It's unfair to label him a Nazi since he hated Nazis and Hitler. Excellent boxer next to Jim Braddock, Jack Dempsey, and Muhammad Ali.

I well always mourn the death of a warrior, a boxer and a Fallshirmjager. irishgit is quite correct is stating that he as incorrectly been labelled a Nazi the post-war period, when in reality, he detested the Nazis, and the Nazi Government detested him. After his 1st round defeat, Hitler looked unfavourable on him, sending him on a suicide mission in WW2 is an attempt to make him some sort of martry, but, he came back. Again irishgit is correct is saying that safe harboured Jews, doing this in Berlin during Kristallnacht. A good man that was tarnished by bad times.

Though I wouldn't necessarily say I was overly saddened by his death, he was a great boxer and good man. I suggest everyone check out Irishgit's post on Max when you get the chance.

Well said,Irishgit! He was a great Boxer,and a wonderful human being who lived a long,full life. Hope he's now keeping company with other Greats who have passed beyond.

He was a great boxer, a great man and someone whose conscience never abandoned him. He was in his 90's at the time of his death, unusual for a heavyweight boxer in any era. I don't mourn his death so much as I realize that his death gives me and others the opportunity to celebrate a great life well lived. Well done, Max. Rest in peace.

Schmeling,like Oscar Schindler is a huge hero of mine.Whatever criticism there is of his contact there is with Hitler is ridiculous;He and Schindler were both an inch from ending up in concentration camps themselves-it's not like they could've told the Nazi's to f(---) off.Beyond that,Hitler was so pissed off at Schmeling for losing the Louis rematch-that Max was the only German athlete that ended up at the front,as a 34-year old private.

Very good comment Irishgit. There's no point in me being redundant. He had good life, and he lived by his princaples. Rest in peace, Champ!

An interesting guy. The only German ever to hold the world heavyweight crown, Schmeling is most famous for his pair of matches against Joe Louis. After knocking out Louis in their first match in 1936, Schmeling was touted by the Nazi's as an Aryan Superman. In fact, Schmeling despised the Nazi's, and during the early years of the war hid some Jewish boys in his apartment to protect them from marauding hooligans, and helped some Jewish friends escape death camps. During his life he gave loads of money to help the elderly and poor, remained friends with Louis, and quietly gave the legendary boxer financial help when he fell on hard times. He paid for Louis' funeral in 1981. In 1975 he expressed some satisfaction that he had lost his rematch to Louis in 1938, saying that if he had won the Nazi's would have given him a medal, and since he loathed them it would have been ironic if such an event had made him a war criminal.