Max Schmeling Autographed photo. Value?

[Deertick]

Ok, to be more specific. I can't read his writing. If I could, I would be able to translate.

[JimStinson]

Your friendship is much appreciated .....its in "old german"

[Deertick]

Thanks, Jim. Just like I thought "Best Friends Forever!"

[JimStinson]

I recieved a letter from Max once written in German, I could not understand a damn thing, I took it to my local university German teacher , and he could not translate it either. he explained to me that it was OLD German, whatver the heck that means.......different from todays German. He said that Max was inviting me to his house etc. etc. but he was not even sure. Max was so old at that point that I was afraid to buy an airline ticket 7 days away. I then called him on the phone and got the same invitation , the German professor asked me if I was an old friend of Max and I said I had never met him. He said the letter was wriiten as if to an old friend , so I chalked it up to pugilista dementia and stayed home

[Deertick]

Originally Posted by JimStinson

so I chalked it up to pugilista dementia and stayed home

It is amazing that he lived to be 99! They didn't exactly have the caution we do now when it comes to head injuries. And by most reports, he was an intelligent and engaging fellow. So maybe it (familiarity) was just his way. You know, a "hugger".

[JimStinson]

Thats EXACTLY what I figured ! but was not going to travel 3,000 miles for a hug. I will tell you a funny story exacty as it was told to me ... an old friend of mine had a card of Max, you know the one where he is pictured with the swasita ??? well it was MINT and worth a few bucks and he wanted to have Max sign it so there was a heavyweight champs reunion in Las Vegas , and Max was there and Joe Louis etc. so he brought the card to Max Schmeling and asked him to sign it and Max examined the card and looked at the swastica and said "NO GOOD" and scratched it out with the pen and then signed the card and handed it back to the guy...lol

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by JimStinson

Thats EXACTLY what I figured ! but was not going to travel 3,000 miles for a hug. I will tell you a funny story exacty as it was told to me ... an old friend of mine had a card of Max, you know the one where he is pictured with the swasita ??? well it was MINT and worth a few bucks and he wanted to have Max sign it so there was a heavyweight champs reunion in Las Vegas , and Max was there and Joe Louis etc. so he brought the card to Max Schmeling and asked him to sign it and Max examined the card and looked at the swastica and said "NO GOOD" and scratched it out with the pen and then signed the card and handed it back to the guy...lol

Now that would be an interesting card...

[southcrawler]

Hi there!

I normally just read all the fascinating and instructive information posted by the members of this great community (information that wouldn't be available anywhere else, I guess), but as a native speaker of German and a teacher I thought I would chime in and try to contribute some insight regarding the exact meaning of Schmeling's dedication to the lucky addressee of the photo. First, it isn't written in "old German" (which actually once existed and was in use until about 1940 - and which is definitely nearly impossible to decipher even for Germans born after the 1950s like me...). Max used "modern German" (= the Latin alphabet as we know and use it today) and the dedication which reads "zur freundlichen Erinnerung" can be literally (but also accurately?) translated with "for friendly memory/memories". So "freundlich" just means "friendly" in English, not "friend" or "friendship" and Max chose a quite formal wording for his dedication (which makes me doubt that Mr Valk was a close acquaintance or even a friend of his).

Thanks for reading this rather brash stuff and take care!

Dirk Holtschmidt

[travrosty]

his goal was 100, almost made it, he signed for at least 78 years, has to be a record in boxing. Other than Muhammad Ali, and maybe Jack Dempsey, he signed more than almost anybody. the newer signatures are very affordable still, the signatures from the early 30's and late 20's, (vintage) still bring a premium.