times later in his life and needed full time medical care Max sent $500 a month every month towards the medical expenses. A fine gesture from one of the good guys.

Rowley wrote:I think Schmeling is generally a good man. Far too easy for us to look back on the Nazi regime and say we would have done more of Schmeling should not have done certain things. I have read Schmeling's autobiography and he tells stories of having friends of his who literally disappeared overnight, solely for opposing the regime too vocally. When faced with such dangers to do anything takes enormous bravery, in sheltering jewish children and retaining his jewish mamager Max took risks he could quite easily have avoided and deserves praise for that.

As you have said in the original post Max paid towards Joe's funeral expenses but he was equally as generous with other former opponents. When Mickey Walker fell on hard times later in his life and needed full time medical care Max sent $500 a month every month towards the medical expenses. A fine gesture from one of the good guys.

Agree with this.............Who wants to be a dead martyr !!.....

Apparently he hid jews in his apartment during the bad days of the reich. Read in Pacheco's book that the Gestapo held his Wife in custody before the second Louis fight......................Hitler pretty much told him he was fighting for the master race....

Apparently the transmission was cut when he was close to losing !!

Don't get me wrong Louis beats him all day long................But not easy to have your mind squarely on the fight with everything that was going on....Who would have wanted to be Schmelling the night he fought Louis for a second time ???

My feelings toward Schmelling are pretty positive...

Supposedly the Aryan superman's cries of agony under Louis' assault were being transmitted back to Germany

I'm sure I've read Schmelling also gave Louis financial support in his later years as well as paying funeral expenses.

Obs any decent cruiser smashes him tho imo ikr

Schmeling developed a friendship with Louis after their boxing careers ended and provided financial assistance to his former foe in the 1950s. He also paid for part of the funeral arrangements when Louis died in 1981 and was one of the pallbearers.

Taken from http://www.raoulwallenberg.net/es/prensa/2005-prensa/max-schmeling-joe-louis-s/

Dunno why but it's always heart warming when you hear about people doing good things but keeping them quiet.

John Bloody Wayne wrote:Obs any decent cruiser smashes him tho imo ikr

Derby can you translate this for me.....

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:

John Bloody Wayne wrote:Obs any decent cruiser smashes him tho imo ikr

Derby can you translate this for me.....

He's saying you and Richard Gere share the same fetish..

Oooooh Strongy's getting fiesty, better watch it Truss he's already put me on his naughty list

No idea what JBW's on about, better to go with the flow really as there's normally something good with what he says.

Derbymanc wrote:Oooooh Strongy's getting fiesty, better watch it Truss he's already put me on his naughty list

No idea what JBW's on about, better to go with the flow really as there's normally something good with what he says.

Always go with the flow.........You know me !!

ONETWOFOREVER wrote:He is the most famous. He had a right hand to rival any top heavyweight in history. I don't lay any blame on him having to cooperate with the NAZI party as he was a German and we must factor in that it would have been difficult for him to openly oppose the regime.

His 2 fights with Louis transcended the sport. It was bigger then just a boxing contest as there were many political factors to consider at that time.

Still hard to look past any German fighter taking the mantle of greatest ever ahead of Ottke.

Your humour is under appreciated on here onethree.

Everyone knows the answer is henry maske err Markus beyer.

My flow makes bros go whoa, their hoes say holla!

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:

Rowley wrote:I think Schmeling is generally a good man. Far too easy for us to look back on the Nazi regime and say we would have done more of Schmeling should not have done certain things. I have read Schmeling's autobiography and he tells stories of having friends of his who literally disappeared overnight, solely for opposing the regime too vocally. When faced with such dangers to do anything takes enormous bravery, in sheltering jewish children and retaining his jewish mamager Max took risks he could quite easily have avoided and deserves praise for that.

As you have said in the original post Max paid towards Joe's funeral expenses but he was equally as generous with other former opponents. When Mickey Walker fell on hard times later in his life and needed full time medical care Max sent $500 a month every month towards the medical expenses. A fine gesture from one of the good guys.

Agree with this.............Who wants to be a dead martyr !!.....

Apparently he hid jews in his apartment during the bad days of the reich.  Read in Pacheco's book that the Gestapo held his Wife in custody before the second Louis fight......................Hitler pretty much told him he was fighting for the master race....

Apparently the transmission was cut when he was close to losing !!

Don't get me wrong Louis beats him all day long................But not easy to have your mind squarely on the fight with everything that was going on....Who would have wanted to be Schmelling the night he fought Louis for a second time ???

My feelings toward Schmelling are pretty positive...

Were there any good days?

Agree with what you say tho, he must have been under a lot of pressure to toe the line with the regime and I have only positive feeling towards him to. As others have said he developed a lasting friendship with Louis which is not surprising as the eyes of the world were fixated on those 2 when they fought.

The friendship reminds me of another 2 heavyweight rivals in Ingamar Johanson and Floyd Patterson. Those 2 remaind friends until the end and its very touching when you here of 2 old fighters who shared the ring and a huge part of their life together.

I wonder If a lifelong friendship will develop between a certain 2 fighters after May 2nd.