Erich Eliskases (15 February 1913 – 2 February 1997) was an Austrian and Argentinian chess grandmaster. His successful career in chess started from his youth when he won several minors and major tournaments from the late 1920s to 1939. He was a loyal supporter of the Nazi regime, but he fled to Argentina at the onset of World War II. After the war, he refused to come back, and he became an Argentinian citizen in 1952, representing the country in multiple Chess Olympiads. His later life was filled with legal struggles over his alleged Nazi affiliations.
Erich was born in Innsbruck, Tyrol, and started his chess career at a young age, winning the Tyrolean championship at 12. He made significant strides in his career during the 1930s and won several significant international tournaments.
In 1939, Eliskases found himself stranded in Argentina due to the onset of World War II. Despite the Austrian Chess Federation's efforts to repatriate him, he refused to return, partly due to his alleged membership with the Nazi Party. In Argentina, he established a successful chess career, winning the championships several times and representing the country in the Chess Olympiads.
However, Eliskases experienced legal troubles due to his alleged Nazi affiliations. After the war, he was put on trial in absentia in Austria and was also accused of war crimes, but he was not convicted.
Eliskases remained active in Chess for many years, even earning a draw against the legendary Bobby Fischer in 1960. He played his last recorded game in 1988. In his later life, he moved to Cordoba, where he died in 1997.