Presented is the most significant document in this auction and one of the most unique items from the entire collection: Luz Long's official 1935-40 German passport that he used to travel to the dozens of international athletics (track & field) competitions before, during, and after the 1936 Berling Olympic Games. On the inside front cover, Luz's government name "Hermann Carl Ludwig Long" is spelled out. On the second page, Luz has signed the passport "Carl Ludwig Long" under the same portrait of him found on his Leipziger Sport Club ID card (lot 17). Page 3 contains "Personenbeschreibung"[personal information] such as: Beruf [job] "Student"; Geburtsort [place of birth] "Leipzig-Reudnitz"; Geburtstag [birthday] "27.4.1913"; Wohnort [residence] "Leipzig"; Gestalt [shape] "? schlank" [slim]; Gesicht [face] "oval"; Farbe der Augen [eye color] "blau" [blue]; Farbe des Haares [hair color] "blond". Date of issue "26 Juni 1935" is stamped on pages 2 and 4. Expiration date "26 Juni 1940 is stamped on page 4. "Leipzig Polizeiprasidium" [Leipzig police headquarters] is stamped five times on the first four pages.
As one of Germany's top track and field athletes during the active years of this passport, Luz traveled primarily by train throughout Europe to reach the locations of each athletics meet. Some of the more interesting stamps from locations outside Germany are: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; Tallinn, Estonia; Salzburg, Austria; Kufstein, Austria; Scharnitz, Austria; Hegyeshalom, Hungary; Croydon, England; Forbach, France; Strasbourg, France; Milan, Italy; Rome, Italy; Tubre, Italy. The last page has multiple stamps from the Brenner Railway (Ferrovia Brennero), a major line connecting Austria and Italy from Innsbruck to Verona that crosses through the Brenner Pass in the Italian Alps. It is part of the Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T). In total, there are 32 pages filled with stamps from border or law enforcement officials across Germany and stragetic border crossing locations. There are some airport stamps as well, mostly from his trips to Scandinavia.
We've never come across a personal item from an athlete with such remarkable and intimate details as this passport, its significance magnified by the period's escalating political and civil unrest throughout the continent that utlimately led to World War II. To Long family kept a detailed account of Luz's competition schedule from 1933 through 1941 along with his results at each event. We will include a copy with this lot to help connect each track meet with its corresponding passport stamp. Includes a letter of provenance from the Long family.