"Looking back, I'm almost happy I lost that fight. Just imagine if I would have come back to Germany with a victory. I had nothing to do with the Nazis, but they would have given me a medal. After the war I might have been considered a war criminal"

Max Schmeling, a distinguished German fighter, assesses a turning point in his career in the quote you supplied. This introspection reveals an extensive awareness of the socio-political environment of his time and the potential ramifications of his actions within that context.

Schmeling was a celebrated athlete throughout the age of Nazi Germany, a time when sports triumphes were frequently exploited for propaganda to promote the program's ideology. Although he was an accomplished sportsperson, Schmeling is acutely conscious that any considerable victory, particularly one accomplished abroad, could have been co-opted by the Nazis for their functions. Such a victory could have positioned him as a sign of Aryan superiority, regardless of his individual beliefs or political affiliations. By specifying, "I had absolutely nothing to do with the Nazis", Schmeling ranges himself from the abhorrent policies and actions of the Nazi routine, highlighting his absence of connection or support for their cause.

The aftermath of World War II saw many individuals held responsible for their perceived contributions to Nazi Germany's objectives, in many cases extending beyond direct participation in the political sphere to include cultural and symbolic recommendations. Schmeling's reflection on the possibility of being granted a medal highlights his awareness of how his boxing career may have been controlled for Nazi propaganda, making him an unwilling accomplice to their program.

His candid admission of relief at losing a fight suggests a nuanced understanding of how success can carry unexpected burdens, especially under totalitarian routines. The prospective improvement of a sports victory into political capital for the Nazis could have tainted his tradition, associating him with atrocities dedicated throughout the war. By expressing that he "may have been thought about a war criminal", Schmeling acknowledges the complicated moral and ethical landscape professional athletes browsed throughout this turbulent duration, revealing his relief at avoiding a result that could have jeopardized his integrity and his individual worths.