Persons celebrating an Anniversary in December 2006

This time Santo Daniele Spina makes his debut in our column, the professor of archaeology from Sicily celebrated his 41st birthday on Decemer 2nd. A first introduction already occurred in the Publications of our members, and the impressive list of his chess publications can be admired online as well. Some time ago – more precisely in February 2000 – he was "in the portrait" of the magazine Fernschach International (incl. a photo at the title page), likewise you will find a biographical note with further details on Sicilia Scacchi Web. [Former links broken (12/2007).]

On December 8th the inevitable happened to Bert Corneth, our current treasurer from the Dutch town of Leidschendam could look back on half a century. From the famous "Letter to Bert" he is above all familiar to us as a profound collector – unfortunately he is extremely busy in his job so that he is hardly able to keep up his hobby, and that’s also the reason why he will have to give up the treasurer’s post next year. But we are always pleased to welcome him at our occasional meetings such as lately at the MEC book market in November, and also his visit to Michael Negele in Wuppertal was recorded on our pages.

Dale A. Brandreth of Caissa Editions has really reached three-quarters of a century now, he celebrated his special day on December 17th. We have already met the publisher of outstanding chess books in the Publications of our members as well as in the 2004 issue of this column, this time we can only present a (slightly updated) book list of his company’s publications.

Once again our December’s senior is Kurt Landsberger, his 86th birthday being imminent 3 days before New Year’s Eve – as usual he will celebrate it while spending the winter in Boca Raton (Florida). After repeated appreciations in this place (2003, 2004, 2005) there’s not so much new this time – at least we can announce that the biography of his great-granduncle William Steinitz has now been published by McFarland in a (presumably enlarged) softcover edition. We regret a little that Kurt’s visit (together with his son) to the Emanuel Lasker Society on May 12th, 2006 in Berlin has not been further documented.

Congratulations!

PS: You will find all previous birthday greetings in our archives!