General Meeting at Forchheim

Overview

From September 17th to 19th, 2004 more than 35 members and guests of the "Ken Whyld Association" visited this year’s meeting in the Franconian town of Forchheim. The KWA which was not founded until November 2003 now already numbers more than 110 members world-wide who are joined by a common interest in chess literature and chess history.
The meeting gave the KWA board for the first time the opportunity of presenting the preliminary results of their previous activities to the members; it was prepared in an exemplary manner by the two Forchheim founding members Rudolf Glenk and Udo Güldner. Apart from the meeting the chess friends who had arrived from the whole of Germany, from the European neighbouring countries and even from the USA had sufficient time for personal conversations, additionally a guided tour of the Forchheim old town centre and a book market for exchanging or buying antiquarian chess literature were offered. The Sunday visit of the exhibition "Fascination and Terror" at the Nuremberg Nazi Party Rally Grounds was an impressive ending.
At the general meeting in the hall of the inn "Roter Ochs" – also meeting place of the local chess club – the chairman of the KWA Dr. Jurgen Stigter (Amsterdam) and the other present board members Hans Engberts (Utrecht), Roger Klittich (Brunswick) and Dr. Michael Negele (Wuppertal) could point to an encouraging progress during the first months after the foundation. The initiators showed themselves impressed by the immense popularity of the KWA which should not least be attributed to the terrific internet website designed by the webmaster Dr. Ralf Binnewirtz (Meerbusch). In spite of these initial successes the board is aware of the requirement for further improvements of cooperation and for intensifying the contacts among the regional member groups in order to pursue permanently the ambitious aims of the association. So Andrew Ansel (Walnut Creek, USA) intends to contribute more to the board work in future and to coordinate some projects from the USA.
Apart from the planned publications [End of this year the Zukertort biography by the Polish historians Tomasz Lissowski (Warsaw) and Dr. Cezary Domanski (Lublin), translated into German by Thomas Lemanczyk will be published by the Exzelsior publishing house.] the production of an internet database as a universal bibliography of chess literature is in the focus of the attention of the KWA. Andreas Saremba (Brieselang) delivered to the present members an interesting lecture on the basic concept of an hierarchical data structure favoured at the moment; afterwards Jurgen Stigter explained the next steps for a technical realization of this internet project.
Also a second lecture of the young Swiss chess historian Richard Forster (Zurich) about his work of 900 pages that has appeared recently, a biography and game collection of the English chess master Amos Burn, met an active interest. Especially the demonstration of the required techniques to form such a thick chess historical book in consistency offered valuable suggestions for potential emulators in the auditorium.
Finally the board gave an outlook for the next meetings of the KWA [Informal meeting at Brunswick on 2004-19-11, on the evening before the 45th auction in the auction house Klittich-Pfankuch; Board Meeting on the occasion of the book market taking place in the Max-Euwe-Centre at Amsterdam on 2004-11-27; General Meeting expected in the middle of September 2005 either in the Musée Suisse du Jeu, La Tour-de-Peilz (Switzerland) or in the Max Euwe Centre, Amsterdam (Netherlands).] and appealed to the members for more commitment regarding the collaborative work on club activities.

(Initially intended to use for a press report by Michael Negele)

Evening welcome and dinner

Friday, 2004-09-17

  • Our guest Kurt Landsberger, who travelled far from Verona, NJ, a great-grandnephew of Wilhelm Steinitz, arriving at Nuremberg airport.
  • Jurgen Stigter flanked by our Polish friends Tomasz Lissowski and Dr. Cezary Domanski.
  • Merry and comfortable atmosphere in the "Roter Ochs": Wolfgang Remin and Godehard Murkisch are talking intensively.
  • The Klittich family and our new member Lothar Schmid are in a wonderful mood.
  • After a short speech Rudolf Glenk distributes a nice gift (see picture on the right) to all guests of the evening.
  • The "Polish trio" Tomasz Lissowski, Thomas Lemanczyk and Dr. Cezary Domanski.
  • Jurgen Stigter still looking slightly sceptical, our secretary Michael Negele is "pointing the way".
  • Andreas Saremba is obviously in an affable mood.
  • enri Serruys, Günter Büsing (both from the back), Rudolf Glenk, Georg Böller (guest), Andreas Saremba, Hans Engberts.
  • Manfred Mädler, Ralf Binnewirtz, Wolfgang Remin and Godehard Murkisch
  • Again Manfred Mädler (from the back), Ralf Binnewirtz, bernd ellinghoven, Wolfgang Remin and Godehard Murkisch – a very convivial company
  • In the front Henri Serruys, Andreas Saremba, Hans Engberts; in the background Hubert Petermann, Kurt Landsberger and bernd ellinghoven (-be-).
  • Udo Güldner, Dusan Vukovic and guest Norbert Fieberg
  • Jurgen Stigter, Marion Oeben-Negele, Adelheid Klittich-Pfankuch, Hans Engberts
  • Hubert Petermann, Rudolf Reinhardt, Hans-Jürgen Fresen, Richard Forster

Book market

Saturday morning, 2004-09-18

  • Experts being by themselves (1): Manfred Mittelbach and Ralf J. Binnewirtz at the table of bernd ellinghoven (-be-).
  • Richard Forster who is evidently very satisfied with his "(chapter of his) life work" on Amos Burn, on the other hand Hubert Petermann is counting the money for nice chess books.
  • Experts being by themselves (2): Hans-Jürgen Fresen, Manfred Mittelbach and Lothar Schmid. Next to them Henri Serruys is waiting for customers.
  • A good chance to get in contact: Manfred Mädler (on the left) meets Andreas Saremba, next to them 7.5 kg "Amos Burn".
  • Two "old" friends of Ken Whyld meet in Forchheim.
  • Rudolf Glenk – one of the initiators of our meeting – is obviously enjoying our book market.
  • We express our sincere thanks to Prof. Vlastimil Fiala and his kind wife for the excellent presentation of the "Moravian chess" book selection. Rudolf Reinhardt (in the middle) shows himself very interested.
  • Vlastimil Fiala and Michael Negele are giving their full attention ...
  • Otto Hutter from Augsburg being buried in the new book on Amos Burn.
  • bernd ellinghoven seems to be a bit amazed about the "bizarre" phenomena going on around him. Hans-Jürgen Fresen presents new acquisitions to Manfred Mittelbach.
  • In the front: bernd ellinghoven and Martin Ramsauer, our expert for book restoration.
  • Business talk "en passant": the Klittich family together with our member Walter Simon from Vienna.
  • Decorated with white-blue flags: Hans-Georg Kleinhenz from Munich in conversation with Jurgen Stigter.
  • Our agile guest from Hirschau: Georg Böller (expert on problem chess of the Bavarian Chess Federation), whom we would like to offer our belated birthday greetings – he turned 75(!) end of August –, in conversation with Dusan Vukovic from Belgrade.
  • Richard Forster is slightly disturbed while signing his work.
  • Tomasz Lissowski and Richard Forster are busy studying chess literature, ...
  • ... whereas Manfred Mittelbach - as an exception - is busy with worldly matters, that's not surprising in view of the excellent cuisine of the "Roter Ochs" (see picture on the right).
  • Ralf Binnewirtz and Günter Büsing examining new problem literature at –be-’s book table.
  • Guest Georg Beigel, Rudolf Reinhardt and Wolfgang Remin.
  • Henri Serruys who offered his new work on bookplates, together with Rudolf Reinhardt (on the right).
  • Guest Hans Jürgen Matheiowetz at the table of Dusan Vukovic.
  • Ralf Binnewirtz and Günter Büsing.
  • Georg Beigel and Georg Böller (guests) together with Henri Serruys at the book table of Vlastimil Fiala
  • Hustle and bustle at the book table of Moravian Chess (1).
  • Hustle and bustle at the book table of Moravian Chess (2).
  • Hustle and bustle at the book table of Moravian Chess (3).
  • Wolfgang Remin and Walter Simon.
  • Jurgen Stigter and Henri Serruys jointly assess the quality of a recent publication.

Guided tour through the old town centre

Saturday afternoon, 2004-09-18

In the early afternoon a major part of the participants gathered on their way to the Forchheim old town centre in front of the conference venue "Roter Ochs" for a group photo. Brilliant sunshine and the well-informed guided tour by Udo Güldner made the tour of the town a welcome pleasure.

In addition we can offer you a virtual guided tour through Forchheim.

  • Our webmaster RB blinking in the midday sun; on the right Thomas Lemanczyk and Manfred Mädler have begun to brood over something, behind them Hubert Petermann.
  • Across the footbridge in the direction of the town centre – ahead our guide Udo Güldner.
  • Tomasz Lissowski, Michael Negele, the ladies Adelheid Klittich-Pfankuch and Marion Oeben-Negele (together with giant schnauzer Hannah) as well as Otto Hutter.
  • Hans Engberts and Roger Klittich in front of the “Saltorturm”.
  • Near the “Kaiserpfalz” (Imperial Palace; truly a former bishop’s castle).
  • Exhibition taking place in the “Kaiserpfalz”: Franconia in the Middle Ages.
  • A short break while moving upward to the “Bastion”
  • Our guide is already a bit exhausted. Nevertheless he insists on enlightening us about the “Forchheimer Mauerscheißer” (Forchheimer having a shit from the top of the wall)
  • On the way to the marketplace / town hall.
  • The marketplace provides a wonderful historical backdrop.
  • The building of the municipal council.
  • Details of the magnificent half-timbered front – the town hall midget practises defensive magic against evil spirits.
  • Further Details of the same front
  • Hans-Jürgen Fresen, Jurgen Stigter, Lothar Schmid and Georg Böller (wearing a bibliophilic tie) talking shop before the meeting.
at the table: Günter Büsing, bernd ellinghoven, Manfred Mittelbach, Norbert Fieberg, Hans-Jürgen Fresen
at the table: Günter Büsing, bernd ellinghoven, Manfred Mittelbach, Norbert Fieberg, Hans-Jürgen Fresen

An illustrious circle did without the guided tour through the town, the beer garden close to the inn Roter Ochs also invited for that.

General Meeting

late Saturday afternoon, 2004-09-18

Our chairman Jurgen Stigter comments on the first year's results after the foundation of the Ken Whyld Association.
Our chairman Jurgen Stigter comments on the first year's results after the foundation of the Ken Whyld Association.

Introduction (pdf file or Open Office-sxi-file)

Cash statement / Budget 2005 by Hans Engberts and Jurgen Stigter (pdf file or Open Office-sxi-file)

Progress database (pdf file or Open Office-sxi-file)

Our secretary Michael Negele explains the previous operations
and planned book projects to the audience.
Presentation (Powerpoint-ppt-file)

You will find a note on the 2nd edition of Ken Whyld’s
Chess Reader on our page Publications.
For the book project "Chess History in Argentina and the Chess Olympiad 1939 in Buenos Aires" (J. Morgado, Prof. Gomez) please
see this paper (pdf-file).

Kurt Landsberger introduced himself in perfect German to those present and gave a short sketch of the life of Wilhelm Steinitz.
Kurt Landsberger introduced himself in perfect German to those present and gave a short sketch of the life of Wilhelm Steinitz.
Andreas Saremba presenting very clearly the concept of the database.
Andreas Saremba presenting very clearly the concept of the database.

Andreas Saremba presenting very clearly the concept of the database.

Slides relevant to the lecture as
- pdf file or as
- Open Office-sxi-file

FRBR Entity Levels
(Powerpoint-ppt-file)

How to write a chess biography? – Richard Forster with fundamental ideas on writing chess historical works.
How to write a chess biography? – Richard Forster with fundamental ideas on writing chess historical works.

You may study the lecture here once again:

  • Partial view of the audience (1)
  • The other half of the hall
  • Familiar faces (in the front Günter Büsing and H.-J. Fresen) listening with concentration.
  • Partial view of the audience (2)
  • The audience being captivated by the lectures.
  • Hans Engberts, Cezary Domanski, Tomasz Lissowski and Andreas Saremba

Trip to Nuremberg

Sunday morning, 2004-09-19

Impressive closing of our meeting: visit of the exposition "Fascination and Terror" in the Documentation Centre Nazi Party Rally Grounds at Nuremberg.

You will learn more about the "Scenes of Terror" on the site
Documentation Centre Nazi Party Rally Grounds.

A flyer on the documentation centre:

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