Max Schmeling: An Autobiography

By Max Schmeling and George von der Lippe

Max Schmeling is the only living man who has had lengthy conversations with Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Pope Pius XII, Adolf Hitler, and Marlene Dietrich. World Heavyweight Champion from 1930 to 1932, Schmeling's riveting autobiography is finally made available in English translation after years as a best seller in Germany.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1566251087
• ISBN13: 9781566251082
• Release Date: August 1994
• Publisher: Taylor Trade Publishing
• Length: 313 Pages
• Weight: 1.93 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 7.1" x 10.3"

Customer Reviews

A truly wonderful book, even for non-boxing fans

I'm not really a boxing fan, though like most people who enjoy watching and participating in sports in general, I've tried to read up on the history of boxing in order to be informed on the sport. Having said all that, I walked into reading this autobiography with the same opinion that a lot of Americans have about Max Schmeling (that is, if they even know who he is since his era was over seventy years ago) -- that Schmeling was a fanatical Nazi, Hitler's pampered, so-called "Aryan Showhorse" who represented aryan supremacy, and who, in a wonderful example of poetic justice, received a savage comeuppance at the hands of the sensational Joe Louis in their mythical 1938 rematch. Schmeling, in his wonderfully-written autobiography, exposes America's cartoonish characterization of him, and the political and racial hype surrounding both his matches with Joe Louis as precisely that -- a myth. The great thing about this book is that it is filled with class -- that is, Schmeling never outrightly goes on the attack against his critics or seems bitter at all that he (and perhaps to an even greater extent, Joe Louis) was exploited in a deeply personal way by fight promotors. Schmeling simply tells the story of his life both in and out of the ring, and it is his obvious honesty about both that do much to mitigate the idea that he is some sort of white supremicist. Schmeling's story not only outlines the history of his own career in the ring, but in doing so also describes in detail the nature of the heavyweight boxing game in the 1920s through the 1940s. Along the way the reader learns the fascinating story of Germany's social scene -- particularly among young adults, as Schmeling was -- during that country's Weimar government years, and how Hitler's ascension to power in 1933 did much to destroy all that, and a large portion of Schmeling's social circle as well. Schmeling also talks about how his employment of a Jewish trainer/coach was at odds with the nazi government, and how he was asked to disassociate himself from his many Jewish friends when he became champion (after convincingly earning a 15 round decision over Jack Sharkey in the early 30s). Of course he never disassociated himself from any of his friends on account of their religion, but typical boxing fans are unaware of this and cling to the glib and convenient stereotype of Schmeling as a racist monster. Schmeling also gets rated by American press as some kind of sneering, aristocratic German snob who walked into the second Louis fight supremely confident that he could repeat his earlier triumph over the Brown bomber. Additionally, American press irresponsibly and incorrectly asserted that Schmeling wanted a victory over Louis to once and for all prove the supremacy of the Aryan race. Of course, anyone interested in more than the grotesque distortions of people who want to make money and sell tickets to fill stadium seats will investigate and realize that Joe Louis was highly-favored to d

a must have book

RIp to Max Schmeling, who truly was a Class Act. His fights with Joe Louis were Legendary. He stood & Fought but also was a very respectful man who gave back & this Book goes a long way in detailing the many ways He impacted so many.a Must read.

Schmeling: A Real Hero

If you like a story with a happy ending, get a hold of Max Schmeling's autobiography. Even if you don't like boxing, I guarantee you will enjoy this book. Max is probably the last man alive who has met Franklin D. Roosevelt, Adolph Hitler, Joe Louis and Jack Dempsey. This is his inspiring story. Misunderstood as a Nazi, a sympathizer and Hitler's sock puppet, Schmeling was none of the above and a true philantrophist. And if you aren't convinced, there are some awesome photos in this book.

Quite entertaining

This is a well-written, lively memoir by an intelligent man who fought between the Jack Dempsey and Joe Louis eras. It's full of interesting stories and encounters with famous people. Schmeling's discussions with Hitler are especially interesting.

A boxer who others could learn from.

A true sportsman and "semi-statesman", Max Schmeling was one of the greatest and classiest of all boxers who this world has known. Upon reading this translation, by Professor George B. von der Lippe of Saint Anselm College, one acquires some sense of what it must have been like to have lived under the fascist regime that was the Third Reich. Labeled by most as "Hitler's showhorse", we can see that this unfortunate term fails to describe most of Schmeling's life. He had conversations and meetings with various prominent and contemporary statesmen, eccumenical, and showbusiness people, to name a few. In light of the attention which some boxers have recieved concerning their mental decline (e.g. Parkinson's pugilistica), Max Schmeling is fortunate enough to have maintained his faculties and provided us with this look into his life.