The case of Alexander Alekhine is intriguing. He left USSR at age 29 (1921). When he defeated Capablanca in 1927, on his return to France, (Russian) emigre newspapers reported that Alekhine said that "the myth of the invincibility of the Bolsheviks should be dispelled, just as the myth of Capablanca's invincibility had been dispelled." In his book "Alexander Alekhine", A.Kotov says his research unearthed no evidence that Alekhine ever made this statement, and he is not known to have ever said anything similar. But at the time Alekhine was denounced by the then chess commisar Krilenko. Alekhine's brother followed suit. Alekhine's "rehabilitator" Alexander Kotov also presents evidence that rumors about Alekhine's purported sympathy with Nazism are equally false.
In 1939 while chess Olympiad was in progress, Germany invaded France, and captain of the French team, Alexander Alekhine, withdrew his team and refused to play against the German team, although judges awarded a draw to complete the tournament record. Alekhine immediately returned to Europe. After two weeks in Portugal, he went to Paris and joined the French army under deGaulle as an interpreter with rank of lieutenant. He was subsequently captured in uniform. Kotov says, "things were not too unpleasant for him. This is, no doubt, because the directors of fascist propaganda immediately understood that they would be able to exploit the fact that the world champion was taking part in tournaments in occupied Europe. Alas, they were not mistaken. Alekhine was later to pay dearly for this..." Alekhine's competitors in these tournments included Keres, Bogoljubov and Saemisch, among others.
In about 1943, while at a tournament in Prague, Alekhine was stricken with scarlet fever and almost died. As the Third Reich disintegrated, Alekhine escaped Eastern Europe and went first to Spain and then Portugal. His health was broken and he was totally impoverished. He tried to return to France but could not obtain a visa. In December 1945, Alekhine was invited to the year-end Hastings tournment, and then suddenly the invitation was withdrawn. Kotov calls it the Judgment of the Indifferent -- and says,
"Yes, this was the judgment of the indifferent, and although the speeches were animated, the feelings of the speakers were excited by dislike for Alekhine. This was the judgment of people who were indifferent to the fate of the greatest living chess genius, indifferent to his life, his future, and to his participation in chess events. After all, the self-appointed judges knew that Alekhine was dying of illness, hunger and poverty. Instead of coming to his aid, they scorned him, and left him to die alone, helpless and unprotected.
"Outwardly, everything had been done decently. Not only before the start of the London tournament, the Chess Federation of the USA (more acurately, certain of its members -- R.Fine, A.Denker and others) sent an ultimatum to London: either you exclude Alekhine from the tournament, or we will withdraw from the tournament in England, and will completely break off dealings with you. The complaisant organizers who were in charge of chess in England in those days, decided not to spoil relations with the all-powerful 'Yankies' and it was the poor world champion who had to lose.
"During the London tournament a meeting was unexpectedly called which took on the form of a trial of Alekhine. As Lupi [Portuguese chess champion] later informed Alekhine, there was a great deal of noise -- 'the meeting was lively and certain firm convictions were expressed.' Although no one had given them any right, the self-appointed judges turned out to be 'more catholic than the Pope,' and recommended to the chess world, in effect, that Alekhine (for a time, but if the state of his health was taken into account, for ever), should no longer be considered world champion. It was demanded that he should not be admitted to tournaments -- the English had already done just this -- or allowed to give lectures and simultaneous displays. Obstruction, the deprivation of all rights, a death from hunger....
"How could this happen? After all, there was in existence the International Chess Federation -- FIDE. What right did the over-impatient participants of the meeting have to avoid the official paths in favor of their own interests? The chess world found out later, after Alekhine's death, by whom they had been influenced. When the proposition was suggested and even put to the vote (at the FIDE general assembly) that a match for the world championship should be played between Euwe and Reshevsky, everything became clear. While Max Euwe, as the only ex-champion still alive, had a lawful right, the pretensions of the American grandmasters betray the cause of the activity of certain representatives of the USA." [Alexander Kotov, "Alexander Alekhine", pp.197-198]
At this point, Mikhail Botvinnik challenged Alekhine to a match to be held in Soviet Union in 1946.
"The 'English Judges' were now in a most unenviable position, and they answered the Soviet champion's telegram with a series of strong worded articles. 'Disgraceful! The Russians wish to play with Alekhine,' wrote those were were displeased with the decision of the Soviet champion. 'We have taken away Alekhine's title, and now Botvinnik has put him back on the chess throne. The International Chess Federation should prohibit this match.'" [Kotov, p.200]
Then suddenly in March 1946, Alekhine died. Although it was known that Alekhine had already suffered at least one stroke and had weakened heart as result of scarlet fever in Prague, the story was spread that he was assassinated by the resistance for being a Nazi collaborator.
Botvinnik said, "Many of the chess creations of Alexander Alekhine ... will live on into the ages; in playing through the Alekhine games, players of future generations will experience pure aesthetic delight, and will be amazed at the might of his chess genius."
Despite all rumors,
Alechin was been a Prime Chess Player!
ARE YOU KNOW, THAT HIS OLDER BROTHER, CHESS MASTER ALEKSEY ALECHIN, WHO WAS BEEN HIS FIRST CHESS TEACHER, DENOUNCED HIM, WHEN THE SOVIETS DID IT, SO WELL!..