Chess Set

Warsaw, Poland, ca. 1940s

Image Slideshow and 3D

Two carrying cases propped up on a glass table with a white chess grid printed on it. The carrying cases have foam inside of them, with slots cut out for 16 intricately carved chess pieces each. The four knights, seated on rearing horses, are positioned on the chessboard.
Chess pieces displayed in case with four knight pieces on the board.
A carved statue of a man seated on a rearing horse. He wears a turban and carries a green shield with a six-pointed star and crescent moon painted on it in gold. The horse’s tack is painted gold.
Ottoman-inspired knight chess piece.
A carved statue of a standing man with one hand on his chest. He wears a turban. His tunic is painted gold and green.
Pawn chess piece sculpted in the style of an Ottoman soldier.

This finely crafted chess set is made from chewed bread, sawdust, paint and varnish. It is believed to be the work of a Jew interned in the Warsaw ghetto. Rosa Nagel received the set in Vienna in the fall of 1946. It was a gift from a German soldier she had hosted as he made his way through Vienna to surrender to the Americans. The soldier acquired the chess set while stationed as a guard in the Warsaw ghetto, possibly as a bribe.

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Donated to the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre by Dr. Robert Krell. 2018.010.001

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