Kurt Lellinger

Kurt Lellinger, Youth Assembly 2001 in Münster

Kurt Lellinger (born March 15, 1938 ; † January 9, 2017 in Trier ) was a German chess teacher. He was considered the founder of school chess in Germany.

Life

Kurt Lellinger at the 2001 Dortmund Chess Days

From 1976 Kurt Lellinger was rector of the school center on Mäusheckerweg in Trier, where he introduced a school chess group in 1986 , which a short time later became mandatory for all students there. Lellinger believed that playing chess would train and strengthen students' skills. From 1986 to 2012 Lellinger was the chairman of the SG Trier . From 1993 to 1998 he was a consultant for school chess for the German Chess Youth , during which time he founded the German School Chess Foundation . V.

With the advent of all-day schools , Kurt Lellinger developed the concept of the school chess patent , with teachers and guardians learning how to set up, lead and supervise a school chess group at weekend courses. This was used for the first time in 2003 in Finsterbergen in Thuringia. Since then, more than 3,000 teachers have been trained using this concept.

Together with the University of Trier , he carried out a four-year study, the so-called Trier Study . Two primary schools were compared, one offered school chess and the other did not. The study showed that chess can sustainably promote the development of children in many fields that are important for school, but also in social interaction.

Kurt Lellinger died on January 9, 2017 at the age of 78 after a long and serious illness in Trier.

Awards

• 2004: Golden Badge of Honor of the German Chess Youth
• 2005: German Chess Prize
• 2005: Federal Cross of Merit

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Laudation by the President of the Trier Chess District , Achim Schmitt, on the occasion of the award of the medal on September 6, 2013 in Wittlich
2. ↑ Kurt Lellinger (†) - he was school chess, Deutscher Schachbund e. V., Jörg Schulz, January 11, 2017
3. ^ Obituary notice in the Trierisches Volksfreund