Klaus Junge
Encyclopedia
Klaus Junge was one of the youngest German chess
masters.
was a strong chess player who won the Chilean Chess Championship in 1922. In 1928 the parents, together with their five sons, returned to Germany.
On 11–20 August 1939, he, along with Wolfgang Unzicker
(14 years old), Edith Keller
(17), Rudolf Kunath (15) and Karl Krbavic (17), played in Fürstenwalde (Jugendschachwoche) near Berlin.
In 1941, at the age of 17, Klaus Junge was considered one of the strongest players in Germany. In 1941, he won the championship of Hamburg. In May 1941, he won at Bad Elster (qual. GER ch.). In August 1941, he tied for 1st with Paul Felix Schmidt
at Bad Oeynhausen
(8th German Championship
), although he lost a playoff match against Schmidt for the title at Bromberg (+0 –3 =1). In October 1941, he took 4th, behind Alexander Alekhine
, Schmidt, and Efim Bogoljubow
, at Kraków/Warsaw (the 2nd General Government-ch
).
In January 1942, Junge won the Dresden tournament. In 1942, he took 2nd, behind Walter Niephaus
, at Leipzig. In April 1942, he took 2nd, behind Carl Carls
, at Rostock. In June 1942, he tied for 3rd-4th with Schmidt, behind Alekhine and Paul Keres
, at the Salzburg 1942 chess tournament
. In September, he took 7th at the Munich (1st European Championship), won by Alekhine. In October 1942, he took 2nd, behind Alekhine, at Warsaw/Lublin/Kraków (the 3rd GG-ch). In December 1942, he tied for 1st with Alekhine at Prague (Duras Jubileé, 60-jährigen Jubiläum). In 1942–1943, he played three correspondence tournaments, beating among others Rudolf Teschner
, and Emil Joseph Diemer.
Klaus Junge, whose father had been a member of the Nazi Party since 1932, was an adherent of the National Socialist ideology
. As a lieutenant, refusing to surrender, he died in combat against Allied troops on April 17, 1945 in the battle of Welle on the Lüneburg Heath
, close to Hamburg, three weeks before World War II ended.
In 1946, Regensburg hosted the first Klaus Junge Memorial. The event was won by Fedor Bohatirchuk, ahead of Elmārs Zemgalis
, Wolfgang Unzicker, etc.
According to Dr. Robert Hübner
, Klaus Junge was the greatest German chess talent in the 20th century.
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
masters.
Biography
Junge was born into a German Chilean family. His father OttoOtto Junge
Carlos Otto Junge was a Chilean–German chess master.He was Chilean Champion in 1922. The Junge family moved from Chile to Germany in 1930. They lived in Hamburg, and played in Hamburger Schachklub in 1930s. Carlos Otto Junge became a member of NSDAP in 1932...
was a strong chess player who won the Chilean Chess Championship in 1922. In 1928 the parents, together with their five sons, returned to Germany.
On 11–20 August 1939, he, along with Wolfgang Unzicker
Wolfgang Unzicker
Wolfgang Unzicker was one of the strongest German chess Grandmasters from 1945 to about 1970.He decided against making chess his profession, choosing law instead....
(14 years old), Edith Keller
Edith Keller-Herrmann
Edith Keller-Herrmann was a German woman chess master. She was born in Dresden.In August 1939, Keller , along with Klaus Junge , Wolfgang Unzicker , Rudolf Kunath and Karl Krbavac , played in Jugendschachwoche Fürstenwalde near Berlin...
(17), Rudolf Kunath (15) and Karl Krbavic (17), played in Fürstenwalde (Jugendschachwoche) near Berlin.
In 1941, at the age of 17, Klaus Junge was considered one of the strongest players in Germany. In 1941, he won the championship of Hamburg. In May 1941, he won at Bad Elster (qual. GER ch.). In August 1941, he tied for 1st with Paul Felix Schmidt
Paul Felix Schmidt
Paul Felix Schmidt was an Estonian chess International Master, chess writer, and chemist.- Biography :In June 1935, he won, ahead of Paul Keres, at Tallinn. In May 1936, he drew a match against Keres at Pärnu. In 1936, he won the 8th Estonian Championship at Tallinn. In December 1936, he placed...
at Bad Oeynhausen
Bad Oeynhausen
Bad Oeynhausen is a spa town in the Minden-Lübbecke district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.- Geography :Bad Oeynhausen is located on the banks of the Weser river, which runs along the eastern edges of the town. Bad Oeynhausen has the world's highest carbonated, thermal saltwater fountain,...
(8th German Championship
German Chess Championship
The German Chess Championship has been played since 1861, and determines the national champion.Prior to 1880 three different federations organized chess activities in Germany: the Westdeutscher Schachbund , the Norddeutscher Schachbund and the Mitteldeutscher Schachbund . Each one organized its...
), although he lost a playoff match against Schmidt for the title at Bromberg (+0 –3 =1). In October 1941, he took 4th, behind Alexander Alekhine
Alexander Alekhine
Alexander Alexandrovich Alekhine was the fourth World Chess Champion. He is often considered one of the greatest chess players ever.By the age of twenty-two, he was already among the strongest chess players in the world. During the 1920s, he won most of the tournaments in which he played...
, Schmidt, and Efim Bogoljubow
Efim Bogoljubow
Efim Dmitriyevich Bogolyubov was a Russo-German chess grandmaster who won numerous events and played two matches with Alexander Alekhine for the world championship.-Early career:...
, at Kraków/Warsaw (the 2nd General Government-ch
General Government chess tournament
General Government chess championships were held during World War II:- Participants :*Alexander Alekhine /*Efim Bogoljubow /*Paul Felix Schmidt /*Klaus Junge /*Karl Gilg /*Josef Lokvenc /*Hans Müller /...
).
In January 1942, Junge won the Dresden tournament. In 1942, he took 2nd, behind Walter Niephaus
Walter Niephaus
Walter Niephaus was a German chess master.-Biography:Born in Mörs am Niederrhein , he won Frankfurt City Championship in March 1942, won ahead of Fritz Sämisch and Ludwig Rellstab at Bad Elster in May 1942.He took 11th at Bad Oeynhausen 1942 , and won ahead of Klaus Junge at...
, at Leipzig. In April 1942, he took 2nd, behind Carl Carls
Carl Carls
Carl Carls was a German chess master.In 1922, he took 2nd, behind Erhardt Post, in Bad Oeynhausen...
, at Rostock. In June 1942, he tied for 3rd-4th with Schmidt, behind Alekhine and Paul Keres
Paul Keres
Paul Keres , was an Estonian chess grandmaster, and a renowned chess writer. He was among the world's top players from the mid-1930s to the mid-1960s....
, at the Salzburg 1942 chess tournament
Salzburg 1942 chess tournament
The main organiser of Salzburg 1942, Ehrhardt Post, the Chief Executive of Nazi Grossdeutscher Schachbund, intended to bring together the six strongest players of Germany, the occupied and neutral European countries; world champion Alexander Alekhine, former champion Max Euwe, challenger Paul...
. In September, he took 7th at the Munich (1st European Championship), won by Alekhine. In October 1942, he took 2nd, behind Alekhine, at Warsaw/Lublin/Kraków (the 3rd GG-ch). In December 1942, he tied for 1st with Alekhine at Prague (Duras Jubileé, 60-jährigen Jubiläum). In 1942–1943, he played three correspondence tournaments, beating among others Rudolf Teschner
Rudolf Teschner
Rudolf Teschner was a German chess master and writer.Teschner was seven times Champion of Berlin. In 1948, he won an East-Zones Championship in Bad Doberan, and later in 1951 took the German Championship .Teschner was leading member of the German Chess Olympic team in 1952 and 1956...
, and Emil Joseph Diemer.
Klaus Junge, whose father had been a member of the Nazi Party since 1932, was an adherent of the National Socialist ideology
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
. As a lieutenant, refusing to surrender, he died in combat against Allied troops on April 17, 1945 in the battle of Welle on the Lüneburg Heath
Lüneburg Heath
The Lüneburg Heath is a large area of heath, geest and woodland in northeastern part of the state of Lower Saxony in northern Germany. It forms part of the hinterland for the cities of Hamburg, Hanover, and Bremen and is named after the town of Lüneburg. Most of the area is a nature reserve...
, close to Hamburg, three weeks before World War II ended.
In 1946, Regensburg hosted the first Klaus Junge Memorial. The event was won by Fedor Bohatirchuk, ahead of Elmārs Zemgalis
Elmars Zemgalis
Elmārs Zemgalis , is a Latvian-American chess master and mathematics professor. He was awarded an Honorary Grandmaster title in 2003.- Biography :...
, Wolfgang Unzicker, etc.
According to Dr. Robert Hübner
Robert Hübner
Robert Hübner is a respected German chess Grandmaster, chess writer, and papyrologist . At eighteen, he was joint winner of the West German Chess Championship...
, Klaus Junge was the greatest German chess talent in the 20th century.
Notable chess games
- Kurt Richter vs Klaus Junge, Bad Oeynhausen 1941, GER-ch, Trompowsky Attack, A45, 0-1
- Klaus Junge vs Paul Mross, Krakow 1941, Nimzo-Indian, Rubinstein Variation, E47, 1-0
- Alexander Alekhine vs Klaus Junge, Salzburg 1942, Semi-Slav Defense, Marshall Gambit, D31, 0-1
- Klaus Junge vs Čeněk Kottnauer, Prague 1942, Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, D46, 1-0
- Klaus Junge vs Emil Josef Diemer, XVII.corr. tournament 1942-43, King's Gambit Accepted, C34, 1-0
- Klaus Junge vs Walter Sahlmann, Hamburg 1944, Sicilian, Scheveningen Variation, B84, 1-0