A couple of months ago, I wrote an entry objecting to the careless use of the word “hero” in reference to professional athletes, an opinion I still hold. But there are always exceptions to the rule.
Max Schmeling, who died last week, was an athlete who was truly a hero. His heroism had nothing to do with his being a boxer, however, though his career no doubt helped to put him in a position to earn that title.
In addition to being the world heavyweight champion of 1930, Schmeling fought 70 total bouts, with 56 wins, 10 losses, 4 draws, and 39 KOs. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1992.
Schmeling is probably most remembered for his two fights with Joe Louis in the late 1930s, winning the first, with Louis taking the second. In the politically charged atmosphere preceding World War II, Hitler used Schmeling as a propaganda tool to demonstrate Aryan supremacy.
However, Schmeling always declined to join the Nazi party. He also fell out of favor with Hitler for refusing to fire his Jewish manager and for losing the second fight with Louis in 1938. In retaliation for this, Hitler had him drafted into the Paratroops and had him sent on several suicide missions.
During the Kristallnacht pogrom of 1938, Schmeling hid two young Jewish brothers in his hotel room, and later helped them escape to the United States. Henri Lewin, who later became a hotel owner, invited Schmeling to Las Vegas in 1989 to publicly honor him for saving his and his brother’s lives, risking his own life to do so.
After the war, Schmeling met Joe Louis again, forming a friendship that lasted until Louis’ death. By this time, Louis was living in reduced financial circumstances, and Schmeling helped pay his medical bills. When Louis died in 1981, he paid for his funeral.
When he heard of Schmeling’s death, Muhammad Ali said, "Max Schmeling had a lot of class. He had a lot of respect for Joe Louis in the ring and out of the ring. I'm sure he's in heaven now. He and Joe are talking about their old fights."
"I don't want anyone to say I was a good athlete, but worth nothing as a human being — I couldn't bear that." -- Max Schmeling, 1993.
Rest in peace, Max.
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To read more about Max Schmeling:
http://www.auschwitz.dk/schmeling.htm
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050204/ap_on_sp_bo_ne/box_obit_schmeling_7
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