A friendship that impacted a man's eternal destination. A bond shared between a black man from the United States and a white man from Germany. One man carrying the hopes of his nation and race, the other man undergirding his country's nationalistic pride and ambition. Luz Long, was a German long jumper favored to win his event in the 1936 Olympics. He was white, blonde, and the perfect candidate to portray Adolf Hitler's superior Aryan beliefs. He had already won the German long jump championship six times in 1933, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1938, and 1939. Hitler, the self proclaimed chancellor of the German Reich, had made no secret of his beliefs that these Olympics would be the global stage where his Aryan people would position themselves as the superior race.
Jesse Owens, a black man from the United States, was experiencing the pressure of competing in this stadium located in the heart of Nazi Germany. He had won the gold medal in the 100 meter race earlier but was struggling to qualify for the long jump contest. This stress could have been amplified by the actions of Hitler who shook hands only with the German victors after the first day of competition and then left the stadium. International Olympic Committee president Henri de Baillet-Latour insisted that Hitler greet every medalist or none at all. Hitler opted for the latter and skipped all further medal presentations. So it was with great expectation that Hitler watched from his perch high above the throng, awaiting the triumph of his favorite German athlete, Luz Long, in the long jump contest.
Jesse missed the mark on his first run (not recognizing that the one of the officials had raised their hand signifying that this was an official attempt) and then repeated his mistake on his second attempt. If he didn't qualify on his third and final try than he would be ruled ineligible for the final competition. He went down to one knee on the track, praying, as was his inclination being a man of faith.
It was at this moment that Luz Long, a man who had the most to gain by Jesse Owen's disqualification, came alongside him to offer him some advice. "Draw an imaginary line a foot before the board that marked the official jump point - that way you will be sure to avoid disqualification." he told Jesse. Jesse listened, took his advice, and qualified on his third attempt!
In the finals competition later that day, the two jumpers exceeded the old Olympic record five times. When the dust had settled, Long had won the silver medal for second place and was the first to congratulate the gold medal winner, Jesse Owens. They posed together for photos and walked arm-in-arm to the dressing room. Owens said, "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."
Fast forward to the year 1943, Luz was serving in the Wehrmacht during World War II. During the Allied invasion of Sicily in Italy, Long was injured in the battle for the Biscari-Santo Pietro airfield, and died 4 days later in a British military hospital. The last letter that he wrote was addressed to his friend, Jesse Owens.
"I am here, Jesse, where it seems there is only the dry sand and the wet blood. I do not fear so much for myself, my friend Jesse, I fear for my woman who is home, and my young son Karl, who has never really known his father. My heart tells me, if I am honest with you, that this is the last letter I shall ever write. If it is so, I ask you something. It is something so very important to me. It is to ask you to go to Germany when this war is done, someday find my Karl, and tell him about his father. Tell him, Jesse, 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.
If you do this something for me, this thing that I need the most to know will be done, I do something for you, now. I tell you something I know you want to hear. And it is true.That hour in Berlin when I first spoke to you, when you had your knee upon the ground, I knew that you were in prayer.
Then I not know how I know. Now I do. I know it is never by chance that we come together. I come to you that hour in 1936 for purpose more than der Berliner Olympiade. And you, I believe, will read this letter, while it should not be possible to reach you ever, for purpose more even than our friendship.
I believe this shall come about because I think now that God will make it come about. This is what I have to tell you, Jesse.
I think I might believe in God.
And I pray to him that, even while it should not be possible for this to reach you ever, these words I write will still be read by you."
Your brother, Luz
A man who lived out his faith under the bright lights of the Olympics. Another who defied his national leader and befriended a man of different color and nationality. Two men who formed a friendship despite the hostilities surrounding them, a friendship that not only survived their Olympic competition, but also the events of World War II that pitted them on opposite sides.
And it all started with an simple act of faith, with a rippling effect that continues throughout history. So I close with this question, "What simple act of obedience is God calling you to do today?"
