El ajedrecista de Auschwitz. La partida final

by John Donoghue, Albert Fuentes Sánchez (Translator)

Una apasionante novela sobre un torneo a vida o muerte entre un prisionero judío y un sargento nazi.  1944. Emil Clément tiene dos su familia y el ajedrez. Cuando ingresa como prisionero en Auschwitz su único obje­tivo es pasar desapercibido para sobrevivir, pero su habili­dad para arreglar relojes lo pone en el punto de mira. Cuando los nazis deciden celebrar un campeonato de ajedrez para entretener a los oficiales, Emil, el Relojero, tiene la mala for­tuna de ganar a su adversario y convertirse así en una ame­naza para las autoridades nazis, que no van a permitir que un judío les plante cara. 1962. Convertido en un jugador de ajedrez profesional, Emil volverá a enfrentarse a su pasado cuando Paul Meissner, un oficial de las SS con quien compartió su experiencia en el campo, llama a su puerta para pedirle perdón. El ajedrecista de Auschwitz es una novela ambientada en la Segunda Guerra Mundial sobre una amistad imposible surgida de la pasión por el ajedrez. Una historia conmovedora que explora los límites del perdón y la culpa en un escenario escalofriante, el campo de concentración de Auschwitz. «Cautivadora. Esta historia se construye como una partida de ajedrez mientras explora temas como la supervivencia, la culpa y la amistad.» The Jewish Book Council

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Chess, Historical, World War II, Book Club, War

416 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2015

About the author

John Donoghue has worked in mental health for over twenty years and written numerous articles about the treatment of mental illness in a variety of medical journals. He is married and lives in Liverpool

Reviews

[Suz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much in the same way as the tradition I have with my mum by sharing books like Maeve Binchy and Rosamunde Pilcher semi regularly; my dad and I have this thing going where he grabs a library book and passes it on to me. Books past have been Foal's Bread (great book) and Me and Rory Macbeath - even better. Love his librarian of his, but that’s another story for another day.

This summer holiday he passed me this treasure. It is a solid four star book in my humble opinion. Those with stronger historical knowledge than I will surely appreciate this book. So many books written on this topic, but as I’m quite new to it, I’m not over run by books of this era.

A serious read, more so than I like at this time of summer holiday, but I was on a mission. The author indexed his work on any page that required an explanation. All factual. My fiction is normally lighter and quicker, but this author was so methodical and factual that one can learn a lot from this novel.

Auschwitz, a Jewish man Emil and his oppressor Paul Meissner. We can only imagine the things we read about. But what transpires is a friendship that one would never dream about. One that I thought was awesome.

‘Cattle cars unloading their human cargo’

‘Do you want to know what really happens in a concentration camp, or do you want to hear lurid tales of what one had to do in order to survive?'

Or from the other side -

‘I tell myself I am fortunate. I am not in the camp where the killing is done and I am not involved in the brutality. In fact, I am quite insulated from it. But that does not absolve me from the guilt in which I must share because I am here and do nothing to prevent it. I tell myself that it would be futile - what would I achieve other than getting shot by the Gestapo? But the little rats’ teeth are gnawing at me without mercy’.

Life and death. Guilt and survival in horrific terms. I liked this story about these two men which from an outsiders’ view would assume hatred. I liked the humanity and I liked them as people, able to be separated from the bad stuff. I liked them both in equal measure.

This was not a book I would have embraced, but did so due to my dad. I hope others out there can experience some of this sort of thing through books. It's not just the physical pages, it's the connection. So good don't you think?

[✔️ JAVI ®️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

7/10 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Emil Clément, prisionero 163291 alias el relojero, se verá involucrado en un campeonato de ajedrez contra las SS e incluso contra la Gestapo. A su alrededor surgirán diferentes intereses en su victoria o su derrota. Convirtiéndose así en el centro de atención de las SS en el peor escenario posible... Auschwitz.
20 años después aflorará una amistad de la que el relojero ni siquiera era consciente con el oficial Paul Meissner de las SS.

John Donoghue usa el horror del holocausto como escenario de su ópera prima. Una tragedia real, como ambientación, que aún sobrecoge y sorprende por su infinita crueldad. Una temática que potencia cualquier historia si el escritor tiene buena prosa y está documentado. Siendo este el caso de Donoghue, que utiliza una escritura de apariencia sencilla, fluida y agradable que solo está al alcance de buenos escritores. Y buena documentación, incluso con anotaciones a pie de página.
Casi un diez hasta ahora. Pero cuando entra la parte de ficción me ha penalizado mucho el hecho de que la narración alterne dos fechas distintas (cuando los protagonistas están en Auschwitz y 20 años después), perdiendo y desaprovechando así toda emoción por la suerte de los personajes en la época temporal de Auschwitz, al aparecer también en la de 20 años después. Dejando así toda la tensión, solamente, para el resultado de las partidas de ajedrez. A pesar de los continuos saltos en el tiempo, estos no "marean" y se entiende perfectamente.
Una notable lectura que con otros recursos podría haber llegado a la excelencia.

[Maria Espadinha · Rating 4 out of 5]

O Veto da Sobrevivência


O Holocausto é uma Mancha Negra na História da Humanidade — NUNCA devia ter acontecido!… Porém, como aconteceu, foi catalisador de múltiplas histórias comoventes capazes de despertar os melhores e os piores sentimentos. Algumas narram verdades e outras quase verdades. O Clube de Xadrez de Auschwitz insere-se no segundo grupo. É uma história empolgante e bem engendrada, mas… será que acrescenta algo mais a tudo o que já se falou, disse e contou?!…

Quanto a mim, sim!…

Não só pelo tipo de personagens como pelas questões que (direta ou indiretamente) levanta. Exemplificando:

Será um contra-senso um militar não maquiavélico cometer um ato maquiavélico mesmo que o execute por ordem doutro hierarquicamente superior?
Bem… a verdade é que… o corolário duma hipotética recusa seria um encontro mandatório com o pelotão de fuzilamento…

O instinto de sobrevivência pode ser cruel para outros, mas a consciência não é menos (para o próprio). Ao evitar o fuzilamento, o dito militar, será massacrado pela culpa…

Como se diz nos USA, “It’s a no win situation”:
“what would I achieve other than getting shot by the Gestapo? But the little rats’ teeth are gnawing at me without mercy…”

Consciência e Sobrevivência nem sempre jogam do mesmo lado!…

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a moving and poignant novel, set around events in Auschwitz during the war. SS Obersturmfuhrer Paul Meissner arrives in Auschwitz, having been injured in Russia. In charge of overseeing satellite industrial labour camps, he is ordered to improve morale and, bizarrely, is told that SS officers should take an interest in culture. Meissner’s answer is to start a chess club. Competition becomes fierce between the officers and the men, but then a suggestion occurs which causes the camp hierarchy to feel extremely unsettled. Rumours abound in the camp about a Jewish chess player who is unbeatable and this challenges Nazi ideology. Emil Clement has arrived at Auschwitz with his wife, mother and two young sons. Now he has no idea whether they are alive or dead, but his love of chess gives him a sense of hope. However, playing chess with the enemy is quite another prospect, when life and death hinges on the outcome of a game.

The storyline in this novel alternates between events during the war and a 1962 chess tournament in Amsterdam, where Emil Clement is playing. When he is drawn against Wilhelm Schweninger, an ex member of the Nazi party, who worked in the Ministry of Propaganda during the war, those organising the tournament are concerned. Clement, now living in Israel, says there is no such thing as a good German, while Schweninger is unrepentant about his time as a National Socialist. Events are changed when a bishop approaches Clement and he realises that the man was once known to him, long ago, in Auschwitz. Together, the bishop, Clement and Schweninger, rediscover their past and come to terms with the long road which has left them stranded in a world they cannot come to terms with.

This book explores the guilt of the perpetrator, as well as the guilt of the survivor and looks at a most unlikely friendship between men who consider themselves as enemies. Mostly, though, it is just a very well imagined – and original – story about a chess game held in incredible circumstances; when a Jewish prisoner is forced to confront the SS and three men are forced to confront their pasts. An excellent read, wonderfully realised and with interesting characters, this would be an ideal book for reading groups, with lots of themes to discuss. This is an impressive debut and I look forward to reading more from this talented author.

[Amanda B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one and have been investigating if the author has written other books. Despite other books listed under John Donoghue, I have come to the conclusion that this is the only one written by this particular JD. Shame....

[Vishy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read most of the book in one day. Couldn't put it down. The story goes like this - in the Auschwitz concentration camp, there is a Jewish prisoner known as 'The Watchmaker' who plays chess. There is a legend that he is unbeatable. And there is an SS officer, who is like the second in command of the camp, who is given the task of improving the morale of the officers by introducing a cultural activity. After consulting with other officers, he decides to start a chess club and a competition. Things go well, till the chess competition stays among the officers. But when the SS officer hears of the legendary Watchmaker, he can't resist organizing a game between the officers and the Watchmaker. And then the fun starts. (Or as the Tamil writer Sujatha would say - 'Appodhu thaan vinay aarambithathu' - which roughly translates to 'that is when the trouble started.')

The book is about the horrors of Auschwitz. It is also a story of guilt, forgiveness, friendship. It is also a love letter to this beautiful game called chess. If you are a chess fan or you like reading about that period of history, this book is highly recommended.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Death’s Head Chess Club – Fantastic Read

The Death’s Head Club by John Donoghue has written a wonderful book that draws you in and delivers a book that may seem bleak with the background of Auschwitz but delivers a clever and entertaining book. Each chapter is given a title that tends to reflect a chess move, but then that should be no surprise as a book that is set around chess games. This is a moving novel that examines an impossible friendship between a Jewish inmate of the death camp and a Waffen-SS Officer in which forgiveness, survivor guilt and bitterness are challenged.

SS Obersturmfuhrer Paul Meissner is an officer of the Waffen-SS who has been badly injured on the deadly Eastern Front and he is only fit for administrative duties and a position has been found for him at Auschwitz organising the work at the Monowitz slave labour factory complex. He is charged with raising the morale of the soldiers in the camps and organises a chess competition which is successful, wins praise from senior officers even if a Gestapo Officer wins the competition. That Gestapo Officer, Klaus Hustek will clash throughout the story with Meissner and played a deadly game of cat and mouse with him.

Emil Clément is a Jewish inmate at Auschwitz who arrived with his wife, children and their grandmother and he has no idea whether they are dead or alive. He is spared due to the fact that he is skilled and can be used in the workshops at Monowitz, where his fame as watchmaker grew amongst the Nazi for repairing watches. When he hears that there are chess games played in the barracks he is able to bribe his way in to the game and his reputation as unbeatable grows from there.

Meissner hears about this unbeatable Jew and starts to have him play members of the SS officers who had won various games in the chess championship. Again he wins time and time again until the time he has to play Hustek and the game of cat and mouse begins to keep Emil alive and out of the way of the Gestapo and his bullying tactics and the attempt to have him selected for the chambers.

Emil Clément is in Amsterdam for the World Chess Championship and he is well known for his writing and thoughts that there are no good Germans, and he has drawn Willi Schwengier who had worked at the Propaganda Ministry during the war. It is not until a Catholic Bishop introduces himself to Emil that throws him in to a confused state of remembering the war as that bishop was Meissner.

As the story is told as to how unbeknown to Emil and Willi, it was Willi that indirectly had helped save his life. Switching between Amsterdam 1962 and Auschwitz we are told the story via the game of chess and how a strange friendship and respect grew over the board. We also see the game of cat and mouse develop that is more than Jew verses Nazi there is something far more medieval taking place and it will be a fight to the death.

This is a wonderful book that can challenge you on friendship and trust at the same time is a wonderful story that really does draw you in. While the events that were taking place in Auschwitz are not covered the spectre of them is always there in the background and the fear that Jews felt towards the captors. This is truly a great read and an enjoyable something that is not usually associated with Auschwitz.

[Girish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did a marathon to finish Death's Chess Head club audiobook in a day. The book kept you hooked with a virtual chess game happening between the players across time period- a story of compassion, impossible frienships and forgiveness.

1962 World Chess Championship and 'The Watchmaker' survivor of Aushwitz is pitted against a German grandmaster in the first round. He gives out a radio interview that there were no good Germans and maintains the 'unbeatable' reputation by winning him in the first round. The next day he meets SS Obersturmfuhrer Paul Meissner who is a dying priest and who has served life sentence, seeking forgiveness for himself and to help the Watchmaker

Through a narrative that moves back to 1944 in the Auschwitz camp, we hear of the interesting chess club which was formed for improving the morale of the SS staff at Auschwitz. When he comes to know of this Jewish prisoner 'The Watchmaker' who is unbeatable, he takes an interest in him. In an environment of hatred, corruption and horror where value of life is next to nothing - there emerges a vague relationship of protection.

As Meissner says not one life was lost due to him. The impossible friendship in 1962 is evolved well. The beaten German grandmaster too joins them and they help the dying man. The chapters are named after Chess strategies and needless to say the story is in-line with the reference.

The only major objection I had to this was the painting of good and bad people at the camp which I have come to believe is a pointless retrospection. Having read multiple non-fiction and fictional accounts I have realised it is more on making sense of the war times. A legal executioner or a soldier does not really consider himself a villian for taking out a life.

Having said that, this is a very readable book.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

enjoyed this book based in ww2 Auschwitz-Birkenau and 1962 Amsterdam a relationship between a Jewish watchmaker and a SS solider and their love of chess

[Keith Currie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a brave person, I think, who bases a novel around events in Auschwitz – the very name of the place is so resonant with belief, symbolism, brutality and evil. There is a risk that to create a work of fiction might appear to trivialise what happened there. I always felt slightly uncomfortable about the content of ‘The boy in the striped pyjamas’, as its central premise seemed so unlikely, given our knowledge of the truth of the place. Similarly the central conceit of this novel, that a Jewish prisoner would be permitted to compete in chess matches with SS officers and to beat them, seems so implausible as to render the novel potentially valueless.

Yet the novel is not without value. I think the author himself felt some of the qualms I have suggested as he feels his way into the story tentatively, carefully, hesitantly; even awkwardly with his use of footnotes to define the different ranks of the SS, as if that is of any real interest in the story which unfolds. If he were himself a chess player, I read him as a cautious opener, with a complex middle game and a fast and decisive end game – as this is how the novel develops. Not that knowledge of chess is in any way necessary to appreciate the story – the moves described in the games are perfunctory and merely add colour to the plot – the novel could equally be centred on a draughts or scrabble player.

I had reservations throughout my reading, but I never felt like laying the book aside. Donoghue writes well; he draws interesting characters; his plot, set in 1944-45 and 1963 is well developed; he deals with real and important issues; he clearly has done significant research (sometimes laid on rather heavily). I felt this was a worthy book which attempted not to sensationalise, but not to avoid either, one which in the end had a positive message, enough to keep this reader held to the conclusion.

I received this as a review copy – and am grateful. It is a book which I am glad to have read.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Μια υπέροχη, βαθιά συγκινητική και ανθρώπινη ιστορία, βασισμένη σε ένα από τα μεγαλύτερα εγκλήματα κατά της ανθρώπινης ύπαρξης, για τη φρίκη του πολέμου, την ανθρώπινη αξιοπρέπεια, το θάνατο, την επιβίωση, τη φιλία, τη συγχώρεση, τη λύτρωση με μέσο ένα πνευματικό παιχνίδι: το σκάκι.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate that this book sat on my shelf for 4 years exciting me with its potential. I truly thought it'd be a 5 star read and it ended up a 2 star read.
I think Donoghue had good intentions but ultimately the book was misguided. I didn’t feel anything for the characters. In fact, they didn’t even seem real. Everything felt contrived, as though Donoghue thought that by setting the book in Auschwitz he automatically had an emotional story the reader would be invested in. He didn’t. He needed to actually put in work. Everything needed to be so much more developed. It's disappointing to read a novel set during a period in history that is synonymous with such immense heartache and suffering, but as a reader feel almost wholly unable to connect to it.
The way the characters interacted with each other and with their environment felt incredibly unnatural. It was so robotic and clunky I could never settle comfortably into the story.
In terms of the actual content, I think it's possible to write a really successful story of unexpected friendship, forgiveness and reconciliation against all odds, but this isn't an example.
I was actually beginning to get pretty annoyed by the dynamic between Emil and Paul especially, but also Emil and Willi. That a Jewish prisoner should be persuaded, gently or otherwise, to sit down and chat with two Nazis about the war was just weird to me. There’s something a little apologist about it. Not as though the author is excusing anything about the Holocaust but rather suggesting that reconciliation between the perpetrators and victims is necessary.
I just felt there was a bit of mollifying going on in this novel - this idea that anger is counterintuitive and that “talking it out” is the path to healing for this Jewish man. I especially didn't appreciate that suggestion coming from an ex-Nazi who is part of the reason he requires any healing at all.
So not only did I not like any of it, I just didn't believe it. I didn't believe the friendships and I certainly didn't believe the process through with those friendships were formed. The way the story pivoted around chess also felt clichéd to me. All it really amounted to was some common ground for these characters to find. It felt as though the entire story boiled down to the cheap suggestion that everything is okay because we've all come together through chess.
Very disappointing. As far as Holocaust novels go, this is way below par.

[Carol Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was sent a free copy of this book to review, by Real Readers
This is a very intelligent debut novel, covering issues of guilt, forgiveness, hatred and religion. Paul Meissner is an officer from the Waffen-SS who was wounded on the Russian Front. Only fit for administrative duties, he is sent to Auschwitz, where he is set the task of improving morale among the camp staff. He sets up a chess club, which thrives when the officers and enlisted men are allowed to gamble on the results of the games. Eventually, Meissner learns that the prisoners also play chess, and that there is a Jewish watchmaker who is considered unbeatable.

The novel shifts between life in Auschwitz toward the end of the war, and an International Masters chess game in Amsterdam, in 1962; it tells how the inhumanity in the Camp affects the lives of the perpetrators and the survivors all these years later. The story makes a very strong case for forgiveness, showing how hatred and the desire for revenge can ruin the lives of victims.

I don’t play chess, or understand the moves, and I was concerned that this would spoil the book for me. In fact, I found that I was skipping the parts that described the games in detail, but I can’t say whether or not this spoiled my appreciation of the story. I would be interested to know the views of someone who does play, and who understands the moves described.

Initially, I found the story quite compelling although some of the details of life at Auschwitz were hard to read; however, I did feel that the way the characters were reconciled, how they lost the hatred and bitterness, all in the course of a few days, a little hard to believe. When one has felt so much animosity, for so many years - can it be overcome so easily? This book didn’t really prove the point for me, but it still made a very good read that I would recommend to others.

[Steven Raszewski · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent novel! About Auschwitz very saddening; but, books like this need to still be written so we never forget! Along the lines of Pretty Birds, City of Thieves and Warsaw Anagrams, all moving books. On a lighter note I am a chess addict which is why I picked up the book in the first place. Anything on chess I read. This made me pull out my chess books to look at again.

[Benjamin Parra · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 but closer to 5

[Ariannha · Rating 4 out of 5]

La partida final es una novela que se desarrolla en dos tiempos distintos: en 1944 durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial en el campo de concentración de Auschwitz y en 1962 en Ámsterdam. La historia sigue a Emil Clément, conocido como "El Relojero", un prisionero judío que sobrevive jugando al ajedrez con los oficiales nazis. Años después, Emil se enfrenta a un alemán en un torneo de ajedrez, y se encuentra con Meissner, un ex oficial de las SS, que desencadena una serie de recuerdos y emociones sobre el pasado.

La ambientación está muy bien lograda, el autor captura la brutalidad del Holocausto y la lucha por la supervivencia en Auschwitz, así como la tensión y el remordimiento en la post-guerra que enfrenta a víctimas y verdugos. A través del ajedrez, el autor encauza una historia donde se dejan expuestas las heridas de un pasado reciente para tratar de buscar el camino del perdón y con suerte el olvido.

La historia que más me atrapó es la que ocurre (en el presente) en 1962, donde somos testigos de una larga conversación entre los dos personajes, veinte años después de los hechos que los marcaron. Clément sigue soportando el dolor de la guerra en la que perdió todo lo que le importaba, y a sus cincuenta años, ha perdido la esperanza de encontrar algo que alivie su pasado; escribió un libro, testificó contra los condenados por crímenes contra la humanidad, pero nada era suficiente para liberarse del dolor.
Meissner, por el contrario, se enfrenta a una de sus víctimas con una última misión: redimirse por lo que hizo y obtener su perdón. Sin embargo, en la mente de Clément, la palabra "perdón" no tiene cabida, una palabra muy fácil de decir, pero muy difícil de pronunciar, cuando hubo un odio que te había alimentado día tras día.

Lo que más me ha llamado la atención es que esta es la primera novela del autor, quien hasta el momento se ha desempeñado como profesional de la salud mental. Anteriormente, sólo había publicado artículos sobre el tratamiento de las enfermedades mentales en diversos periódicos y revistas médicas. Considero que ha sido un gran estreno, y le seguiré la pista.


“Aquí no existe ni el bien ni el mal, solo la supervivencia. Es un deber sobrevivir y cada vida que puede salvarse es una victoria”.

[Sarah Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Death’s Head Chess Club by John Donoghue is another book for my book club. Not a book I would normally pick up, but I thought it was very good.

A fictional book with a researched factual background set around events which happened in Auschwitz during the war (got to love footnotes in a work of fiction). The book tells the story of two main characters Emil Clement, a Jew known as The Watchmaker, who is a prisoner in Auschwitz and SS Obersturmfuher Paul Meissner, a German Officer. The structure of the novel goes between 2 timelines, Auschwitz in 1944 and Amsterdam 1962. Both are lifelike characters and portray the possible 2 sides to the story. I thought it an unusual choice to portray both points of view from the concentration camp, but it does appear to work.

Meissner is sent from the Russian from to Auschwitz after being badly wounded. He is tasked with improving camp morale within the officers. He sets up a chess club which proves to be very popular not only with the SS Officers but with the prisoners too. Meissner learns that the Jews have an unbeatable player and sets out to discover the truth. The novel follows what happens in Auschwitz between Clement and Meissner in 1944 and how they meet again in Amsterdam in 1962.

A very moving story, and any book which tackles the story of Auschwitz, in my opinion has its work cut out. Such horrendous acts are difficult to portray in a work of fiction, without sensationalising them or trivialising them. A factual account of Auschwitz focuses on the millions of people who died during the holocaust. It is almost impossible to comprehend. By focusing on one individual and telling the story of the horrors which happened to that person, somehow makes it more real, more imaginable. By switching between the 2 timelines, it enables us as the reader to think not only of what happened at Auschwitz but makes us consider what happened to the survivors after the war and how they lived with what happened at Auschwitz. It has a good story line and is well written, so I did not think that it took anything away from the horrors which happened at Auschwitz.

A novel which deals with life and death, the human capacity for evil and goodness, forgiveness, and friendship. Not an easy subject to write about or to read but I thought the novel was very well written and thought provoking.

[Ninnytendo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Death’s Head Chess Club by John Donoghue is a wonderful moving story about forgiveness, friendship and redemption.

The story follows SS Obersturmfuhrer Paul Meissner, a Waffen-SS officer who has been sent to Auschwitz III-Monowitz after being badly injured on the Eastern front. His administrative duties include the slave labour factory and to raise the morale of the soldiers. He starts a chess competition amongst the officers and soldiers and eventually finds out that the inmates have their own chess competition, won by an unbeatable Jew everybody calls the Watchmaker.

Emil Clément is a French Jew who works at the workshop and after repairing a few watches for the Nazis gains the nickname of The Watchmaker. He manages to bribe an entry into the inmates’ chess competition and beats every contestant with his highly skilled game.

Fate unites Paul Meissner and Emil in Monowitz and later at the 1962 Chess Championships in Amsterdam, where they will reminisce about life, fate and their unlikely friendship.

The beginning of the story is a little hard to believe, I mean, what are the chances that an Auschwitz inmate would meet one of his SS captors at a chess championship in 1960s Amsterdam? However, if you can accept the setting and get past it you are in for a wonderful and enjoyable read. The story is very touching and it expresses very human feelings of redemption, forgiveness and acceptance. Through the story the characters will form an unlikely friendship between people who would never have met otherwise and have to trust each other to survive. They both get a chance to express how the war and Auschwitz affected them.

The author sets the story when the characters meet in Amsterdam in 1962 and uses flashbacks to Auschwitz at the end of the War to provide the needed background to follow the characters and understand the reasons which brought them together. I am not an avid chess player and was a bit worried the chess references and moves would be hard to follow but I found it easy to understand and it didn’t put me off the story.

I have read many books (both fiction and non-fiction) about WWII and this has become one of my favourites, which I totally recommend to anybody interested in this time in history.

[Francyy · Rating 5 out of 5]

La quinta stella per il tema. Comunque un libro molto bello, nonostante sia un romanzo inventato e forse, un po' troppo buonista. Ma coinvolge e fa pensare anche ai rapporti umani, che drammaticamente il lager non è in rarissimi casi riuscito ad uccidere. Personaggi interessanti, tutti. Avendo solo rudimentali cognizioni sugli scacchi sicuramente ho perso delle sfumature, quelle che collegano il nome del capitolo agli eventi narrati, ma non inficia la scorrevolezza della trama. Finale un po' in caduta....

[Έλλη Δ · Rating 5 out of 5]

ΑΠΟΣΠΑΣΜΑ ΑΡΘΡΟΥ ΑΠΟ ΤΟΝ ΣΥΝΔΕΣΜΟ
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Επιτέλους!
Πρόκειται για το αριστουργηματικό Deaths Head Chess Club του ψυχιάτρου συγγραφέα John Donoghue, που στην ελληνική του εκδοχή από τις Εκδόσεις Λιβάνη το βρίσκουμε με τον τίτλο Ρουά Ματ και συνδυάζει μοναδικά τις μνήμες του Ολοκαυτώματος με τον δαιδαλώδη κόσμο του σκακιού, αλλά και την ατομική κάθαρση!!

ΠΕΡΙΛΗΨΗ
Ο Πάουλ Μάισνερ -αξιωματικός των Ες -Ες ,προκειμένου να ανυψώσει το ηθικό των ανδρών του, ιδρύει μια λέσχη σκακιού ανάμεσα στους αξιωματικούς του στρατοπέδου.
Την προσοχή του θα κεντρίσει ένας Γαλλοεβραίος όμηρος, ο Εμίλ Κλεμάν που ανάμεσα στους κρατούμενους έχει τη φήμη του "ανίκητου" σκακιστή.
Για να τον ταπεινώσει ο αξιωματικός θα τον αναγκάσει να αναμετρηθεί με τους αξιωματικούς της σκακιστικής λέσχης με αντίτιμο τις ζωές Εβραίων συγκρατούμενών του.
Ο Εμίλ , αγωνιώντας για την τύχη της οικογένειάς του, θα αποδυθεί σε έναν αγώνα ζωής και θανάτου πάνω από τις σκακιέρες.
Δεν ξέρει όμως ότι αυτή η "Παρτίδα" θα ολοκληρωθεί 20 χρόνια μετά- σε ένα "παιχνίδι" μνήμης και λύτρωσης...
ΣΧΟΛΙΑΣΜΟΣ
!Το Ρουά Ματ εντάσσεται στην ομάδα λογοτεχνικών έργων που κεντρικό άξονα της πλοκής ή της θεματικής τους έχουν το σκάκι.[...]
Εντούτοις, τα πιο εμβληματικά μυθιστορήματα σχετικά με το σκάκι είναι εκείνα τα κοινωνικά έργα που καταδύθηκαν στην ατμόσφαιρα του σκακιού και δια μέσου αυτής στην ανθρώπινη ψυχή, με χαρακτηριστικότερο την ενδοσκοπική Σκακιστική Νουβέλα του Στέφαν Τσβάιχ.
ΤΟ ΡΟΥΑ ΜΑΤ ακολουθεί την τάση των μυθιστορημάτων αυτών να συσχετίζονται με τον Β ΠΠ, καθώς- κι αυτό- στηρίζεται σε ένα συμπληρωματικό μοτίβο που η αντίθεσή του είναι τόσο ξεκάθαρη όσο τα άσπρο και το μαύρο της σκακιέρας:
Σε αυτήν την παρτίδα αναμετρώνται ένας ναζί αξιωματικός και ένας Εβραίος όμηρος!
Η ιδέα δεν είναι πρωτόλεια: Την έχουμε συναντήσει παλιότερα στο μυθιστόρημα του Πάολο Μάουρεσινγκ "Η Βαριάντα Του Λίνεμπουργκ", όπου ο Εβραίος σκακιστής "Ταμπόρι" παίζει στο Μπέργκεν Μπέλσεν σκάκι με τον Γερμανό αξιωματικό των Ες Ες, "Ντίτερ Φις"-γεγονός που συνδέεται εφιαλτικά με μια δολοφονία 20 χρόνια μετά!
Το βιβλίο του Ιταλού είναι ένα υποβλητικότατο θρίλερ που σα γρίφος οδηγεί στη Νέμεση.
Ο Αμερικάνος Ντόνοχιου, από την άλλη, μεταφέρει το σκηνικό του δράματος στο Άουσβιτς και ξεδιπλώνει αυτήν την ιδέα σε ένα πλαίσιο ιστορικό και βαθιά ανθρωπιστικό- ευθέως στον αντίποδα της Βαριάντας Του Λίνεμπουργκ.
Ζητούμενο στο "Ρουά Ματ" του Ντόνοχιου είναι η αυτογνωσία κι η συγχώρεση!
Η δικαίωση των ηρώων δεν έρχεται με την εκδίκηση αλλά με την ελευθερία.
Η ψυχολογική αυτή διαδρομή, διαποτισμένη από σκακιστικούς συμβολισμούς και την εβραϊκή παράδοση της Καμπάλα, παραλληλίζεται με σκακιστική παρτίδα και οι διαφορες εκφάνσεις της -κεφάλαια- δανείζονται τον τίτλο τους από σκακιστικές κινήσεις κι επώνυμες βαριάντες!
Το αξιοσημείωτο εδώ όμως είναι ότι εν αντιθέσει με τα προγενέστερα κοινωνικά σκακιστικά μυθιστορήματα,εδώ καταλύεται η μοναχικότητα του σκακιστή!!
Πρώτη φορά σε αντίστοιχο έργο έναντι του σκακιού προτάσσεται ο Άνθρωπος.
Το βιβλίο του Ντονοχιου δεν ενδίδει στην γοητευτική "παθολογία"του σκακιού ,αλλά ζητά να τη "θεραπεύσει"...
Η ιερή μυσταγωγία ουσιαστικά δε συντελείται στη σκακιέρα ή στον νου, αλλά στην καρδιά.
Το Ρουά Ματ του Ντόνοχιου ανήκει στα λίγα σκακιστικά μυθιστορήματα που -κατά την άποψή μου- αγγίζουν τους λάτρεις του σκακιού,αλλά ταυτόχρονα μπορούν να συγκινήσουν το ευρύ κοινό, γιατί είναι ανθρωποκεντρικό και δεν προϋποθέτει αυτό το ιδιαίτερο πάθος με το σκάκι, που χρειάζεται για άλλα του είδους.
Εδώ στο προσκήνιο, έρχεται αφοπλιστικά η ανδρική φιλία, αυτή που ανθεί κάτι ατμοσφαιρικές βραδιές με ουίσκι και εξομολογήσεις de profundis , όπως μόνο μεταξύ ανδρών μπορεί να γίνει...
Το δράμα του μυθιστορήματος ξετυλίγεται σε δύο χρονικά επίπεδα.
Το πρώτο είναι η ζωή στο Άουσβιτς την τελευταία τριετία του Πολέμου, και το δεύτερο είναι ένα σκακιστικό τουρνουά στο Άμστερνταμ του 1962.
Έχουμε εναλλαγές στους χρόνους αφήγησης, άρτια σκηνοθετημένες, που συμπληρώνουν την ιστορία μας σαν παζλ...
Σε αυτό συμβάλλει κι η άρτια γλώσσα που ρέει άνετα και οι καλά ιχνηλατημένοι χαρακτήρες.
Τα στιγμιότυπα του στρατοπέδου συγκέντρωσης αποδίδουν παραστατικά και με ιστορική ακρίβεια τις συνθήκες εξαθλίωσης και τις πράξεις θηριωδίας που υπέστησαν οι όμηροι, με κεντρικό πρόσωπο τον Εμίλ Κλεμάν που σταδιακά τα χάνει όλα, ώσπου ένα καπρίτσιο τού επιφυλάσσει την πιο μοιραία συνάντηση, εκείνη με τον παράξενο ναζί αξιωματικό...

Ο Πάουλ Μάισνερ είναι ο κινητήριος μοχλός και ο αρχικός πόλος της μοιραίας αναμέτρησης, ένας χαρακτήρας άκρως ενδιαφέρων, ένα πεδίο, όπου μάχωνται η αποκτήνωση και η ακεραιότητα.
Γύρω από τους δυο, άλλοι εξίσου ενδιαφέροντες "ανθρωπότυποι".
Η σύμπτωση ή "θεία πρόνοια" 20 χρόνια μετά θα έρθει να απαλύνει και να επουλώσει τις πληγές όλων, όχι μέσα από κάποιον ατομικής φύσης διαλογισμό ,αλλά μέσα από τη συναναστροφή:
Το μέγα ζητούμενο στο "Ρουά Ματ" είναι το Αντάμωμα με τον Άλλον.
[...]
Μια μοναδική ιστορία με όρους σκακιστικής παρτίδας που όμως δεν εγκλωβίζεται στη "δυναστεία των πιονιών", αλλά αναζητά την "Ψυχή" πίσω από τα χέρια που τα κινούν!
Το Ρουά Ματ είναι ένα από τα πιο συγκινητικά βιβλία για τη φιλία
ΤΟ ΠΛΗΡΕΣ ΑΡΘΡΟ
http://stonasterismotouvivliou.blogsp...

[Eduardo Rocha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un ajedrecista es obligado a jugar partidas contra oficiales de la SS y en algunos casos una victoria significa salvarle la vida a otro de los prisioneros, varios años después vuelve a encontrarse con algunos de los oficiales y vuelven a revivir esos momentos del pasado, muy buena historia que vale la pena conocerla.

[Gill Chedgey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Death’s Head Chess Club - John Donoghue

I suppose this is a timely publication given the 70 year anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

But it is a brave writer who attempts a work of fiction about the Holocaust. Is there room for sentiment or poetic licence? The history of the Holocaust is well documented so there is no room nor excuse for inaccurate research. There are survivors for whom the subject is too painful for them to speak of so there is an argument for those who can, to perpetuate, by whatever means, fact or fiction, the knowledge of this atrocity. And so Mr. Donoghue receives a mark for that.

The use of the chess game as metaphor in the cultural arts is not a new one. It’s the first time I’ve seen it used within the subject of the Holocaust. And its given me food for thought. Did anybody see it as a game? I liked most of the chapter titles being given a particular chess reference. I do not play chess and am ignorant of the subtleties of the game. I believe it to be a thing of beauty from what I have seen and heard and I think it has been cleverly used here. I am sure that the term ‘pawns’ has been utilised to describe the occupants of any concentration camp. Mark number two for Mr. Donoghue.

Also the story raises the ever present conundrums that must perplex all students of the Holocaust.
Why there were so few rebellions amongst the multitudes within the camps whom outnumbered their captors but were without ‘resources’. And why those engaged in such wickedness didn’t rebel against it at the time? Even as I write them I know they are questions without answers. We know of certain German individuals who saved lives, Oskar Schindler for one. And I have no doubt that there must have been German officers who did not believe that what they were doing was in any way ‘okay’. And in this novel Paul Meissner represents that view. I believe he is a symbol for the true feelings of many. I hope so anyway. So that is a third plus mark for John Donoghue.

I know, from what I have read and seen, that many survivors experience an overwhelming guilt for having survived when so many perished and also how many survivors never find it in their hearts to forgive what was done. It is suggested that Emil does but I remain unconvinced. No marks here.

What I also find unconvincing is the passage of time where the three protagonists appear to reconcile with each other at the chess tournament in Amsterdam in the 1960’s in such a relatively short space of time. All individuals are different, granted, but there are many survivors who took twenty plus years to even speak of their ordeal and the barbarity they witnessed to their closest family. No marks here.

At the conclusion of the book there is something touching about a survivor and a German returning to Birkenau but also something slightly unbelievable about it. It does convey how very bleak Birkenau is. I have never been anywhere in my life where the evil is so very palpable. So a mark there for accurately conveying how it feels to be at Auschwitz ‘after the event’.

I do find myself questioning why anyone wants to write a work of fiction about the Holocaust. John Boyne received some criticism for The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas because there never would have been any children left alive to work at Auschwitz, they would have been gassed upon their arrival. It brings me to my earlier point about room for sentiment and poetic licence. But I suppose the real merit in these fictions is to never allow the Holocaust to be forgotten in the hope that nothing like it will ever happen again. People who may eschew factual accounts may read a story. And for that I’ll award two marks.

Put to one side the emotive subject matter and this is the work of a credible and capable writer. An ably constructed novel where the shift in time frames is dealt with smoothly. Some of the characters are stereotypical and subscribe to our existing view of Nazis, Gestapo and the SS but the main characters are allowed to develop their personalities. The research is sound and if this is a first novel, and I believe it is, there is something to look forward to in the future. A further mark.

You are a brave man, Mr. Donoghue, to tackle this subject in a fictional work and I award you seven marks out of ten.

[Marie Richter · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5 stars

This is another book that seemed to jump off the library shelf and demand my attention. WWII historical fiction can be hard for me to read, especially stories related to the concentration camps. I was nervous about tackling this one, but Donoghue does an excellent job of relying more on his characters to tell the story, rather than their gruesome and grim circumstances.

The narrative is structured as an interplay between present day (1962 Amsterdam) and flashbacks from 20 years prior in Nazi Germany and Auschwitz, the death camp in Poland. Like so many others, Emil Clement is arrested for being Jewish, and is sent with his family to Auschwitz. There, his passion and talent for chess are used as both oppressor and liberator — given no choice, he must play for the lives of fellow inmates as well as his own. Emil’s approach to the game, and to life, ultimately enable an SS officer to recognize the lies and futility inherent in his country’s war efforts, and then transform his own views of the world. When Emil is playing in a chess tournament in Amsterdam, these two are reunited; another former Nazi member is also there to compete, and the three overcome seemingly insurmountable emotional odds to reconcile the past.

There are so many positive aspects of this book that dictate the strong review: Originality in the story, exceptional character development and pacing, a deserved build of suspense, and attention to detail that allowed for realism without becoming morose. I’m not a chess player, but to Donoghue’s credit I could still understand the references he used throughout (both in chapter titles and interior passages) to set the framework for this tale. The lack of a full 5 stars is due to my own disbelief that compassion could come so fully as it did in such a short period of time — but without it, “The Death’s Head Chess Club” would not have achieved its purpose of uniting hope with forgiveness.

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must be honest, when I received an ARC of this book I was not sure that I would like it at all. The book follows an officer in Auschwitz and a Jewish watchmaker who is a prisoner at the camp. The Auschwitz officer Paul Meissner is told to improve morale within the camp and sets up a chess club. However it soon transpires that there is a prisoner known within the camp that has an seemingly 'un-natural' talent for chess and the Watchmaker is said to be unbeatable. Before you know it the watchmaker is pulled into a world that is offering hope to the other prisoners and at this point you are not sure what the outcomes are going to be if he is unbeatable when pitted against the camp officers.

I absolutely loved the surprising turns this book takes. It does, of course, describe the misery, fear and appalling treatment of the prisoners but it also looks at friendship, love and trust between characters that you would not necessarily expect of this book.

The characters were very well fleshed out, despite some being totally fictional. The book is so well written that you do begin to connect with all the characters (despite those that you may not like at first).

The main thing I took from this book was that no matter what circumstances a man may find themselves in, their true good nature and humanity can never be broken and this can in turn impact on many peoples lives...when you least expect it. How do you live with guilt in the various forms it can take and when is the right time to finally forgive? All this is addressed in a manner that switches between the past (1940s) and the present (1960s), making for a compelling read.

I highly recommend this book to readers that enjoyed The Book Thief.

[Vicky Ziliaskopoulou · Rating 2 out of 5]

Δεν μου άρεσε ιδιαίτερα. Καταλαβαίνω όσους δίνουν πέντε αστέρια, η ιστορία είναι αρκετά έντονη και σαν βιβλίο είναι προσεγμένο, φαίνεται ότι ο συγγραφέας έχει ψάξει πολύ το θέμα της ζωής στο Άουσβιτς πριν το γράψει. Αν σου αρέσει έστω και λίγο το σκάκι φαντάζομαι θα το βρεις πιο ενδιαφέρον από όσο εγώ. Τώρα θα μου πεις: τι δουλειά έχεις να διαβάσεις ένα βιβλίο που ονομάζεται "Ρουά- Ματ" αν με το που βλέπεις σκακιέρα σε πιάνει υπνηλία; Ε, να, ταυτόχρονα αφορά και τον Δεύτερο Παγκόσμιο Πόλεμο που γενικά αυτό είναι ένα θέμα που κυνηγάω πολύ, οπότε είπα ότι μπορεί να μη με ενοχλήσει το σκάκι. Και εντάξει, πέρασα λίγο επιπόλαια τα κομμάτια που περιέγραφε τις παρτίδες, δεν ήταν δα και τόσο πολλά. Όμως και η ιστορία δεν με συγκλόνισε. Δύσκολα πια θα βρεθούν πληροφορίες που να αφορούν τη ζωή στο Άουσβιτς που να μην τις ξέρω, είναι πάρα πολλά τα βιβλία που έχουν γραφτεί για το θέμα και εγώ τα κυνηγάω από την εφηβεία μου.

Η ιστορία κινείται σε δύο περιόδους, το 44 και τις αρχές του 60, νομίζω το 62. Με κούρασε η πολύ γρήγορη εναλλαγή χρονικής περιόδου, άλλαζε πολλές φορές στο ίδιο κεφάλαιο οπότε δεν προλάβαινα να αφοσιωθώ στην ιστορία, δεν ένιωσα να δημιουργείται καθόλου ατμόσφαιρα. Καταλαβαίνω ότι ήταν ωραίο σαν εύρημα να μας μεταφέρει την ιστορία του '40 μέσα από την διήγηση (κυρίως) του Εμίλ που συντελείται στο '60, αλλά σε εμένα δεν λειτούργησε όπως θέλησε ο συγγραφέας.

Κάτι ακόμη αρνητικό είναι ότι το δικό μου αντίτυπο είχε πολύ άχνη γραμματοσειρά που με κούρασε, σε πολλές σελίδες ήταν πιο προς το γκρίζο τα γράμματα αντί για μαύρα. Τέλος πάντων, δεν πειράζει, ίσως δεν έπρεπε καθόλου να το πάρω αφού δεν με ενδιαφέρει καθόλου το σκάκι και συνεπώς βασικό κομμάτι της πλοκής μου ήταν εξ ορισμού αδιάφορο.

https://kiallovivlio.blogspot.com/

[Northern Light · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book from Real Readers in exchange for a review which follows.

Set in Auschwitz which was liberated 70 years ago means it's publication is timely.


It tells the story of two men in Auschwitz, Emil a Jewish prisoner and Paul Meissner an SS officer sent there after being injured to improve the moral of the German troops. Meissner decides to set up a chess club and when he discovers that Emil is a master chess-player decides that a game between the Jew and the Germans is the ideal thing to prove the supremacy of the Germans.

Interspersed is the events surrounding a chess tournament in 1962 which will leave those involved changed for ever.


This is a fascinating book and very brave in its premise to explore the nature of humanity of those on both sides in the concentration camp.

It deals with issues such as forgiveness and are there things which cannot be forgiven, the nature of friendship when your past is invading your present. However in amongst the darkness there are glimmers of hope and compassion.

The scenes in Auschwitz are at times extremely harrowing but not unrealistically so and you are left in no doubt as to what happened there and I found myself willing the characters to survive the horrendous conditions. The relationship between Emil and his bunk-mate Yves shows that it's not always straight-forward as Yves is angry at Emil's attempts to save him from the worst of the punishments.


I really enjoyed the way that the game of chess is used to show the intricacies of life both inside and outside the camp.

Well done to the author.

[Lesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was a little disappointed in this novel; I expected it to be rather more intense than it turned out to be. Moving backwards and forwards between Auschwitz in 1944 and Amsterdam in 1962 it tells a story of the game of chess, and the relationships between the characters who are inextricably linked together through this game and their past.
The premise of the story is the relationship between German Officers who were stationed in Auschwitz and a chess playing Jew that was interned in the camp. I think that the failing of this book is that it almost glossed over the horror of Auschwitz, presumably to make the book more palatable for the reader, whereas I think to get the real essence of the divide between the officers and the captives the narrative needed to be much more gritty and dare I say it graphic in its content. It is not that I relish reading such horrific details; I just think that it would give more credence to the book and give more weight to the story as a whole and much more soul searching for the characters involved.

[Karen A · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to be sent a copy of this to review by real readers. It is a brilliantly written and well researched debut novel. It focuses on the story of a Jewish prisoner of war in Auschwitz and the SS officer who sets up a chess club - much of the story is retold years later. I thoroughly enjoyed the story line which was definitely not the run of the mill war story of a prisoner in Auschwitz. I loved the way that the author takes the game of chess and uses it intelligently and weaves it flawlessly in to a thought provoking tale of bitterness, hatred, forgiveness, repentance, and hope. Indeed the way in which he uses the intellect and subtleties of the game of chess woven into the story is brilliant and original. I thoroughly recommend this book - well done John Donoghue. I will certainly look out for further books from him.

[Lucie Sisakova · Rating 4 out of 5]

I dont like long reviews, so here comes my usual brief one.
Great book. Powerful. A little strange at places l, particularly where Paul? (the main ex Nazi, can't exactly remember his name) a man of considerable position in Auschwitz not only becomes a priest (a reason for which I found not well enough explained) but also starts organising chess matches in the camp. I found that a little unbelievable, if every bit exciting.

Issues raised of human goodness and capacity for evil, forgiveness and living with guilt and anger are sophistically described and well presented. Narrative style is fluent and coherent.

Definitely recommending.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Playing chess...a few players..Enemies then and now?
The story goes back and forth in time and place. Partly set in Auschwitz in 1944, partly in Amsterdam in 1962, the players and participants find out how different they are. Or are they not different at all. They share the feeling of guilt and find out how forgiving and understanding is one of the most important things in life.
I loved the way a lot of ideology and abstract ideas are brought together in the element of chess. The book tells a story, and without beeing to obvious asks a lot of questions. There is not really the feeling of a ‘heavy’ book, and the story is a great read.
I cannot but recommend it!