Episode 13: History Flakes Live! Max Schmeling

Let's dive into the wild and bruising life of Germany’s best-known pugilist, Max Schmeling—the man who went from Weimar wonder to darling of Nazi propaganda, and somehow managed to emerge in post-WWII West Germany with an intact reputation.

Schmeling’s life reads like a script from the golden age of cinema—coming of age in the chaos of Weimar Germany, he punched his way to the top, becoming a national hero with a controversial world title and a shocking victory over Joe Louis. But it wasn’t all champagne and glory. A short turn in the movies, reinventing himself as a Coca-Cola mogul and beloved television star, Schmeling’s story is one of resilience, reinvention, and how a nation deals with its past - this man was a star in the Weimar, Third Reich, *and* West German eras!

Tune in to hear how this legendary boxer left his mark on the ring and on history itself.

Recorded at the Comedy Cafe in Berlin.

Want to come to the next History Flakes LIVE recording? Keep up to date with Jonny's Instagram, Threads, and Twitter for more info on upcoming shows!

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You can get in touch and book Jonny or Pip for a tour of Berlin via www.whitlams-berlin-tours.com. Don't forget to subscribe for more Berlin history every two weeks!

Mixed and Produced by Alex Griffiths
https://www.instagram.com/alexgriffiths_music/
https://alexgriffiths.bandcamp.com/

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Sources
Max Schmeling and the Making of a National Hero in Twentieth-Century Germany (Palgrave Studies in Sport and Politics), Jon Hughes

Stalingrad und der Nationalsozialismus Podcast mit Christoph Fromm, Folge 162: Max Schmeling und Johann Trollmann - von Helden und Außenseitern

The Lost Cities of Berlin by Historia Mag