Levy's biography of Staunton gives the following quote from the Chess Player's
Chronicle about Horwitz.

Educated in the very best modern school of Chess play - a contemporary and
compatriot of Manteufel, Mandheim, Bilguer, Bledow, Heydebrant, etc, he has
acquired a knowledge of the game but rarely met with.

Ignoring variations in spelling and name variants, I know all of these as top
German players of the time, with the exception of Manteufel. Any knowledge of
this player?

Jerry Spinrad

Jeremy Spinrad wrote:

Levy's biography of Staunton gives the following quote from the Chess
Player's Chronicle about Horwitz.

Educated in the very best modern school of Chess play - a contemporary and
compatriot of Manteufel, Mandheim, Bilguer, Bledow, Heydebrant, etc, he
has acquired a knowledge of the game but rarely met with.

Ignoring variations in spelling and name variants, I know all of these as
top German players of the time, with the exception of Manteufel. Any
knowledge of this player?

Jerry Spinrad


Dear Mr Spinrad,

I suspect you already know this, but Manteuffel (note the extra f) is a well
known name in Prussian history, the family having been very active in
politics and in the military. This might explain why he was listed first. A
possible further speculation is that it would have been mentioned if
Manteufel (one f) was not related.

This is all very iffy on my part, please accept my apologies. I shall have a
look to see if I can find anything, but I am none too optimistic.

As a non sequitur, if you are ever in London doing research on chess in the
nineteenth century, you may find Holborn Central Library worth visiting as
well as the obvious British Library (under UK law all books published must
be lodged at five repositaries, one of which is the British Library,
another being the library of Trinity College in the Republic!).


Regards,

Simon.

Jeremy Spinrad wrote:

Ignoring variations in spelling and name variants, I know all of these as top
German players of the time, with the exception of Manteufel. Any knowledge of
this player?

He seems to be on the edge of visibility -- not listed in Gaige, as far as I
can find, and not mentioned in Murray.

Otto Korschelt mentions someone of that name in his 'Der gereinigte
Alexander':

"Count Ernst Zoega von Manteufel[!] from Livonia, lived in Leipzig, died
in Köln in 1814. I have 42 problems by him [...]" (translated)

Max Lange lists Manteuffel as a problemist of the 1800-1840 period,
but doesn't give any details. His problems appear in Koch's Codex
and in Alexandre's collection.

I have a vague idea I've seen someone of the name Zoega/Zoege von Mantueffel
(which appears to be the family name) mentioned as an author of a book
or manuscript on military matters in which chess problems unexpectedly
appear.

I suspect he may be listed in van der Linde's book.

--
Anders Thulin http://www.algonet.se/~ath