Wlodomiersz Schmidt was the first Polish grandmaster to acquire the title not on an honorary basis, but by fulfilling the norms. For a long time, the native of Poznan was the best Polish player, later a sought-after coach. He died on 1 April, shortly before his 80th birthday. An obituary by Paul Werner Wagner. | Photo: www.piit.org.pl/
Today, the German chess historian Michael Negele celebrates his 65th birthday! Negele published widely about a variety of topics but his main focus was and is the life and work of Emanuel Lasker, and he was one of the driving forces in editing an extensive three-volume biography about the German World Champion. | Photos: German Chess Federation