1927-1936

Helene Mayer

The Jewish fencer who fought for Hitler

by Alex Q. Arbuckle

1928

IMAGE: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS/CORBIS/VCG VIA GETTY IMAGES

In 1924, Helene Mayer won the German national championship in women’s foil fencing at the age of 13. She went on to successfully defend her title six years in a row.

Her extraordinary talent dazzled the country, earning her fame and adulation. Statues of her were sold in souvenir shops throughout Germany. 

Many considered her to be the greatest female fencer in history.

1927

IMAGE: ULLSTEIN BILD VIA GETTY IMAGES

1927

IMAGE: ULLSTEIN BILD VIA GETTY IMAGES

1928

Mayer at school in Germany.

IMAGE: MARTIN MUNKACSI/ULLSTEIN BILD VIA GETTY IMAGES

1928

IMAGE: ULLSTEIN BILD VIA GETTY IMAGES

1928

IMAGE: MARTIN MUNKACSI/ULLSTEIN BILD VIA GETTY IMAGES

1928

Mayer practices against a male opponent at the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam.

IMAGE: JOHN GRAUDENZ/ULLSTEIN BILD VIA GETTY IMAGES

She represented Germany at the 1928 Amsterdam Summer Olympics, bringing home a gold medal. Four years later, she competed in the Los Angeles Games. Two hours before her final matches, she learned that her boyfriend had died in a military training accident. She finished fifth.

Mayer stayed in California and attended college for international law, hoping to perhaps become a diplomat for her country one day.

In 1933, Hitler and the Nazi Party took power in Germany, and quickly set to work stripping away the rights of Jewish citizens — including Mayer, whose father was Jewish.

Mayer’s membership in her hometown fencing club was revoked, and it became clear she could not return to Germany. The former celebrity was reduced to teaching German at a college in Oakland.

1929

IMAGE: ULLSTEIN BILD VIA GETTY IMAGES

1930

IMAGE: PLANET NEWS ARCHIVE/SSPL/GETTY IMAGES

1930

IMAGE: ULLSTEIN BILD VIA GETTY IMAGES

1932

Mayer competes against Judy Guinness of Great Britain in the Los Angeles Olympics.

IMAGE: BETTMANN/GETTY IMAGES

1932

Mayer at the Los Angeles Olympics.

IMAGE: STARY/ULLSTEIN BILD VIA GETTY IMAGES

Will we see each other again in the future? I don't know. I know that I'd like to return to Germany, but there's no place for me there now… I belong to that part of humanity that has been hard hit in bitter fate.

HELENE MAYER, LETTER TO GERMAN TEAMMATES

1930

Mayer after winning the Hutton International Fencing Trophy.