CREATE TABLE table_204_734 (id NUMBER, "first name" CLOB, "surname" CLOB, "death year" NUMBER, "beginning of\ service" CLOB, "end of\ service" CLOB, "notes" CLOB)

what first name is just previous to kempf ?
SELECT "first name" FROM table_204_734 WHERE id = (SELECT id FROM table_204_734 WHERE "first name" = 'kempf') - 1
SELECT "first name" FROM "table_204_734" WHERE "id" = (SELECT "id" FROM "table_204_734" WHERE "first name" = 'kempf') - 1