Mit seinem Brief an den US-Präsidenten hat Boris Spassky die
Maßnahmen der US-Behörden als das entlarvt, was sie sind. Lächerlich. Spasskys
Schlusspointe, ihn mit einem Schachbrett in die gleiche Zelle wie Fischer zu
stecken, ist brillant. Es wäre übrigens nicht das erste Mal, dass zwei WM-Gegner
zusammen in einer Zelle sitzen und Schach spielen. Als während des Turniers von
Mannheim 1914 der Erste Weltkrieg ausbrach, wurden Aljechin und Bogoljubov mit
anderen russischen Teilnehmern in Triberg interniert und haben sich die Haftzeit
mit Schachspielen vertrieben. 1929 und 1934 spielten die "alten Knastkumpel"
dann zwei Weltmeisterschaftskämpfe gegeneinander.
Appeal to President Bush from Boris Spassky
Mr.
President,
In 1972 Bobby Fischer became national hero. He smashed me in the match in
Reykjavik. The Soviet chess hegemony collapsed. One man won against a whole army.
Soon after that Fischer stopped playing. He repeated the sad story of Paul
Morphy. At the age of 21, legendary Paul had beaten all leading European masters
and became unofficial champion. He stopped playing and finished his tragic life
at the age of 47 in New Orleans in 1884.
In 1992, twenty years after Reykjavik, there was a miracle. Bobby
resuscitated and we played a match in Yugoslavia. But at that time there were
sanctions against Yugoslavia forbidding American citizens any sort of activity
on the territory of Yugoslavia. Bobby violated the instructions of the State
Department. He became the subject of a warrant for arrest issued on December 15,
1992 by the US District Court. As for me, as a French citizen since 1978, I did
not get any sanctions from the French government.
Since July 13, 2004, Bobby has been detained at Narita airport on immigration
violations. Further events have been described by media.
It is clear that the law is the law. But Fischer’s case is not usual. I am an
old friend of Bobby since 1960 when we played in Mar-del-Plata and shared 1-2
places. Bobby is a tragic personality. I realized this at that time. He is an
honest and good natured man. Absolutely not social. He is not adaptable to
everybody’s standards of life. He has a very high sense of justice and is
unwilling to compromise as well as with his own conscience as with surrounding
people. He is a person who is doing almost everything against himself.
I would not like to defend or justify Bobby Fischer. He is what he is. I am
asking only for one thing. For mercy, charity.
If for some reason it is impossible, I would like to ask you the following:
Please correct the mistake of President François Mitterand in 1992. Bobby and
myself committed the same crime. Put sanctions against me also. Arrest me. And
put me in the same cell with Bobby Fischer. And give us a chess set.
Boris Spassky
10-th Chess World Champion
08.07.2004
