"Jewish and Aryan Chess" article and Alekhine's open letter regaring his alledged authorship

At the onset of World War II, world chess champion Alexander Alekhine resided in France. Banned from returning to his native Russia, Alekhine applied for an American visa but it was denied. In April 1941, he relocated to Portugal, but without his wife, Grace Wishaar, who stayed behind safeguarding her chateau La Chatellenie Saint-Aubin-le-Cauf in Normandy. Alekhine competed in a number of tournaments in Germany and occupied countries during the war.In 1941 Alexander Alekhine wrote a series of articles called "Jewish and Aryan Chess”, which appeared in several European newspapers. The articles tried to present Jewish players as defensive and cowardly while Aryan players as embracing an aggressive and bold approach. An article from Chess (October 1941) preserved in our collection serves as an illustrative example of these writings. In a 1944 interview, however, Alekhine vehemently denied any collaboration with the Nazis. He asserted that his participation in German chess tournaments occurred under duress, and the articles attributed to him had been significantly altered by Nazi authorities.Following the war, Alekhine faced exclusion from chess tournaments. In an open letter published in Chess in January 1946, he defended his actions. Alekhine explained that playing in Germany and the occupied territories was not only a means of survival but also the price he paid for his wife’s freedom. Furthermore, he categorically denied ever writing any articles that disparaged Jews or promoted Aryan superiority in chess.