Nimzowitsch's handwritten letter
This General Meeting is also an opportunity for our members to present documents from their collections. Claes Løfgren, for example, presented a remarkable handwritten letter from Aaron Nimzowitsch and put it into context. As you can see, part of the document is missing, and Claes explained to me that it is likely that Nimzowitsch's autograph was cut out before the letter was acquired.
Here is an extract (corrected - the game played is Nimzowitsch's) from the presentation text for the General Meeting on 13 and 14 September 2024.
The pre-war Olympiads
The second lecture of the CH&LS General Meeting was given by Matthias Johansson on the subject of the Chess Olympiads before the Second World War. As we can see, these Olympiads were strongly influenced by the political events of this troubled period in history.
Here is an extract from the presentation text for the General Meeting on 13 and 14 September 2024.
The creation of FIDE in Paris in 1924
Here is the support for the 1st conference given in Budapest as part of the CH&LS General Assembly.
Dominique Thimognier presents an in-depth study of the creation of FIDE in 1924.
Dominique focuses in particular on the various protagonists of this creation, and he has uncovered some previously unpublished documents.
This work complements my series of articles on this website about events in Paris in 1924.
Here is an extract from the presentation text for the General Meeting on 13 and 14 September 2024.
Annual Meeting of the Chess History and Literature Society in Budapest (13-14 September 2024)
On Friday 13 September 2024, the CH&LS held its annual meeting in Budapest in parallel to the 45th Chess Olympiad. Upon invitation of the Hungarian Chess Federation, roughly 20 members and guests convened at the historic premises of host. Members that could not make it to the Hungarian Capital in person, could follow the deliberations online.
Established in 1921, the Hungarian Chess Federation also became a founding member of the Word Chess Federation (FIDE) in 1924. The marvellous meetings rooms paid tribute to the long tradition in various ways. Next to an impressive amount of trophies gained in international tournaments, the Federation is also equipped by 30 wooden tournament tables, in which already the former Socialist Prime Minister, Kadar, used to play when he trolled over to Falk Utca 10, not far away from the marvellous Parliament building. The Secretary-General, IM Ivan Sipos opened the conference with a welcome speech. Paying tribute to the 100-years jubilee of FIDE, the CH&LS focussed its deliberations on the role of FIDE for international chess.
New book by Juan Morgado on Argentine chess history
Mr Juan Sebastián Morgado (Argentina), informs us of the publication of his new book on the history of chess in Argentina.
He explains:
Here is the link to my latest book, Prehistory, with which I have completed the history of Argentine chess from 1500 to 1955 (20 volumes). In case a museum or library accepts donations, I offer to send them my books directly from Amazon.
See also:
„Der Schach-Verein Bitterfeld“ and much more!
by Siegfried Schönle [Original article in German is here. Translation with DeepL.com (free version)]
Bitterfeld - who doesn't know this place name in East and West Germany and associate it above all with brown coal, the chemical industry, the so-called “Bitterfeld Way” in literature, environmental pollution and now also
- chess on 358 pages!
I would like to contradict a possible reaction to the name Schach-Verein Bitterfeld (Bitterfeld Chess Club) right at the beginning and point out what the reader of this book can expect in terms of “much more”. But first things first!
A wealth and variety of problem chess from the Bitterfelder Tageblatt, expertly explained by Dr. Ralf Jürgen Binnewirtz in his foreword. Ralf J. Binnewirtz also checked the individual “lightweights” for their coherence. In the appendix, p. 333ff, he provides a “historical excursus on the Chinese family” in order to gain “clarity on the development of the Chinese pieces in problem chess”. The reason for his reflections was the discovery of the “Paoma” article by Prof. Dr. P. Seyferth from Bitterfeld in 1936.
Problem chess fans should be delighted.
I would like to emphasize two things from the foreword by the author, Konrad Reiß. He has rightly worked through the life and chess history of the Jewish merchant Max Nussbaum in this chronology (pp. 169-177 and others) and, this should also be emphasized, he has formulated it in an appropriate and source-oriented manner in terms of chess and history. As Konrad Reiß's research has shown, Max Nussbaum was a co-founder of the Bitterfeld chess club, was excluded from the board in 1933 like thousands of other Jews and was murdered in Auschwitz in 1944.
The reader will be interested!
Anniversary book on the founding of the DSB after 150 years
In 2027, the German Chess Federation will celebrate its 150th anniversary. As in the previous anniversary years, an anniversary book is to be published. Herbert Bastian reports on the preparations for this:
Jubiläumsbuch zur Gründung des DSB nach 150 Jahren (German language)
René Wukits 20.5.1972 – 20.7.2024
From Austria we have received the sad news that our friend and fellow CH&LS member René Wukits passed away on July 20th, only 52 years old.
See also: Wiener Schachverband
The 1st Chess Olympiad and creation of the FI(D)E - Epilogue (4/4)
by Jean Oliver Leconte
Fourth and last article dedicated to the 1st Chess Olympiad and the creation of the FI(D)E.
Part one: The 1st Chess Olympiad and creation of the FI(D)E - The first steps (1/4)
Part two: The 1st Chess Olympiad and creation of the FI(D)E - Getting organized (2/4)
Part three: The 1st Chess Olympiad and creation of the FI(D)E - The Chess Tournament (3/4)
To begin with, here is a photo of the participants in the first Chess Olympiad, which appeared in the Belgian magazine L'Échiquier in 1925.
Read more … The 1st Chess Olympiad and creation of the FI(D)E - Epilogue (4/4)
The 1st Chess Olympiad and creation of the FI(D)E - The Chess Tournament (3/4)
by Jean Oliver Leconte
Third part of the articles dedicated to the 1st Chess Olympiad and the creation of the FI(D)E.
Part one: The 1st Chess Olympiad and creation of the FI(D)E - The first steps (1/4)
Part two: The 1st Chess Olympiad and creation of the FI(D)E - Getting organized (2/4)
I would particularly like to thank Mr Guy Gignac, who sent me an exceptional document. It is the programme for the "International Amateur Chess Tournament", photos of which you have on the left and below.
Read more … The 1st Chess Olympiad and creation of the FI(D)E - The Chess Tournament (3/4)