Checkmate, tovarish.

**~~Beorn~~** · 09-04-2009, 01:56 AM

Their opposing ideologies would be a central part of the most destructive military clash of the 20th century.

But here the battleground was just a chessboard.

This remarkable picture supposedly shows Adolf Hitler pitting his wits against Vladimir Lenin. And its owners claim it is based on a real chess game between the men 100 years ago.

While historians have cast doubt on its authenticity, the family which owns the picture is convinced it can prove it is genuine.

The image is said to have been etched in Vienna by Hitler's art teacher, Emma Lowenstramm.

It is also said to be signed on the reverse by the men who would go on to lead their respective nations.

Hitler was a 20-year-old jobbing artist in the city in 1909 and Lenin - twice his age - was in exile from Russia. The house where they apparently played the game belonged to a prominent Jewish family.

In the run-up to the Second World War the family fled and gave many of their possessions, including the etching and chess set, to their housekeeper. Now the housekeeper's great-great grandson is selling the image and the chess set at auction. Both items have a pre-sale estimate of £40,000.

The unnamed vendor is confident they are genuine after his father spent a lifetime attempting to prove their authenticity.

He compiled a 300-page document that included results of tests on the paper and the signatures.

Richard Westwood-Brookes, of auctioneers Mullock's, said: 'The signatures in pencil are said to have an 80 per cent chance of being genuine.'

Some experts, however, have questioned the picture's authenticity. Historian Helen Rappaport, author of Conspirator: Lenin in Exile, said the etching was probably a 'glorious piece of fantasy'.

She said there was no evidence Lenin had been in Vienna in 1909, adding that 'he was as bald as a bat by 1894' - unlike the man pictured.

The items are to be auctioned in Ludlow, Shropshire, on October 1.

Source

An amazing event if true, but I doubt this would have happened in reality. I mean, Hitler in a house owned by a Jew!!?!

**~~Osweo~~** · 09-04-2009, 04:20 AM

The only thing worthy of comment here:

as bald as a bat

WHAT?!?!? They're right hairy lickle buggers!

**Lahtari** · 09-04-2009, 04:26 AM

The man on the left could maybe be Hitler as a young man without moustache, but in addition of not being bald the man on the right doesn't look like Lenin at all.

That Lenin and Hitler played a game of chess by a chance when they were nobodies, and someone painting them sounds just a tid bit too improbable.

Originally Posted by Wat Tyler

An amazing event if true, but I doubt this would have happened in reality. I mean, Hitler in a house owned by a Jew!!?!

I thought his hatred for Jews only grew after the first World War.

**~~Beorn~~** · 09-04-2009, 12:53 PM

Originally Posted by Lahtari

I thought his hatred for Jews only grew after the first World War.

Well spotted.

**Liffrea** · 09-04-2009, 02:13 PM

Originally Posted by Lahtari
I thought his hatred for Jews only grew after the first World War.

Nope, the seeds of Hitler’s hatred of Jews were sown whilst he was in Vienna, he goes on, and on, and on, and on, at great lengths in Mein Kampf about the “Jew”.

That looks like Hitler in later life, going by picture of him in WW1 I would say that isn't him, or it's fake, the other man looks more like Einstein with dyed hair than Lenin.....

**The Lawspeaker** · 09-04-2009, 02:20 PM

It's time for some pictures. This is Hitler in 1916- while he was in the Army.

This seems to be Lenin, a picture taken in Paris- in 1910.
I couldn't find anything about Hitler around 1909, 1910. But Lenin was already bald.

**Poltergeist** · 09-04-2009, 02:32 PM

There is also a rumour that, while in Zurich, Lenin entertained contact with the weirdo known as Jorg Lanz von Liebenfels, inventor of one of the craziest racial theories, mixing up Bible, Hindu scriptures, Nordic epics, natural science of his day and his own fantasies, Hitler allegedly borrowed something from his ideas during the time he lived in Vienna, where Lanz resided as well prior to the First World War and published a magazine Ostara, the purpose of which was the spread of his ideas. During the war Lanz lived some time in Zurich where he allegedly came into contact with Lenin and they "exchanged ideas". But this hasn't been verified.