Chess tournaments Chess strategy Computer chess Chess players FIDE Chess variants Chess rules and history

Alexander Wittek

Born 12 October 1852
Sisak, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy
Nationality Austrian


Alexander Wittek (12 October 1852, Sisak - 11 May 1894, Graz) was an Austrian-Hungarian architect and chess master.

As an architect Wittek worked in Bosnia and Herzegovina during Austro-Hungarian Empire. His most famous works in Sarajevo are the City Hall building called "Vijećnica" (1892-1894) which later became the National Library and the Sebilj public fountain (1891), both of which were built in the pseudo-Moorish style.

Wittek was also a chess master. He tied for 5-6th at Berlin 1881 (2nd DSB-Congress, Joseph Henry Blackburne won), and was in 9th place at Vienna 1882 (Wilhelm Steinitz and Simon Winawer won). In 1882 he was ranked 9th in the world.

Wittek died in a lunatic asylum in Graz in 1894 having been diagnosed with a "paralytic mental disorder" the previous year. One source says that he committed suicide but another cites tuberculosis.

Read more:

COMMENTS