From Kaiserschmarrn & Sports to Krav Maga
Andersen, S.-O., “From Kaiserschmarrn & Sports to Krav Maga: How Political Circumstances and Fascist Terror led to the Creation of a Jewish Hero and his Lasting Legacy”, Australian Journal of Jewish Studies XXXIII (2020): 118-139 From Kaiserschmarrn & Sports to Krav Maga: How Political Circumstances and Fascist Terror led to the Creation of a Jewish Hero and his Lasting Legacy Sven-Ole Andersen “Not everyone who walks on two legs is indeed a human being.” ` (Imi Lichtenfeld, in Sde-Or and Yanilov, 2001: 240) Abstract This article describes the transformation of Imrich "Imi" Lichtenfeld, from sportsman to active fighter against Nazi terror in Bratislava, Slovakia, in the 1930s. The main reason for this was the political situation there at that time. In addition, the article is intended to save the person of Lichtenfeld from oblivion, not only in academic circles. Since there is hardly any research available on his persona, excerpts from an interview with one of his friends should serve to shed some light on the private side of this Jewish hero. Introduction The concept of a hero, what constitutes one, or what kind of person could be called one, is subject to an ongoing debate, since the term seems to be overused in modern society. The Merriam-Webster dictionary provides several definitions for the term hero, as well as for its synonyms icon or idol, for instance: - A mythological or legendary figure […] with great strength or ability - An illustrious warrior - A person admired for achievements and noble qualities - One who shows great courage - The central figure in an event, period, or movement - An object of extreme admiration and devotion (Merriam-Webster, 2020) The above definitions can easily be applied to the Jewish sportsman Imrich “Imi” Lichtenfeld in order to call him a hero, whereas for many others, for example, friends or fellow sportsmen, he was their idol or still serves as an icon of sportsmanship.
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