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“The first and hardest lesson for young boxers is learning how to take a punch. If you cannot master this skill you will never have success in the ring."

Karl and his family are actually not Jewish... but they do have jewish heritage. they live in a middle class suburban neighborhood

SIGMUND STERN OWNS A ART GALLERY

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• art gallery offer/begins training
• introduced to the Berlin boxing club
• new gloves...wins first match then many more
• new robe... German youth boxing championship
• exposed as Jew... German boxing career over

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• meets Max schmeling
• takes over shoveling coal for Kosperk
• begins secret deliveries for his father
• starts going out with gretta
• new school
• Gretta and him get in trouble
• kicked out of building
• Kristalnaight
• Max sends him and sister to america

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“Radio advertisements for the fight declared: “It is the obligation of every German citizen to tune in to listen to Max defend the white race against the Negro.”

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MAX HAD THE BIGGEST OF INFLUENCE

THE GERMANS ARE STILL SUPERIOR.. FOR NOW

"IN BOXING THERE ARE RULES"

BARNEY ROSS

GERMAN YOUTH BOXING CHAMPIONSHIP

JOE LOUIS MAX SCHMELING REMATCH

Heavyweight boxer Joe Louis walks away to a neutral corner as challenger Max Schmeling lies on the canvas in the first and final round of their 15-round rematch at Yankee Stadium in New York City, June 22, 1938. Schmeling’s corner surrenders by throwing in a white towel into the ring at right. Referee Arthur Donovan called the match after 2 minutes and four seconds of action.

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“By 1938 street violence against Jews had become so brazen, commonplace, and ignored by the police”

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KRISTALLNACHT

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KARL TURNS TO MAX FOR HELP

THE FEINT

“Yes. A feint is a trick. Whenever you fake a punch or try to give your opponent the impression that you’ve been punched or hurt so that you can mount your own attack. Whenever you mislead someone in the ring. That’s a feint. It’s the same in life. Sometimes you have to give the impression you are doing one thing in order to do another and survive. You should never give your opponent a clear picture of your real intentions.”
Everything he said made complete sense, but those few words suddenly changed my view of him and of every other German who thought they were feinting through the rise of Hitler and the Nazis. For my entire life Max had always represented strength, but now I saw only weakness and self-interest.”

interesting fact: Joe Louis and Max Schmeling fought against each other in ww2 and later in life became close friends

OFF TO AMERICA

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• great book
• really Illustrates what living in that time felt like
• ... other people control his own personal story