[1] Between the ages of two and five, Max Sick was unusually weak, suffering with lung problems, rickets and dropsy.

Accordingly, on October 26, 1909, Sick arrived in London, where he quickly became a serious contender for the world professional middleweight weightlifting title.

Maxick, as he was now known, made his British lifting debut on 19 January 1910, displaying a much-admired double bodyweight continental clean and jerk.

[3] The match against Edward Aston took place at the Granville Music Hall in Fulham on 4 August 1910, the stake being £100 and a silver trophy.

A rematch held at the Holborn Empire on the afternoon of 14 December 1910 was indecisive as the competition had to be abandoned to allow an evening theatrical performance to take place on the stage.

[3] Although Maxick stated that he had developed his very incredible physique and strength with the aid of muscle control, he was also an expert weightlifter.

On being released at the end of the war, he traveled the world, eventually returning to his homeland only to leave again when the Nazis came to power in 1933.

He was later found dead lying apparently relaxed on his back, arms outstretched and a carefully folded farewell note under his right heel, on which he had written, “My heart is beating rather slow, I feel extremely cold, I think it will be over soon.