Norman van Lennep
Encyclopedia
Norman Willem van Lennep (20 September 1872 – 29 September 1897) was a Dutch chess
master.
Born into a wealthy family in Amsterdam
, he dropped out of education early, and in 1893, at the age of 20 became a secretary of the Dutch Chess Federation and an editor of its magazine. In 1893 he drew two matches with Rudolf Loman
(+2 –2 =0 and +1 –1 =1) and won a match against Arnold van Foreest
(+3 –0 =2). He won at Leipzig 1894 (the 9th DSB Congress
, Hauptturnier A), and took 5th at Rotterdam 1894 (Loman won).
Mr. van Lennep’s fame had preceded him when he came to England, in August 1895, as the selected reserve of the chess masters who had entered for the Hastings 1895 chess tournament
. He stayed on as a journalist, filing reports on the tournament for his magazine. Suddenly, an announcement was made that Van Lennep has decided to stay in England. The letters he wrote to his parents from England have survived. It seems that he was exiled by his father, who, unhappy with his involvement with chess, wanted him to settle down, find a steady job and get married. But the idea of office life did not appeal to young Norman, nor did he feel any attraction towards the opposite sex.
Finally, he returned to Holland, won followed by L.D. Tresling, D. Bleijkmans and A. van Foreest at Amsterdam 1897, and killed himself, jumping into the North Sea
, at the age of 25.
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...
master.
Born into a wealthy family in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, he dropped out of education early, and in 1893, at the age of 20 became a secretary of the Dutch Chess Federation and an editor of its magazine. In 1893 he drew two matches with Rudolf Loman
Rudolf Loman
Rudolf Loman was a Dutch chess master.Loman had been living in London for a number of years. He played chess for money against rich Englishmen, like his Dutch pupil Jacques Davidson, though he had another profession, organ player...
(+2 –2 =0 and +1 –1 =1) and won a match against Arnold van Foreest
Arnold van Foreest
Jhr. Arnold Engelinus van Foreest was a Dutch chess master.Younger brother of Dirk van Foreest, he thrice won Dutch Championship.He took 8th at The Hague 1878 Jhr. Arnold Engelinus van Foreest (29 June 1863, Haarlemmermeer - 24 June 1954, Apeldoorn) was a Dutch chess master.Younger brother of Dirk...
(+3 –0 =2). He won at Leipzig 1894 (the 9th DSB Congress
DSB Congress
The Deutschen Schachbund had been founded in Leipzig on 18 July 1877. When the next meeting took place in the Schützenhaus on 15 July 1879, sixty-two clubs had become member of the chess federation. Hofrat Rudolf von Gottschall became Chairman and Hermann Zwanziger the General Secretary...
, Hauptturnier A), and took 5th at Rotterdam 1894 (Loman won).
Mr. van Lennep’s fame had preceded him when he came to England, in August 1895, as the selected reserve of the chess masters who had entered for the Hastings 1895 chess tournament
Hastings 1895 chess tournament
The Hastings 1895 chess tournament was a round-robin tournament of chess conducted in Hastings, England from August 5 to September 2, 1895.Hastings 1895 was arguably the strongest tournament in history at the time it occurred. All of the strongest players of the generation competed...
. He stayed on as a journalist, filing reports on the tournament for his magazine. Suddenly, an announcement was made that Van Lennep has decided to stay in England. The letters he wrote to his parents from England have survived. It seems that he was exiled by his father, who, unhappy with his involvement with chess, wanted him to settle down, find a steady job and get married. But the idea of office life did not appeal to young Norman, nor did he feel any attraction towards the opposite sex.
Finally, he returned to Holland, won followed by L.D. Tresling, D. Bleijkmans and A. van Foreest at Amsterdam 1897, and killed himself, jumping into the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
, at the age of 25.