On the occasion of the 50^th anniversary of the chess club Königsspringer Haltern am See e.V. the book Halterner Schachspiegeleien … was published - just in time for the opening of the corresponding chess exhibition. A group of 8 authors has contributed to the book: Edmund Bruns, Thomas Gerlach, Bernhard E. Köster, Eva Masthoff, Horstfried Masthoff, Michael Rath, Thomas Schniederjan and Dieter Stüber.

This attractive and nicely illustrated book (with numerous colour images) offers the reader an entertaining mixture of articles widely related to the current exhibition. Central themes are not only the literature of chess incl. chess fiction, also elsewhere mostly neglected fringe areas such as chess ex libris and stamps have been included, and further contributions deal with the role of chess in the period of National Socialism or with chess sets from the wartime. As the book contains a chronicle of the local chess club Königsspringer Haltern am See e.V., it is also of particular interest for collectors of "Festschriften" (commemorative publications), here the Contents (jpg file) for your information. The beautiful bookplate of our member Josep Alió has been reproduced on the front cover, and in the book you will find a few more ex libris of KWA members (Rudolf Glenk, Michael Negele, Lothar Schmid and the late Jean Mennerat). The high-quality get-up and the reasonable price should make a purchase decision easy.

We still quote a reader's feedback (e-mail by Dr. Erik Skovenborg [Denmark] to co-author Eva Masthoff, 02/12/2012):

"One of my pleasures this weekend was the book of Schachspiegeleien with a marvelous collection of learned and interesting comments on the game of chess. The authors ... really know what they are writing about and also know how to make the subject interesting for the reader. In today’s world of visual images the beautiful bookplates find a natural and well-deserved place with their imaginative, pictorial designs and the entertaining story behind each plate. In Denmark the knowledge and use of bookplates is in retreat and decline, however, books like this book on chess are one of the most intelligent and entertaining ways of spreading information about the life and world of exlibris. I congratulate all the authors on a fine job and also congratulations to the skillful lay-outers and excellent printers for such a beautiful book paying credit to each work of art with fine details in black-and-white and colours. Bravo!"

For KWA members only:
Price: 15 Euro + postage (in Germany) 3.50 Euro = 18.50 Euro
Please order from Michael Rath, info@kshaltern.de;
shipping after receipt of payment, please remit the amount to the following account:
Account number: 150685500
Bank code number: 42661330 (Volksbank Haltern)
BIC: GENODEM1HLT
IBAN: DE17426613300150685500
Please note "Schachspiegeleien" as reason for transfer (Verwendungszweck).

Generally the book is available in the Haltern public library or in local Haltern bookshops.