So Bogo was at one point the world No 1.>

Sure and even if we accept this as gospel, that system rated Maroczy as king of the hill briefly. Do you seriously believe that either of these players were the strongest at any given time? Also I'll bet Bogo's two month "reign" came to an end after New York 1927. You know, the one where Vidmar and Marshall played but not Bogo. And those players weren't stronger than Bogoljubow either.

<Wanted: substantiation of this brief news report on page 215 of the July-September 1949 CHESS:

Interview with Grandmaster Bogolyubov

Our chess staffer, Mr Heinemann, had the opportunity yesterday to chat with grandmaster chess Bogolyubov on some current issues:

First Question: Which of your skills do you attribute your success as a chess master? Answer: First of all my imagination, also my memory and my talent for rapidly appraising positions.

Second Question: Can we learn to "play good chess" scientifically? Answer: No, whilst scientific training can probably lead to great improvement, chess is art and praxis. Personality is important.

Third Question: Which of your opponents is the most difficult? Answer: This is a question of conscience, but listen: I could previously never win against Capablanca. Even in a winning position, I still lost. However, I believe that today I would do better, because I no longer play in so spirited a fashion; I became sober.

4th Question: Everyone thinks you're an optimist. What do you say to this assessment of your personality? Answer: People who know nothing of chess or of the interpretation of character state that I am an optimist. On the other hand, I realize that I am a pessimist by nature. My wife says correctly: (!) ". You should always expect the worst, because if things turn out better, you will be pleased."

5th Question: Why is it that currently Germany has no players of world ranking apart from you? Answer: German chess life is over organized. Many talented players are restricted by this.

In particular, this Bohartirchuk quote is given: “It was not a secret that Bogo did not like the Bolsheviks, but I think only a few people knew that he was treating Hitler's wild ideas with at least equal revulsion and contempt.” Does he give a source for this?

You will understand, however, that many people might think it likely that the claim is true.

That said, I'm not going to judge <Bogo> or <Klaus Junge> or <Alekhine> for their connections-such as they may have existed- to the Nazi Regime in such a way that I think "they were reprehensible men."

They were chessmasters first and foremost. Speaking only for myself, I'm a fan of their games, and I find much else in all three men to admire besides their chess ability. There are less admirable aspects to them as well, of course.

The German town Aachen, where I live since 30 years, has played a prominent role in chess during Nazi times (several tournaments, two national championships). So, I sometimes find something that could be interesting for others, and then I post it.

Here is a visual aid in case anyone wonders what I think after I read a good chess history post:

When the Germans captured Kiev in 1941, <Bohatyrchuk> was a member of the city council, and he served for three years under a Nazi puppet government.

<"Was he a life-saver or a collaborator? Boris Spassky, in a 1997 lecture, recalled that he met Bohatrychuk in 1967 and said that during the occupation of Kiev 'he saved hundreds of people.' But Spassky added that when he showed Botvinnik a postcard he received in 1970 from Bohatrychuk, Botvinnik said: "I would personally <<<hang this man>>> in the center of the city.">

When the Red Army retook Kiev, <Boha> fled west and played in a Nazi-sponsored tournament in Poland, where he roomed with <Bogoljubow>.

As for <Bogo>, apparently he helped at least one master escape:

<"Bogolyubov... played a role in bringing another master through the lines. Alexey Selesniev... was living in Stalinio... when it was overrun by the Nazis. Bogolyubov, who had not seen Selesniev in 17 years, apparently managed to get him <<<transferred>>> to Triberg... Selesniev eventually reaached Bordeaux, France, where he died, virtually forgotten, at age 79 in 1967.">

I read an article about Bohatyrchuk in Chess Life in the 80s. It recounts that sometime in the 1930s Botvinnik gave Bohatyrchuk a book (don't know which one) with the self-deprecating inscription that he hoped it would improve Bohatyrchuk's opinion of his play. If true, that would indicate that Botvinnik wanted to hang B. later for being (in Botvinnik's eyes) a traitor, not for beating him.

One of the reasons the Soviets got even angrier with him, however, is that he subsequently joined a very strange "Pro-German army of liberation" on his circuitious, and highly dangerous, journey from Kiev to safe haven in Ottawa.

He loved Kiev, and he always thought of himself as a Ukrainian first, and whatever else they forced him to be after. He'd already risked his life earlier on numerous occasions. He states that he got away with begging off a Soviet chess event on the grounds that Kiev had already changed hands 12 times and he'd prefer to stay home and be with his family in case something even more heinous happened. He also recounts the story when he had to do some fast talking to avoid prison or worse when he inadvertently purchased a fur coat from an NKVD officer in a "sting" operation.

In his own memoirs, he makes it clear that he had little use for either Stalin or Hitler's governments.

It was one thing to be in Paul Keres' shoes, and even Keres escaped danger by a mere hair's breadth after playing in events under German auspices. For a player of somewhat lesser stature to have engaged in what the Soviets would have considered outright collaboration would have meant a certain date with the executioner.