In 1937, he came to Berlin, and lived for ten years there.[3] He won the Berlin Championship 1940; won I group in the Berlin-ch and lost a match for the title to Ludwig Rellstab in 1941;[4] tied for 5-7th at Bad Oeynhausen 1941 (the 8th German Championship, Paul Felix Schmidt and Klaus Junge won).[5] tied for 2nd-3rd, behind Junge, at Bad Elster 1941; and tied for 2nd-4th at Vienna 1944 (Orienter won).