Many Americans imagined that black athletes would be poorly treated in Berlin, but the 100,000 Berliners chanting “Jes-say O-vens” as he won the 100m proved the contrary. Owens and his black teammates enjoyed freedom of movement and equality seldom experienced stateside. The Nazis wanted to use the Olympics to display a renewed Germany to the world. International Olympic boycott movements had threatened the opportunity. Consequently, the Olympic village was integrated and all racist propaganda was suspended for the duration of the games. Robert Vann, an African-American newsman, wrote: “These German people are mighty fine. They have a spirit of sportsmanship and fair play which overrides the color-barrier”.
It’s an amazing photo, but what triggers me is that everytime it’s posted people always talk shit about the “nazi” behind Jesse. So here’s the full story (I’m pasting my reply from a earlier repost):
This photo gets reposted once every few months and hey I’m cool with that, it’s a historic image. But what I wish people could also repost along with it is the quite truly beautiful friendship between Jesse Owens and Luz Long (the German silver medalist giving the Nazi salute). The two did not know each other prior to the Olympics. After Jesse fouled his first two jumps and looked like he might not enter final, Luz walked up to him and gave Jesse tips based on his observations. After Jesse won the gold Luz was the first to congratulate him, and walked with him to the dressing room. Jesse later: “It took a lot of courage for him to befriend me in front of Hitler... I would melt down all the medals and cups I have and they wouldn't be a plating on the twenty-four karat friendship that I felt for Luz Long at that moment.”
Luz later served in the Wehrmacht. The two corresponded during the war. In his last letter, Long wrote to Jesse and asked him to contact his son after the war and tell him about his father and "what times were like when we were not separated by war. I am saying—tell him how things can be between men on this earth.” Luz Long was sadly killed in Sicily in 1943. Jesse Owens kept communication with Luz’s family, and later served as best man at Luz’s son's wedding.
Tl;dr: Not all Germans are Nazis, and not all Nazis are evil not everyone in the Nazi party was evil (I don’t think Luz was even in the Nazi party but I could be wrong). Just like how not all Republicans or Democrats or Russians or Chinese are evil. Friendship can exist beyond race and nationality. Some in the comments don’t seem to understand this.
See that little Japanese old man between Jesse and the Japanese athlete? That's Jigaro Kano, the founder of Judo, and one of the greatest martial artists of all time.
arb7721 on September 2nd, 2020 at 01:06 UTC »
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The51stDivision on September 2nd, 2020 at 01:38 UTC »
It’s an amazing photo, but what triggers me is that everytime it’s posted people always talk shit about the “nazi” behind Jesse. So here’s the full story (I’m pasting my reply from a earlier repost):
This photo gets reposted once every few months and hey I’m cool with that, it’s a historic image. But what I wish people could also repost along with it is the quite truly beautiful friendship between Jesse Owens and Luz Long (the German silver medalist giving the Nazi salute). The two did not know each other prior to the Olympics. After Jesse fouled his first two jumps and looked like he might not enter final, Luz walked up to him and gave Jesse tips based on his observations. After Jesse won the gold Luz was the first to congratulate him, and walked with him to the dressing room. Jesse later: “It took a lot of courage for him to befriend me in front of Hitler... I would melt down all the medals and cups I have and they wouldn't be a plating on the twenty-four karat friendship that I felt for Luz Long at that moment.”
Luz later served in the Wehrmacht. The two corresponded during the war. In his last letter, Long wrote to Jesse and asked him to contact his son after the war and tell him about his father and "what times were like when we were not separated by war. I am saying—tell him how things can be between men on this earth.” Luz Long was sadly killed in Sicily in 1943. Jesse Owens kept communication with Luz’s family, and later served as best man at Luz’s son's wedding.
Tl;dr: Not all Germans are Nazis, and not all Nazis are evil not everyone in the Nazi party was evil (I don’t think Luz was even in the Nazi party but I could be wrong). Just like how not all Republicans or Democrats or Russians or Chinese are evil. Friendship can exist beyond race and nationality. Some in the comments don’t seem to understand this.
Fandorin on September 2nd, 2020 at 02:55 UTC »
See that little Japanese old man between Jesse and the Japanese athlete? That's Jigaro Kano, the founder of Judo, and one of the greatest martial artists of all time.