In memoriam Rudolf Reinhardt
* 1937-02-02 † 2006-09-02
A bitter loss ...
Our chess friend Rudolf Reinhardt is no longer with us. After he had seemingly felt much better he completely unexpectedly passed away in his family circle in Berlin on Saturday, September 2, 2006. I think I spoke last to him on the phone in July 2006, after two light strokes in spring he had sounded quite optimistic. Just last week he had delivered a contribution to the coming Nimzowitsch issue of the cultural chess magazine KARL, so his creativity seemed to be restored as well. A fatal false estimation ...
As his wife told me Rolf Reinhardt was a "fighter" who knew how to deal in a disciplined manner with a serious illness, we got to know and to esteem him as an endearing, very dependable and well-read chess researcher. It will be a special matter of concern to the Ken Whyld Association to remember his work and to facilitate the publication of his book – so far completed by him as a manuscript - including Nimzowitsch games unpublished till now.
Mr Reinhardt had studied mathematics and physics, in Neukölln he had managed the training of student teachers as the head of the upper school; but he had a passion for history and certainly for chess as well. I will never forget the way he - as a kibitzer - followed with such an interest the games at the Lasker rapid tournament in October 2005. He was an attentive and critical listener but he particularly appreciated a conversation with like-minded chess friends and he willingly shared his wide-ranging knowledge with them. So we will have most pleasant memories of Rolf Reinhardt who - as a founding member - attended our meetings in Forchheim (2004) and Amsterdam (2005). Our sympathies are with his wife as well as with his two sons and their families.
