March 5 1939

A man is sitting in an apartment in Berlin writing a letter. 

I was born Maximilian Adolph Otto Siegfried Schmeling on  28 September 1905 in Klein Luckow, Prussia. Most people know me as simply Max Schmeling.
To tell my story I should start where it begins. When I was 13 my Father took me to a boxing exhibition. There was a fight between Jack Dempsey and Georges Carpentier. It changed my life. I began boxing and I was good! In 1924 I won the Germany's national amateur title in the light heavyweight division.

I became a professional boxer and in 1924 finally got to meet the man who inspired me with his powerful brawling style. Jack Dempsey, the Heavyweight Champion of the World was touring Europe. He was doing exibitions and I got the honor of a 2 round match with him. By this time I had developed a more scientific and precise style that fit my body. He praised me and later in the locker room admitted he was afraid what would have happened if he had went 2 more rounds against me. He told me he expected to see me again in the ring one day. 

It became my driving force, to one day fight a World Championship match. In August of 1926 I became the German light heavyweight champion with a round one knockout of Max Diekmann. Then I became the European champion. In 1928 I became the European heavyweight champion. It was time to travel to America and chase my dream.

I arrived on the shores of the US to disappointment, I was a nobody there. Then I met Joe Jacobs. He helped promote me, he set me up to rent me a place in his mothers house and let me sweep the gym and his shop to earn my rent in the meantime. They shared dinner with me every evening. On the first Friday I lived there we had a special supper. He explained they were Jewish and its a special celebration for them, their Sabbath. 

I was stunned, I never met a real Jew before. I had heard many terrible things about them. Sensing my confusion Joe asked me what was wrong, then noticing I was uncomfortable he bowed his balding head and said "Look no horns". It made me laugh and he shook my hand firmly patting my shoulder with his other hand. "Judge a man by his character not his heritage". Coming from a man who worked hard and saved to make sure his family was secure and then giving as much as he could to those who needed it broke my predijuces to pieces. 

I had a debut in Madison Square Garden. What a sight! I was a low billed fight, a no name but people remembered my name after I knocked out Joe Monte in the 8th round. After a few more bouts on the bottom of the bill I got a match with Johnny Risko. I remember the fans cheering him and almost silent while I was introduced. The guy Risko was going to beat was the name most of the fans gave me. When I knocked him down four times in the ninth round they cheered me on their feet. I was that new guy the one to contend with, the only guy who gave Johnny Risko a TKO. I sent my parents a copy of the Ring Magazine that declared it the "Fight of the Year".

I moved up again and again and in early 1930 Joe got a call.  Gene Tunney, the World Heavyweight Champion was retiring and I was chosen to fight Jack Sharkey for the title! And on June 12 1930 I competed in "The Battle of the Continents" In the fourth round I was backing him into a corner and frustrating him. I saw his eyes narrow and he hit me in my groin with a fast and clearly intentional low blow. I dropped to the ground in pain. I saw Joe hop over the ropes. I heard a bell and thought I had been counted out. My whole world was blurry and it seemed like the world was a record disk played at the wrong speed. I was crushed! I had lost to a low blow, an illegal and unsportsmanlike hit. Suddenly Joe and the Referee are helping me to my feet and I am announced as the new Heavyweight Champion of the World!

In June of 1932 I faced him again for a rematch. I was crushed when they awarded him the split decision. The jeers of the fans lifted my spirits, they believed I was the winner. In 1933 Hitler became Chancellor of Germany and being German was not popular in America. In June of 33 I was matched with  Max Baer. He was from a Jewish family and his promoter made it a circus. Baer had a star of David on his trunks and it was hyped up as a fight to defend the oppressed people against Nazis. I was ashamed of my country's leaders. I had no hate for anyone. But the crowd, my opponent and even the referee had taken a clear side. I was hit with backhands, rabbit punches and other fouls that were not called. I lasted ten rounds and would have went the full bout but the referee called the fight when Baer had me on the ropes for a moment.

I was treated badly by people on the street for my German heritage. As if I was automatically a Nazi. It made me understand even more what it felt like to the Jews and other victims of Hitlers paranoia. I reluctantly returned to Germany and fought on the world circut when I could. The United States didnt want "A washed up has been Nazi puppet".  In 1936 Joe wires me, they want me to fight Joe Louis. A undefeated up and coming black man. Against Joe's advice I accepted. 

In the fourth round I knocked him down. It was the first time anyone had done this. For twelve rounds we traded punches battering each other to a swollen mess. And then he fell and was counted out still trying to get off the floor. He congratulated me in the locker room and we talked long into the night. I had met black people before but the accepted norms of society did not give me the chance to get to know anyone. Even in America there were separate gyms for "colored". Once again Joe's words echoed in my mind "Judge a man by his character" And I met a man would be one of my lifelong best friends that night. 

Even though I won that fight the next title match was given to Lewis. I was snubbed, Joe was heartbroken but I decided to return to Germany and give up on the hope that the world would allow a "Nazi" to be champion. And once again Joe's words rang true when I was hailed a hero. I met Hitler and all the high ranking officials. I was promoted as the perfect image of their supremacy. All the while they failed the judgement of character in my heart. I took fights in Germany when I needed the money but gave up on my dreams of ever being world champion again.

Then in 1938 i got a telegram again. They wanted to prove that  Joe Louis was the better fighter and make a political spectacle of a fight between us. I entered the arena to jeers and a hail of garbage. Louis had studied films of our last fight and came hard at me. I was stuck on the ropes and the referee had Louis back off then as it resumed he beat me. I dont remember it well but Louis clearly had won this fight. 

I returned to Germany to find out they now scorned me. A weak wash out who was bested by a untermensch. A lower being, it didnt matter if this man equal to me was a better fighter and that was it. I was seen as a shameful defeat of the motherland itself. And as the contempt they showed me grew so did my contempt for them. My only friend was a neighbor and his Jewish family. We had Friday supper together since I had mentioned my fond memories with Joe. One night he appeared at my door with his family. He was wearing a yellow triangle on his jacket. He begged me to take in his two children. The police were looking for him for anti establishment actions and his wife was sick from consumption. I agreed thinking of Joe's mother and how I would have ended if not for her kindness. 

I was drafted into the armed forces soon after. Trained as a Fallschirmjäger, an elite paratrooper I was put in reserve then allowed to tour Germany giving boxing exibitions to the ever growing home guard. In late 1938 i got a telegram but not from Joe. One other thing about Joe that he never openly spoke of but I figured out was he owed part of his success to the Mafia. A man they called Revenant employed him and his businesses were supported as well. We met several times and I got to know him as a man of great character. Joe had been in an accident and was asking to see me one last time. 

Revenant was waiting for me with my old friend Joe Lewis when my plane touched down. Joe smiled at me and said we are in for a real fight this time.  I paid respects to Momma Jacobs who had passed earlier that year. Joe Jacobs asked me to help Mr Revenant and I agreed. I gave him all the information I had on Germany. Particularly on bases I had fought at. I gave him all the information I had on what was really happening in Germany. How trainloads of people are being shipped to huge camps meant to murder them on an unheard of rate. He asked me to help rescue Jewish families trapped there. I agreed on one condition, and told him of my friends children living in my apartment and the housekeeper who cared for them in my absence. They must be rescued as well was my only demand. 

Im writing this in the hope someday someone finds it. That the world survived this dark time. I hope whoever finds it will know not all German people are Nazis. But most of all I want the world to know you cannot judge a man by his heritage, race, religion or eye color, only by his character and his heart. Let them know that Max Schmeling was a German man with a Jewish surrogate father and a black man for a brother. If I die trying to save these people from the evil of Hitler it will be a sacrifice I am willing to give.

And Max Schmeling, former world heavyweight champion seals the letter inside an envelope and puts it inside a secret panel of his desk.  

December 17th 1938

Nunzio Malasomma finishes packing a special parcel. A copy of the new film "Rote Orchideen" (Red Orchids) its a German made crime drama. As its a new release not many questions will be raised by it but the address in America will warrant a search. He only hopes the technique his frend Revenant had sent him would work in encoding the film. He thinks of the message hes just recorded on it and how if anyone in the Nazi party heard it he would die a painful death. 

"Sir, I must report the most grim news. The person you are seeking is in fact Peter Curten the "Vampire of Dusseldorf". You are correct in his true nature and he is in fact an immortal vampire. He is working with the Thule Society, see attached. 

(a short break in the message is filled with details on a project designed to make people into vampires on an industrial scale. The locations of these labs and personal files along with other info. )

They are aware you are working with the immortal known as Selena and the now deceased Mariska. They have sent an agent to infiltrate your crew and cause a revolt. Assassins are already dispatched to Las Vegas and I fear this will reach you too late. I can only pray it gets there in time. The Godfathers SlimShady and Odin are named. They plan to cause chaos acting as Rogues and assassinating the Godfathers. They plan to hit you and everyone else involved in the resulting backlash. I have incomplete intel on this but here is what I have now. 

(personal files from gestapo headquarters complete with pictures of Revenant, the Godfathers, Maverick, and along others the LHM of Radioactive)

I must report to you the situation in Germany is far more serious than its led on to the world. The Jewish people along with other races religions, political views, sexual orientation and anything else that attracts Hitlers hate are being rounded up and slaughtered! A prison near Ettersburg was built. They have named it Buchenwald. They began using exhaust fumes from trucks that they piped into a sealed room but have moved onto poison gas. They have a crematorium on site and building another! Reports are coming in that show more of these "detention camps" are being built all over Germany and Austria. They plan to invade Poland soon. I fear if their lies and suffusion continues there will be nobody left to testify about this inhuman nightmare! Details follow 

(images and maps of Buchenwald as well as other camps, police and military locations)

I pray this reaches you in time. May St Gregory's light illuminate your path and blind your enemies. And kissing a crucifix he wears he carry's the parcel to a local post hub. 

March 24th 1939

Heinrich Himmler, Josef Mengele, and Joseph Goebels are doing nasty Nazi things oblivious to the threat that looms on their horizon. 


With the help of FBI Director Hoover a team of infiltrators and political doubles has been assembled. 

Agent Derringer, who's top secret classified name is John Dillinger, is learning to mimic the piercing gaze and aura of fear Himmler produces. 

Bugsy Siegel is slipping into the creepy manners and sadistic stare of Mengele.

And Johnny Torino is coming out of retirement to help out as Goebels. The fact he's just been convicted of tax evasion and facing ten years helped. 

Along with the best the fledgling FBI can muster in language, improv, imitation and acting they have also been provided uniforms that would pass very close inspection. Fake identification and even counterfeit deutschmarks complete the disguise. As they watch the performance Revenant, Hoover, Feowyr and several of the ghosts applaud. They really nailed this and the makeup techniques the FBI have at their disposal are eerie. As they finish and everyone mills about before breaking up the days meeting Shadow asks about the buy. 

The buy is where Tesla, Revenant, Siegel and Countess Dorothy di Frasso will meet Himmler and Goebels. Allegedly to sell a new explosive Tesla has created called "Radium-Atomite". They will replace the 2 Nazi leaders then along with Siegel taking on the role of Mengele they will infiltrate the concentration camp Buchenwald. 

Revenant is lounging in a chaise and taking enjoyment at this plan coming together, then Shadow makes a faux pas.

Then pretending to be the doctor Bugs,,,

What da hell you talking about bugs you mope? Siegel shouts. Ben Siegel has never cared for the nickname Bugsy. Meaning crazy Bugsy got the nickname for good reason, but don't let him hear you say it. Charging Shadow they belt it out until both are swollen and bloody. Revenant and Hoover pull them apart swearing at both. They spit blood and grin at each other then both admit they like the other guy. 

Revenant groans. He's floated a battleship of loose cannons.