Jacques Mieses and Family
Jacques Mieses came from a Jewish merchant family from Brody – a city that then belonged to Austria-Hungary and is now in Ukraine. The family settled in Leipzig and placed great value on education. Chess apparently ran in their blood: His uncle Samuel was personally taught by Adolf Anderssen, his cousin Viktor made a name for himself as a chess problem composer.
Julius Mieses
Father (1830–?)
The merchant Julius Mieses originally came from Brody (then Austria-Hungary, now Ukraine) and settled with his family in Leipzig. In his records he described his son Jacques as a "lively whirlwind" who demanded a lot from his teachers – but also as highly gifted: Jacques passed his final exams cum laude.
Read Julius' records
Henriette Mieses
Mother
Henriette Mieses, born from a family also from Brody, was the mother of Jacques and his siblings. Together with her husband Julius she ran a bourgeois household in Leipzig and enabled her children to receive a good education. Jacques was her first child, born on February 27, 1865.
Marie Mieses
Sister
Marie remained connected to her brother Jacques throughout her life. From St. Petersburg he sent her a postcard from the great tournament in 1909 – with the signatures of all participating masters, including Lasker, Rubinstein and Schlechter. This valuable document can be seen in the St. Petersburg 1909 Gallery.
The Mieses Family
Family photo
A rare group picture of the Mieses family. The family was part of the flourishing Jewish community of Leipzig, which made significant contributions to the cultural and economic life of the city in the 19th century. With the Nazi seizure of power, this world was destroyed – Jacques emigrated to England in 1938.
A Family Under the Sign of Chess
Chess was somewhat hereditary among the Mieses:
Doctor in Bad Ems, was personally taught chess by Adolf Anderssen – the winner of the first international tournament in 1851.
Well-known lawyer and chess problem composer who published numerous problems in chess magazines.
The most famous chess player of the family – Grandmaster, author of over 40 chess books, record holder for the longest tournament career.
"On February 27, 1865, our first child was born, a son: Jacques (Jakob). He developed well and became a very handsome boy, a lively whirlwind, it was hard to raise him... In the higher and final gymnasium classes the picture changed, he had very good comprehension and talent, passed the final examination cum laude and received a prize."
Discover More Images
Explore the other galleries too: Portraits, St. Petersburg 1909, Games and Tournaments.