Edward Gerstenfeld
Encyclopedia
Edward Issakovich Gerstenfeld (born January 1915, Lviv
– died December 1943 (?), Rostov-on-Don
, USSR) was a Polish chess master
.
Born into a Jewish family in Lviv
, Galicia (then Austria-Hungary
), he took 3rd, behind Henryk Friedman
and Izaak Schächter
, in the Lvov City championships in 1933, took 3rd at Lvov 1933 (LKSz, Oskar Piotrowski
won), took 7th in the Lvov City-ch, and won in the Lvov City-ch in 1935.
In the period between 1935 and 1939, he lived in Lodz
. In 1935, Gerstenfeld shared 4th with Jakub Kolski
, behind Izaak Appel
and Achilles Frydman
, in Lodz (quadrangular), tied for 2nd-5th with A. Frydman, Schächter and Abram Szpiro
in Lodz (pre-Olympic tournament, Friedman won), and took 15th in Warsaw (the 3rd Polish Chess Championship
, Savielly Tartakower
won). In 1936, he played a match against Szpiro in Lodz, shared 2nd with Schächter, behind Szpiro, at Częstochowa (POL-ch elim.), and tied for 2nd with Appel, behind A. Frydman, in Lodz (ŁTZGSz). In 1936/37, he shared 1st with Paulin Frydman
and Appel in Lodz. In 1937, he took 5th in the Lodz City-ch, and tied for 9-10th in Jurata
(the 4th POL-ch; Tartakower won). In 1938, he took 6th in Lodz (Vasja Pirc
won).
In Summer 1939, before World War II
broke out, he returned to Lvov. According to the secret agreement between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany (Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact), Lvov was captured by the Soviets, and then incorporated to the Ukrainian SSR in Autumn 1939 (the German–Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Demarcation).
In March 1940, he took 4th in Lviv (Western Ukrainian championship, Abram Khavin
won). In 1940, he tied for 16-17th in Kiev (the 12th Ukrainian Chess Championship
, Isaac Boleslavsky
won). In August 1940, he won in Lviv, followed by Appel, Friedman and Schächter. In 1940, he shared 1st with Mark Stolberg
in Kiev (USSR-ch semi-final). In September–October 1940, Gerstenfeld took 17th in Moscow (the 12th USSR Chess Championship
). The event was won by Andor Lilienthal
and Igor Bondarevsky
. In January/February 1941, he won ahead of Appel, Friedman, Emanuel Rubinstein
and Schächter, in the Lviv City championships. In June 1941, he was at 3rd place in Rostov-on-Don (the 13th USSR-ch semi-final), when Operation Barbarossa, the German attack on the Soviet Union, interrupted the event.
The exact cause of his death remained unclear. According to one source, he became a victim of Nazi atrocities in Autumn 1942 (the Lemberg Ghetto or the Belzec extermination camp
), but to others, he was shot by Nazis during the mass killing of Jewish people in Rostov-on-Don
, Russia, in December 1943. Rostov-on-Don was liberated by the Soviet Army on February 14, 1943.
Lviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
– died December 1943 (?), Rostov-on-Don
Rostov-on-Don
-History:The mouth of the Don River has been of great commercial and cultural importance since the ancient times. It was the site of the Greek colony Tanais, of the Genoese fort Tana, and of the Turkish fortress Azak...
, USSR) was a Polish chess master
Chess master
A chess master is a chess player of such skill that he/she can usually beat chess experts, who themselves typically prevail against most amateurs. Among chess players, the term is often abbreviated to master, the meaning being clear from context....
.
Born into a Jewish family in Lviv
Lviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
, Galicia (then Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
), he took 3rd, behind Henryk Friedman
Henryk Friedman
Henryk Friedman was a Polish chess master.He lived in Lvov . In 1926–1934, Friedman won seven times in succession the Championship of Lvov but 1930, when he took 2nd place behind Stepan Popel. Friedman played in four Polish championships. In 1926, he took 14th in Warsaw . The event was won by...
and Izaak Schächter
Izak Aloni
Izak Aloni was an Israeli chess master.-Biography:Aloni, born Schächter in Buchach, Galicia , was twice Lvov champion , and four-times Lvov sub-champion . He played twice in Polish championships. In 1935, he tied for 12-14th in Warsaw...
, in the Lvov City championships in 1933, took 3rd at Lvov 1933 (LKSz, Oskar Piotrowski
Oskar Piotrowski
Oskar Piotrowski was a Polish chess master.In 1902, he played in several chess tournaments in Berlin; took 2nd, behind Eduard Dyckhoff, in the Berlin Finckenschaft-Turnier, tied for 4-5th in the Café Kerkau Free Tournament , lost a game to Ranneforth in a match Anderssen Chess Club vs...
won), took 7th in the Lvov City-ch, and won in the Lvov City-ch in 1935.
In the period between 1935 and 1939, he lived in Lodz
Lódz
Łódź is the third-largest city in Poland. Located in the central part of the country, it had a population of 742,387 in December 2009. It is the capital of Łódź Voivodeship, and is approximately south-west of Warsaw...
. In 1935, Gerstenfeld shared 4th with Jakub Kolski
Jakub Kolski
Jakub Kolski was a Polish chess master.In the period 1920-1930s, Kolski was one of the strongest Lodz chess players. In 1922, he won ahead of Dawid Daniuszewski in Lodz . In 1924, he took 2nd, behind Gottesdiener, in Warsaw . In 1926, he tied for 3rd-7th in Warsaw...
, behind Izaak Appel
Izaak Appel
-Biography:In 1926, he took 12th. place in the Warsaw competition, which was won by Dawid Przepiórka. In 1929, he took 2nd place, behind Teodor Regedziński, in the Championship of Łódź. In 1930, he took 6th place in Zoppot , the event won by Paulin Frydman. In 1930–1934 and 1937, Appel won...
and Achilles Frydman
Achilles Frydman
-Biography:He lived in Łódź where he took 4th place and tied for 5-6th in the city championships. In 1935, he took 5th in Warsaw at the 3rd Polish Chess Championship, an event won by Savielly Tartakower. The same year, he took 7th in Łódź...
, in Lodz (quadrangular), tied for 2nd-5th with A. Frydman, Schächter and Abram Szpiro
Abram Szpiro
Abram Szpiro was a Polish chess master.Born in Germany, he moved with his family to Łódź, Poland. He tied for 7-8th , shared 4th , and twice took 6th in Łódź City championships. He represented Łódź in the 2nd Polish Team Chess Championship at Katowice 1934...
in Lodz (pre-Olympic tournament, Friedman won), and took 15th in Warsaw (the 3rd Polish Chess Championship
Polish Chess Championship
Individual Polish Chess Championship is the most important Polish chess tournament, aiming at selecting the best chess players in Poland. Based on the results of the tournament , the Polish Chess Federation selects the national and subsequently the olympiad team.The first men's championship took...
, Savielly Tartakower
Savielly Tartakower
Ksawery Tartakower was a leading Polish and French chess Grandmaster. He was also a leading chess journalist of the 1920s and 30s...
won). In 1936, he played a match against Szpiro in Lodz, shared 2nd with Schächter, behind Szpiro, at Częstochowa (POL-ch elim.), and tied for 2nd with Appel, behind A. Frydman, in Lodz (ŁTZGSz). In 1936/37, he shared 1st with Paulin Frydman
Paulino Frydman
Paulino Frydman was a Polish chess master.-Biography:...
and Appel in Lodz. In 1937, he took 5th in the Lodz City-ch, and tied for 9-10th in Jurata
Jurata
Jurata - popular Polish sea side resort, part of the town of Jastarnia. Located on the Hel Peninsula in forested area between Jastarnia and Hel, on the Baltic Sea, Puck County, Pomeranian Voivodeship.-History:...
(the 4th POL-ch; Tartakower won). In 1938, he took 6th in Lodz (Vasja Pirc
Vasja Pirc
Vasja Pirc was a leading Slovenian chess player. His name is most familiar to contemporary players as the originator of the hypermodern Pirc Defense...
won).
In Summer 1939, before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
broke out, he returned to Lvov. According to the secret agreement between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany (Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact), Lvov was captured by the Soviets, and then incorporated to the Ukrainian SSR in Autumn 1939 (the German–Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Demarcation).
In March 1940, he took 4th in Lviv (Western Ukrainian championship, Abram Khavin
Abram Khavin
Abram Leonidovich Khavin was a Ukrainian chess master.In 1937, he took 6th in Kiev .In 1938, he tied for 4-6th in Kiev ....
won). In 1940, he tied for 16-17th in Kiev (the 12th Ukrainian Chess Championship
Ukrainian Chess Championship
This is a list of all the winners of the Ukrainian Chess Championship, including those held when Ukraine was a Soviet republic and those held after Ukraine became independent. Players' names listed in parentheses indicate that the player won the tournament but did not receive the title since he...
, Isaac Boleslavsky
Isaac Boleslavsky
Isaac Yefremovich Boleslavsky was a Soviet–Jewish chess Grandmaster.-Early career:Boleslavsky taught himself chess at age 9...
won). In August 1940, he won in Lviv, followed by Appel, Friedman and Schächter. In 1940, he shared 1st with Mark Stolberg
Mark Stolberg
Mark Moiseevich Stolberg was a Russian chess master.Stolberg won the Rostov-on-Don City championship in 1938. The next year he took 2nd in a Soviet master candidates tournament...
in Kiev (USSR-ch semi-final). In September–October 1940, Gerstenfeld took 17th in Moscow (the 12th USSR Chess Championship
USSR Chess Championship
This is a list of all the winners of the USSR Chess Championship. It was the strongest national chess championship ever held, with eight world chess champions and four world championship finalists among its winners...
). The event was won by Andor Lilienthal
Andor Lilienthal
Andor Arnoldovich Lilienthal was a Hungarian and Soviet chess Grandmaster. In his long career, he played against ten male and female world champions, beating Emanuel Lasker, José Raúl Capablanca, Alexander Alekhine, Max Euwe, Mikhail Botvinnik, Vasily Smyslov, and Vera Menchik...
and Igor Bondarevsky
Igor Bondarevsky
Igor Zakharovich Bondarevsky was a Soviet Russian chess Grandmaster in both over-the-board and correspondence chess, an International Arbiter, trainer, and chess author...
. In January/February 1941, he won ahead of Appel, Friedman, Emanuel Rubinstein
Emanuel Rubinstein
Emanuel Rubinstein was a Polish chess master.In the 1920s, Emanuel Rubinstein from Cracow was a collaborator of the Wiener Schachzeitung. He took 4th at Cracow 1926 ....
and Schächter, in the Lviv City championships. In June 1941, he was at 3rd place in Rostov-on-Don (the 13th USSR-ch semi-final), when Operation Barbarossa, the German attack on the Soviet Union, interrupted the event.
The exact cause of his death remained unclear. According to one source, he became a victim of Nazi atrocities in Autumn 1942 (the Lemberg Ghetto or the Belzec extermination camp
Belzec extermination camp
Belzec, Polish spelling Bełżec , was the first of the Nazi German extermination camps created for implementing Operation Reinhard during the Holocaust...
), but to others, he was shot by Nazis during the mass killing of Jewish people in Rostov-on-Don
Rostov-on-Don
-History:The mouth of the Don River has been of great commercial and cultural importance since the ancient times. It was the site of the Greek colony Tanais, of the Genoese fort Tana, and of the Turkish fortress Azak...
, Russia, in December 1943. Rostov-on-Don was liberated by the Soviet Army on February 14, 1943.