The Berlin Pleiades – a group of seven stars of German chess - Die Berliner Schule or Das Berliner Siebengestirn (die Plejaden) – in the 19th century, lasting 1837–43. They are named after the star constellation the Pleiades.
The members of the Berlin Pleiades were:
Paul Rudolf von Bilguer, Army Lieutenant and author of the Handbuch des Schachspiels, the most influential chess book for 90 years;Dr. Ludwig Bledow, teacher of mathematics and the Pleiades co-founder;Wilhelm Hanstein, civil servant;Bernhard Horwitz, painter and chess professional;Baron Tassilo von Heydebrand und der Lasa, later became a Prussian diplomat and chess historian (he collected over 2000 books);Carl Mayet, barrister and judge;Carl Schorn, painter.