* ln this article Rixi lv{arkus recalls events of fifty years ago: Babel, rvith relugees from all over Richard Lederer's team beat Europe desperately seeking help. I Illudie Bach's in the ltnal. Lederer THE GUARDTAN met many friends from Vienna as was a Czech who fought for Britain thel' waited tbr visas and Passage in the first r,vorid war and the other Rixi Markus to "safe" countries. Some were members of his team lvere the luckier than others. I even found Tarlo brothers, Louis and Joel time for bridge and won a ladies (lvho norv pla"v-s for Spain) and Jack contest and a Boucheron wrist- James. - (Brunner) with me E n ,r^r, Iast summer of peace, watch - with a French chamPion, Dealer South L tfre European bridge chamP- Ivllle de Boismartin. in the North seat: ionships took place at The Hague. Back in London, I soon setlled North if r,ve had still had a nation to call into the old routine: bridge at the iJB742 our own, the Austrian ladies' team, club, drnner in Soho with friends, a ?- llith rvhich I had already won three roof over my head lrith mY Par- aA106g European titles and one rvorld tit1e, ents, m-v littie gir1, and my younger a tAQ62 would have been favourites. But, sister. Our horne became meeting lYest East like some of the others, I haci been place for the new refugees - theY ls2 ,1Q106 1938 brought us news and lve helPed forced to flee from Vienna in _ vQ7654 ?Ji092 them as much as but I when the Nazi troops marched in, Possible Q4 2 1K975 an Austrian maid- t That -vear, the photograPhs of had to sack +J43 +75 our famous team had appeared in rvhom I suspected of being a sPY. South the brochure for the European During the rvar rve continued to fAKe championships in Oslo. But, Iike nlai'the same we lor,'ed and it rvas ?AK83 me, the-v had lost the countrY i gieat cSmfon rvhen the bombs ,)J8 rvhose representatives the."" rvould anci gunhre of the blitz banished ali +K1098 have been. Hitler's follolers had hope of sleep. i did m-v bit bY pla-ving no time for bridge; in fact it rvas as firerr,'atching and working as a sec' This rvas our bidding, the good as forbidden. retary at the British Red Cross. On Austrian system: East So in the 1939 chamPionshiPs days bff, I even plaYed Poker wilh South lYest North after the French ladies had rvon the some refugees just to keep ml' rNT T.IB 25 NB title, their captain, NIme de NIon' French up to scratchl 35 NB 4D(1) Nts taigu, sent me a gracious cable: The foliorvtng hand is from the 45 NIB 65 NB "GrAce h Hitler nous avons gagn6." quarter t-rnal oi the Gold CuP - a I.iB NIB (Thanks to Hitler, u'e rvon). linockour contest for teams ol four (1) Culbertson asking bid Fortunately, I had a haven from rvhich rvas pial-ed at Bexhiil'on' lvll' only'hope seemed to be to the Nazis as my parents had rnoved -Sea in the summer of i939. drop the queen of spades, bul a from Germarn-v to Engiand in 1936. N11' team consisied of Standish heart u'as led and I lost one trump Here I received a \i'arm ii'elcome in Booker and Peter Elmassion. tlvo trick and one diamond trick. bridge circles, but in the spring of pupils of Dr Slern, and m1' former in the other room, Dodds and 1939 I r,vent back to Europe, taking team-mate irom rhe Austrian Bach bid as foiiorvs: m}' mother to a cllnic in the south national ieam, Gertie Brunner. To South North of France. On our feturn journel', everyone's surprise lve reached the 1C 1S the BIue Train stopped at NIar- last eight, but lvere beaten on the 2H 4C seilles and I bought a cop.v of hnal board rvhen rve reached the 4NT 5NT(1) France-Soir lvhich had piciures of wrong slam contract. 6C r,veeping women in Prague on its Our opponents were the team ied (1) The old Culbertson ace inquirl'. front page; the Wehrmacht rvas on bv Nludie Bach (Leslie Dodds, Jack Our team-mate led a small trumP the march again. Tbtrenham and Pat Cotter - a and the slam could not be beaten' Paris rvas llke the Toiver of rvorld croquet champion!). @ Rlxl lvlarkus PEHTH: ITEF FHOHE-llrl HESULTS SEHUICE daily until close of play on September 23. Our thanks to John Scudder, Secretary of the sent Australian Bridge Federation who faxed the The centres and results phone numbers involved on behalf of WBF President Denis following are: Howard: at this time Bridge Union: (44) 296 394504 [recordingl for English 'The tYBF has established a results service American Contract Bridge League: 1-901 -332 5586 forthcoming N EC Bermuda Bowl and N EC the Brazilian Bridge Association: 55-11-285 5144' which accessed several Venice Cup can be in Chinese Taipei Bridge Assn: 886-2-751 6639" countries. We hope to have more countries once all the entrants are known. Each of involved normal office hours updated sent at 'Only during these centres will be by a fax Mon-Fri 0930-1200, 140A-1730; Sat 0930-1200 01 0O hrs (CN{T 1700 hrs) everyday f rom Perth. " This should be especially convenient for time recorded message service for Europe and the Americas as journalists there will There will be a Australia and New Zealand but no number can be publish'yesterday's'results the be able to in Desparate people can morning newspapers. The fax will contain the provided at the moment. Perth 61-9-323 day's results and the current standings of all phone the Hyatt Regency, on 61'9-255 1234 and ask for the Press teams. The first fax will be sent at the close of 0121 or Room hours of 'l 000 and 2400 hrs play on September 10 and then faxes will be between the Perth time (CMT + 8).'.