Helene Mayer, born on December 20th, 1910, was a celebrated German fencer who enjoyed a high level of fame and visibility during the Weimar period. However, with the rise of the Nazi Party and the passing of the Nuremberg laws, Helene was deemed racially Jewish and excluded from the world of German sports. In 1933, she moved to the United States. However, in the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, Helene competed as the sole Jewish athlete on the German team despite her expulsion from Germany years earlier. This was widely seen as an attempt to placate countries like the United States, who had been considering a boycott of the Games due to the Nazis’ anti-Semitic policies. Helene placed second and never competed in the Olympics again. She later returned to Germany in 1952 before dying of breast cancer in 1953.
Olympic fencer Helene Mayer demonstrates fencing techniques
Title card reads: “Distributed by the University of California Extension Division Berkeley.” Techniques of Foil Fencing.” Produced and Distributed by the Extension Division of University of California.”"Prepared under the Supervision of the Physical Education Department for Women University of California Berkeley, California.”"Demonstrated by Helene Mayer U.S.A and World Champion.”"The Salute and the Bout.” Two fencers, a man on the left and Helene Mayer on the right, stand in uniform facing on another. They perform the salute with their swords. They put their helmets on. They fence. Title card reads: “Techniques.” Next title card reads: “The Foil Arm, The Back Arm, The Target, The Position of the legs and feet, The Grip (French and Italian).” Helene Mayer. Cu on her hand and wrist, panning backwards to her face and other outstretched arm, then back to her face, then down to her waist. The handle of a sword appears from off-screen and gestures to her torso. The camera pans down to her legs and feet. A hand grips the handle of the sword, showing the proper grip. This happens again, with a different grip. Title card reads: “The Advance and the retreat showing close-up of the feet in action.” Shot of Helene. She lowers her arms. Close up of her feet advancing and retreating. The camera zooms out to show her entire body. She continues to advance and retreat, holding her sword with arms outstretched. Title card reads: “The Lunge and the Recovery.” Helene lunges forward and then returns to her stance twice. Close up shot of Helene lunging and retreating, focusing on her legs and feet. The camera zooms out to show a full shot of Helene lunging and retreating again three times. Title card reads: “The Advance Lunge.” Shot of Helene performing an advance lunge, taking a quick step forward and lunging, then a quick step backward and retreating. Title card reads: “The Jump Forward Lunge.” Helene does a quick hop forward and lunges."A Simple Parry No. 4 and No. 6.” Helene from a different angle, facing forward. She gestures with the sword. In the next frame she wears her helmet and blocks the sword of her opponent. Title card reads: “The Disengage With and without the Parry.” Shot of the two fencers wearing helmets, one lunging forward and the other blocking. They repeat this several times. It is then shown from another again. Title card reads: “The Feint—Disengage (one-two) Used to deceive the simple parry.” The fencers demonstrate. Title card reads: “Two Feints—Disengage (one-two-three) With the Parry No. 4.” The fencers demonstrate. Title card reads: “The Parries No. 8 Half Circle No. 7.” Helene, without a helmet, demonstrates the parries. Title card reads: “The Riposte: Direct (without lunge) Direct with lunge With a feint-disengage.” The two fencers demonstrate these moves. Title card reads: “The Beat-straight thrust showing a close-up of the foil movement. The same attack with the advance.” The fencers demonstrate. Close up of the swords. More demonstration. Title card reads: “The Beat disengage showing close-up of the foil movement.” The fencers demonstrate. Title card reads: “The cutover (coupe) with the close-up of the foil movement.” The fencers demonstrate. Close up of the swords. Title card reads: “Cutover with parry and cutover-feint disengage used to deceive the simple parry.” The fencers demonstrate. Close up of swords. More demonstration."The Coupe Coupe with the advance.” The fencers demonstrate. Title card reads: “Parries Counterpart No. 6 Two Counterparries No. 6 The same in No. 4.” Close up of swords demonstrating. Fencers demonstrating. Title card reads: “The Double Showing the close-up of the foil movements. Used to deceive the counter parry.” Close up of swords demonstrating. Fencers demonstrating. Title card reads: “The Stop Thrust in High and Low line.” The fencers demonstrate. Title card reads: “The Bout.” Helene and the male fencer fence a bout. They shake hands. They fence more. They take off their helmets and salute with their swords, then shake hands again."The End.”