Introduction and history

Collection history: The chess collection is based on the collections of Antonius van der Linde, Meindert Niemeijer and G.L. Gortmans.
Size: The chess and draughts collection consists of ca. 30.000 titles.
Access: Several hundreds of reference works are placed in open disposition in the 'Leeszaal van Nederland'.  Manuscripts, books printed before 1800 and rare copies are preserved in the stacks of the Special Collections reading room. Recent publications on chess and draughts may be ordered via the General Catalogue (Online Public Catalogue) and the card catalogue (closed in 1980) from the general stacks.

Collection description

The Koninklijke Bibliotheek was already in the possession of a select collection of chess books, when it acquired the private chess library of Antonius van der Linde (1833-1897) in 1876. In that year the colourful bibliophile, scholar and controversialist Van der Linde (1833-1897) was appointed librarian of the Königliche Landesbibliotheek in Wiesbaden by the German emperor. Before Van der Linde left the Netherlands, he sold his 800 chess books and manuscripts to the Koninklijke Bibliotheek for 3.000 Dutch guilders. With the acquisition of this collection the foundation of the Bibliotheca Van der Linde-Niemeijeriana was laid.
After the purchase of Van der Linde's books, the chess collection was not systematically kept up to the mark. This changed when, on 14 June 1948, Meindert Niemeijer donated his rich collection of chess and draughts books, in total 7.000 titles, to the State of the Netherlands, to be placed in the Koninklijke Bibliotheek. The joining of the collections of Van der Linde and Niemeijer made the Bibliotheca Van der Linde-Niemeijeriana the second largest public chess collection in the world.
Meinder Niemeijer (1902-1987), managing director of an insurance company and composer of chess problems, began collecting chess books at the age of 22. Through his numerous international contacts he could acquire rare publications in various languages. This explains the vast amount of Eastern European titles and books from the former Soviet Union in the collection.
In 1956 the draughts historian K.W. Kruijswijk enriched the Bibliotheca Van der Linde-Niemeijeriana with the draughts library of 500 titles from G.L. Gortmans (1894-1956). Many draughts enthousiasts followed, and donated books on draughts and checkers to the Koninklijke Bibliotheek, making it the largest draughts collection in the world. Until his death Niemeijer remained a passionate and obsessive collector, from which the Bibliotheca Van der Linde- Niemeijeriana profited. Today, the Koninklijke Biblioheek strives to keep the chess and draughts collection as complete as possible.

Literature

'Schaakbibliotheek, vroeger toebehoord hebbende aan dr. A. van der Linde'. In: Verslag van de aanwinsten der Koninklijke Bibliotheek gedurende het jaar 1876. 's-Gravenhage 1877, p. 115-194.
Bibliotheca Van der Linde-Niemeijeriana. A catalogue of the chess collection in the Royal Library, The Hague. The Hague 1955.
M. Niemeijer. Bibliotheca Van der Linde-Niemeijeriana. [Wassenaar] 1969.
Description of the most important acquisitions in the period 1954-1969.
M. Niemeijer. Miscellanea Caissana. [Wassenaar] 1977, p. 31-35.
Includes a list of acquisitions from the period 1969-1977.
Bibliotheca Van der Linde-Niemeijeriana aucta et de novo descripta. A catalogue of the chess collection in the Royal Library. Vol. I: Chess: bibliography and history. Comp. by K.W. Kruijswijk. The Hague 1974.
R. Storm. 'Antonius van der Linde, geleerde, bibliofiel 1833-1897'. In: Verzamelaars en verzamelingen. Koninklijke Bibliotheek 1789-1998. Zwolle 1998, p. 75-79.
H. Reerink. 'M. Niemeijer, directeur van een verzekeringsmaatschappij, schaakprobleemcomponist 1902-1987. G.L. Gortmans, zakenman, damprobleemcomponist 1894-1956'. In: Verzamelaars en verzamelingen. Koninklijke Bibliotheek 1789-1998. Zwolle 1998, p. 168-173.