issue no. 52 | summer 2020 almanac€¦ · in love with the prince of the landrins and followed him...
TRANSCRIPT
Available free of charge at tourism associations and member companies
Almanac3 Zinnen Dolomites
Issue no. 5 2 | Summer 2020
E
Via Dolomiti 44 Dobbiaco · Tel. +39 0474 972160 · [email protected]
www.apparthotel-germania.com
Your individual holidaysin the Dolomites
At the Apparthotel Germania you will book more than just a room
– you book an exclusive world of well-being. Whether you choose a hotel room or a holiday apartment,
be sure of one thing: in any case, your stay with us will remain unforgotten!
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5th SEPTEMBER 2020
27th Nov – 06th Jan 2021
A Christmas market in the sign of tradition and naturalness
www.sancandido.infoHighlights at San Candido
12th – 13th SEP. 2020
Farmers and crafts market
4
Welcome to your dream vacation in the mountains!
Majestic peaks and lush green alpine pastures, shady forests and colourful meadows, easy hik-
ing trails and challenging vie ferrate, spectacular views and secluded spots, refreshing spring
water and fragrant flowers and herbs, rustic woodsheds and traditional alpine huts, dirndls and
lederhosen ... all this and much more is what you can look forward to during your holidays in the
mountains!
Too good to be true? Not with us! You will see that in the holiday region 3 Zinnen in the
Dolomites, this picture book idyll becomes a reality! Nestled in the unique Dolomites UNES-
CO world heritage site, on the threshold between living traditions and modern infrastructures,
between Tyrolean down- to-earthness and Mediterranean influences, the holiday region offers a
wide range of lodging establishments, culinary delights and leisure and sports opportunities of
all kinds. Not to mention the incomparable countryside with its colourful potpourri of flora and
fauna ...
Of course, with such a selection you are spoiled for choice, however, whatever you want from
your perfect vacation in the mountains, you will surely find it here. With this in mind, enjoy your
time with us in the holiday region 3 Zinnen in the Dolomites, get to know the province and its
people, experience exciting adventures and recharge your batteries.
As always, you can find inspiration for your stay in the current edition of our guest magazine
"Almanac – 3 Zinnen Dolomites". In the following articles, we present some of our very personal
favourite places, we take you on a journey through our fascinating, natural beauty and meander
along the traces of our history with you. As a result of the worldwide Corona virus crisis, we are
currently faced with an exceptional situation. We have therefore largely dispensed with providing
specific information regarding scheduled events in this year’s summer edition, which were not yet
precisely defined at the time of going to press. In this context we recommend you, dear guests,
find out about the required information on the respective websites of the event organisers or
tourist destinations. In addition, we as the tourism associations are at your disposal for further
information and tips!
We wish you a wonderful and unforgettable vacation!
Your Tourism Associations in the holiday region 3 Zinnen in the Dolomites
Dear guests of the holidayregion 3 Zinnen in the Dolomites,
©S. Achorner
Sporthotel Tyrol **** | Via Drava 12 San Candido | Tel. +39 0474 913 198 | [email protected] | www.sporthoteltyrol.it
OUR HOUSE.YOUR HOTEL.
6
In this edition
CREDITSPublication date: June & December (twice a year: summer & winter)
Editor: Tourism Associations in the holiday region 3 Zinnen in the Dolomites Editor in charge: Michael Wachtler
Grafics and layout: Werbeagentur Rotwild (Brixen) – www.rotwild.it | Printing: Südtirol Druck Editorial office & coordination: Judith Steinmair
Translations: “porta germanica”Cover: Manuel Kottersteger
Our partner:
All information is subject to change
Great fun with
the Gigante Baranci
The enchanting adventure park
.................................................................. 8–11
Feeling the heights
Climbing tours in the Dolomites
................................................................ 12–15
Mountain biking:
for yourself and others
Mountain paradise
............................................................... 16–19
Forging a success story
out of a Fistful of Bikes
In conversation with
Karl Fritz Schmidhofer
............................................................... 20–21
Healing water in the forest
Bad Altprags/Bagni di Braies
Vecchia and Bad Neuprags/
Bagni di Braies Nuova
............................................................... 23–25
The beeyard ain’t
no place for a woman …
but at the Three Peaks
this is not the case!
.............................................................. 26–27
Forest stories
and herbal tales
Impressive special
exhibition at Dolomythos
.............................................................. 28–29
Where the music plays
Cultural Centre
in Dobbiaco/Toblach
............................................................... 30–33
Disturbing Odyssey
The special and clan prisoners
............................................................... 34–36
Burning mountains
Sacred Heart
of Jesus fire
.............................................................. 38–40
Hiking in autumn
Hiking program in autumn
...................................................................... 41
Get social!
.............................................................. 42–43
Summer 2020
26–27
41
Hikingin autumn
The beeyard ain’t no place for a woman …but at the Three Peaks this is not the case!
30–33
Where the music plays
»
8–11
MOUNTAIN BIKING:FOR YOURSELF AND OTHERS
16–19
Great fun withthe GiganteBaranci
7
©M. Kottersteger
8
©M. Kottersteger
9
Great fun withthe GiganteBaranciThe Dolomites are a legendary mountainscape–in the truest sense of the word. The protagonist of one of the most exciting stories is the Gigante Baranci, who has come back to life in a most charming manner. The enchanting adventure park at Monte Baranci near San Candido/Innichen attracts guests of all ages.
Whilst it may not be the most spectacular or the highest moun-
tain in the holiday region 3 Zinnen in the Dolomites with only
1,739 metres, Monte Baranci is definitely the most entertaining.
Children love the Monte Baranci, San Candido’s landmark moun-
tain, because this is where they can visit the mysterious giant. His
unusual story started when, as a small child, he drank from a magic
spring which gave him supernatural powers. He grew into a giant
and developed unbelievable strength. The people in the valley were
obviously very impressed and asked him to assist them with the
construction of the Collegiate Church San Candidol. As a reward,
he was given a decent ration of food and drink every day, which
included a barrel of wine, a grilled calf and a large sack of potatoes.
10
In return, the visitors can look forward to excit-
ing adventures at the different stations along
the loop path following the giant’s tracks at
Monte Baranci. With the 4-seater chairlift in
San Candido, Monte Baranci fans can comfort-
ably glide up the mountain. Right next to the
mountain station, the ‘Dwarf Parcours’ begins,
a high rope course where the kids can test their
dexterity and climbing skills. After this, the best
idea is to follow the family loop path leading
past different giant stations. Right next to the
mountain station there is a giant jumping castle,
followed by the ‘Dwarf Village’. The dwarfs used
to be quite important to the giant, because they
were his assistants and they served him well.
The ‘Dwarf Village’ is an exciting world in itself
with small tree houses, the dwarf huts, with
ladders over which one can scramble, and with
the footprint lakes, where one can experience
how gargantuan the giant was and where one
can walk through the water in his tracks.
©M. Kottersteger
©M. Kottersteger©M. Kottersteger
11
Georg Weindl (Author)
©M. Kottersteger
Such adventurous activities will soon cause
everyone to get hungry and thirsty. So, it is just
as well that the ‘Dwarf Village’ is located right
next to the Rifugio Gigante Baranci mountain
hut named after the giant. Here you can replen-
ish yourself with South Tyrolean specialties. The
Haunold burger is particularly popular with the
kids. The kids can continue to play in the giant’s
realm while their parents relax on the terrace.
This way, everybody is well prepared for the next
highlight: Italy’s first summer toboggan run, the
Funbob, goes downhill quickly, with rapid, sharp
bends over a distance of 1.7 km. For those who
are undecided whether they want to go downhill
so quickly, a zippy ride on the tubing track with
the tyres may be an alternative. Another tip at
the end: After all, visiting the giant with other
children is even more fun.
12
T h e y a r e t h e a b s o l u t e c l a s s i c
c l i m b i n g t o u r s i n t h e D o l o m i t e s .
A l p i n e h i s t o ry w a s w r i t t e n a r o u n d
t h e a r e a o f t h e T h r e e P e a k s ( D r e i Z i n n e n )
m o u n t a i n ra n g e . T h e h o l i d a y r e g i o n
3 Z i n n e n i n t h e D o l o m i t e s s t i l l o f f e r s
e x c e l l e n t t o u r s a n d u n fo r g e t t a b l e
a d v e n t u r e s w i t h s u m m i t t o u r s ,
h i g h r o p e p a r k s a n d v i e f e r ra t e .
Feelingthe
©E. Rainer
13
14
The path through the Rienztal valley in the foot-
steps of Paul Grohmann is a route steeped in
history. This is what Franz Innerkofler, who first
ascended the Große Zinne mountain, and Franz
Innerkofler, a legendary mountain guide and
first ascendant of the North face of the Kleine
Zinne mountain, called home. The great Emilio
Comici also achieved some spectacular first
ascents here. Today, the Drei Zinnen mountains
are among the most popular and sought-after
destinations for Alpine climbers. The famous
peaks are of course only the figurehead of this
high-calibre region for alpinists. The region
offers an unusually large and varied range of
routes, vie ferrate and high rope parks.
You do not have to be an extreme mountaineer
to experience the fascination of Three Peaks
and Sextner Dolomites mountain range up
close. There are a number of easy excursions
to get you started, such as the Silvesterkreis
loop hiking trail in the Pfannbachtal valley or
the Wildbachsteig trail, which has recently been
renovated and improved. The Silvesterbach
brook is of great importance for Dobbiaco/
Toblach, as its water delivers energy for many
craft workshops and the nearby Toblacher Feld
field functions as an important watershed. You
can learn a lot about this history on the loop
trail. The little-known Cadini mountain range
right next door with its attractive routes and a
very good rock quality serves as good prepara-
tion or a quieter alternative to the Three Peaks
mountain range.
The selection of summit routes and vie
ferrate is spectacular and varied here. Around
the Three Peaks, the Paternkofel, Rotwand and
nearby Dreischusterspitze mountains there are
many charming vie ferrate. A highlight is the
‘Dolomites without borders project’, in which
twelve vie ferrate lead from the Three Peaks
over the Cadoretal valley to the Gailtal valley in
Tyrol, Austria. The mountain guides and Alpine
schools in the region 3 Zinnen in the Dolomites
are the perfect partners to advise which routes
and vie ferrate are the best choice for your own
tour. They have the best tips and professionally
accompany and assist the mountaineering fans.
©E. Rainer
©E. Rainer
Open daily!
Registration for the Pastry WorkshopDiscover, enjoy, shop!
Pure goodness!
INFO:www.loacker.comPanzendorf 1969919 Heinfels - Austria
Registration
The numerous attractive high rope parks underline
that this region is a paradise for climbers. They of-
fer a unique combination of sporty standards and
scenic landscapes, such as the climbing crags at the
Dürrensee lake, of Landro and Scheweg-Franchi in
the Höhlensteintal valley between Dobbiaco and
Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Climbing for every taste and every level, that’s what
the region 3 Zinnen in the Dolomites stands for—
and also in all weather conditions. Because with the
two climbing halls in Sesto/Sexten and Dobbiaco/
Toblach there are first-class bad weather alterna-
tives and training opportunities. The Dolomit Arena
in Sesto has a climbing area of 1,800 m2 and a 400 m2
bouldering surface with a height of up to 16.5 m,
plus levels of difficulties from 3 to 8b+. In the Dob-
biaco Nordic Arena, there are climbing walls with a
height of up to 23 m and difficulty levels from 4b to
9a, including a bouldering room available. The fact
that the region around the Three Peaks is an abso-
lute hotspot for alpinists is also underlined by the
annual Dolorock Festival, where climbing fans and
professionals from all over the world meet on the
last weekend in May.
©H. Wisthaler
Georg Weindl (Author)
16
MOUNTAIN BIKING:FOR YOURSELF AND OTHERS
T H E H O C H P U S T E R TA L V A L L E Y I S A M O U N TA I N
P A R A D I S E W H E R E M O U N TA I N B I K E R S C A N F I N D
T H E R I G H T R O U T E S D E P E N D I N G O N T H E I R A B I L I T Y
A N D F I T N E S S — F O R F U N , F O R S P O R T I N G S U C C E S S
O R F O R A G O O D C A U S E .
©Rocky Mountains
17
There are many answers to some questions. For
example, if you ask about the most beautiful
mountain bike route in the Hochpustertal val-
ley, you will get many answers—and they are all
correct. Some mountain bikers love the seem-
ingly endless gravel path to the Marchkinkele
peak, others the routes on the Plätzwiese high
plateau with an amazing view of the Monte
Cristallo mountain. Anyone who appreciates
trails can let off steam on the Giro Bike Tour
over five mountains and almost 3,500 metres of
difference in altitude—most of the strenuous
uphill riding is done here by the cable ways—or
on the legendary Stoneman Trail, which follows
the Karnischer Kamm mountain range affording
great views that true aficionados cannot help
but rave about. Either way, the bike region 3
Zinnen in the Dolomites with its incomparable
backdrop of rugged rock peaks has long been a
hotspot for mountain bikers.
It is therefore no wonder that many mountain
bikers like to stop in the Hochpustertal val-
ley as part of a multi-day tour—or start right
here; for example as part of the TransTirol Bike
Rallye, which starts in the village of Villabassa/
Niederdorf in the summer of 2020. This charm-
ing place knows a lot about bike events. The
‘Dolomiti Superbike’ race, with 623 starters at
its premiere in 1995, had long since become a
mega event in which the number of participants
had to be limited to 4,500 starters. Time counts
in the Dolomiti Superbike race—the fastest
mountain bikers can complete the 113 kilometres
with an impressive 3,357-metre difference in
altitude in around four and a half hours—while
the TransTirol BikeRallye focuses on pleasure.
In the multi-day stage race through the mag-
nificent mountains of the Dolomites there is
a ‘Classic’ as well as a much longer and more
demanding ‘Challenge’ tour, but timekeeping
is deliberately avoided. The perfectly planned
and prepared daily stages are signposted with
small directional signs in the morning and are
run by trained MTB guides, who also collect the
signs after the last participant has passed, so
that the participants can fully engage in the fun
of biking and the shared experience—this also
includes amenities such as luggage transfer, a
bike service with a workshop trolley or invit-
ing alpine huts where bikers can regain their
strength.
©Rocky Mountains
E I T H E R W A Y , T H E B I K E R E G I O N
3 Z I N N E N I N T H E D O L O M I T E S
W I T H I T S I N C O M P A R A B L E
B A C K D R O P O F R U G G E D R O C K
P E A K S H A S L O N G B E E N A
H O T S P O T F O R M O U N TA I N B I K E R S .
»
18
However, there are also events where sporting
fun has a social background. Around 300 partic-
ipants will take part in ‘Dolomiti X Duchenne’ in
Villabassa for the third time. You will be taken
into the fascinating world of the Dolomites over
three days during which the selected mountain
bike trails are quite demanding. But time is
irrelevant, because the event organized by
Roberto Zoffoli in cooperation with the Villa-
bassa Tourism Association is intended as a
relaxing holiday for the families of children
affected by the insidious Duchenne disease—so
sharing this experience is all that counts. The
event is also a small thank you to the volun-
teers and sponsors who put in a lot of effort and
financial donations to support the Duchenne
Parent Project every year.
A N D S O T H E R E A R E M A N Y
A N S W E R S T O T H E Q U E S T I O N
O F W H Y B I K E R S C O M E T O
T H E H O C H P U S T E R TA L V A L L E Y .
B U T T H E R E I S O N E
C O M M O N D E N O M I N AT O R :
T H E P O S S I B I L I T I E S A N D
T H E L A N D S C A P E A R O U N D T H E
T H R E E P E A K S O F F E R A U N I Q U E
S E T T I N G F O R M A K I N G B I K E T O U R S
A N U N F O R G E T TA B L E E X P E R I E N C E .
Stefan Herbke (Author)
©H. Wisthaler
19
Collectively mountain bikers ride on a 3-day
mountain bike trip to the Dolomites, whilst
side events in Villabassa and the surrounding
area are organised daily for the accompanying
persons and the young people affected by the
disease. Joint dinners are served in the gym.
Date: 17th to 21st June 2020.
» T R A N S T I R O L B I K E R A L LY E » D O L O M I T I F O R D U C H E N N E
The operator FunActive Tours will travel twice
from Villabassa through the Dolomites in the
summer of 2020:
at the end of June (from 28th of June to 4th July
2020) the route leads via Cortina d'Ampezzo
and Levico Terme to the Lago di Caldonazzo
lake and in September (from 13th to 19th of Sep-
tember 2020) the destination is the Kalterer See
lake. In addition to the guided tours, the price
includes the overnight stays, a starter package,
luggage transfers, return transport to Villabassa
and detailed tour information.
Registration at
www.transtirol-bikerallye.com©T.A. Villabassa/Niederdorf
©H. Wisthaler
Due to the current situation resulting from the Corona crisis, event dates have not yet been
confirmed at the time of going to press. Changes are therefore reserved and possibly also
postponements to the coming year 2021. For more information please go to the corresponding
websites or contact the Villabassa/Niederdorf tourist office.
Karl Fritz Schmidhofer, the head of Papin Sport, is considered a
pioneer in cycle tourism. When he opened his sports retailer in
the centre of San Candido/Innichen in 1979, even the resourceful
locals of the Hochpustertal valley had no idea to which extent
the ‘bike’ business model—originally carved out of necessity—
would actually go through the roof one day. Cycling is undoubt-
edly THE trend, and now Papin Sport is also THE European
market leader in the field of bicycle services. Among other
things, the company from the holiday region 3 Zinnen in the
Dolomites now has around 15,000 bikes in its range and Papin
Sport also runs countless rental and service points along a wide
variety of cycling paths, even beyond national borders. From a
small idea to a real bike empire ...
Forging a success story out of a Fistful of Bikes in the holiday region 3 Zinnen in the DolomitesIn conversation with Karl Fr itz Schmidhofer
Selling, repairing and lending bicycles—did you suspect back then that you would be so successful?
Of course, I somehow believed in the potential of the bike
business, but basically it was just about giving my employees a
permanent job. At that time, I already had a ski rental and there-
fore also needed employment for my people during the summer
months. Consequently, bicycles were the obvious choice. So we
started selling and repairing bikes. And we also launched the
rental business, with a proud seven bikes back then ...
20
©Papin Sport
©Papin Sport
So was the bike rental not necessarily a successful model in the beginning?
Keyword E-Bike: how much has cycling changed as a result?
Can you sit back and relax now that you have achieved everything in the bike services area, or do you still have more plans up your sleeve?
The whole country is cycling today. However, is it true that only a few years ago bike paths were still wishful thinking?
In the meantime, we are experiencing a real cycling boom. What has encouraged this in your opinion?
The rental business has gradually developed
into what it is today. We started out very small
and then simply grew continuously over the
years, following the upswing in the trendy
sport of cycling. Every year, another stretch of
a bike path was added and therefore, of course,
a few bikes. We did not do traditional adver-
tising as such, but word-of-mouth advertising
helped us; and, above all, the fact that we have
always placed great emphasis on our services.
A well-functioning, professional service for our
customers is still the be-all and end-all in our
family business.
That's true. The bike paths were by no means all
built at once, but have been expanded bit by bit,
and even today, not all of the routes have been
signed and sealed. I can confidently say that
our success in this sector was certainly also
decisive for the expansion of the bike routes in
the Pustertal valley. Nowadays, around 120,000
cyclists a season enjoy the route between San
Candido and the Austrian town of Lienz, such
numbers have never been reached before on a
bike route across Europe.
The growing popularity of more exercise, the
realisation that one should keep fit and that
sport or physical activity is beneficial for all
ages have certainly contributed to the fact that
cycling has become more and more popular.
E-bikes are a strong trend that is only in its
infancy and will surely increase in the next few
years. The main advantage of e-bikes is that
older people can now ride their bikes without
fear and strain. All the studies also prove that
e-bike riding is better for the body than ex-
treme MTB tours.
Our company is very well positioned, we have a
total of around 15,000 bikes distributed across
Austria, Northern Italy and Upper Bavaria, of
which around 5,000 are e-bikes. This year we are
represented with our bike rental in almost all
the train stations in South Tyrol, from Malles/
Mals in the Vinschgau valley to here in San Can-
dido we cover almost everything. And our hotel
bike division is still on an expansion course. We
are currently active in Seefeld, Upper Bavaria
and also in Northern Italy.
But to rest on our laurels would be disastrous
for our company, as it would be doomed to fail.
We always want to stay on the ball and are al-
ways interested in new projects. For example,
we are currently planning to organise a project
in Lower Austria which will be similar to the one
established in Carinthia. We will also continue
to expand in Bavaria. And since e-bikes are on
the rise, we will, of course, make further invest-
ments in this area.
Judith Steinmair (Author)
21
Burgweg 2 Innichen · Tel. +39 0474 [email protected]
www.zacher1560.info
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23
Healing waterin the forestPeople suffering from ailments hoped that the healing mineral springs in the Pragser valley would alleviate their suffering. Others, who were looking for tranquillity, enjoyed recuperative wellness holidays in the idyllic thermal spas. Find out more about the rise and decline of Bad Altprags/Bagni di Braies Vecchia and Bad Neuprags/Bagni di Braies Nuova.
Since ancient times, people have attributed
healing properties to water. Folk medicine, in
particular, used the healing powers of water:
whether it was stomach problems, joint aches
or skin irritations, the local population visited
some of the water sources to combat physical
ailments. Back in the 16th century, this resulted
in the foundation of the first ‘Bauernbadln’, or
farmers baths, in the area of Tyrol and thermal
baths in more remote areas. At the beginning,
simple bath houses and pilgrimage church-
es were built in addition to the use of healing
sources. It did not take long before the first
summer holidaymakers arrived to alleviate their
pain or to simply relax in the picturesque forest
swimming pools in the midst of nature—today
we would most likely call this a wellness holiday.
In the Pustertal valley alone, 30 health baths
were created, including Bagni di Braies Vecchia
and Bagni di Braies Nuova in the Pragser valley.
In the green meadows of the Hirschbrunnen rest spa guests enjoying the shade under a pine canopy surrounded by white hawthorn while up there, on the balustrade with its colourful carnations, a repeat guest of Bagni di Braies Vecchia blows a horn.”
Translation of the ballad written by Hermann von Gilm
“©T.A. Braies/Prags
24
The legend and the riseof Bagni di Braies Vecchia
The ‘Cold Gastein’
There are legends surrounding many of the
healing springs, which explain or confirm the
miraculous healing powers of the water. The
same holds true for the main spring in Bagni
di Braies Vecchia: the hunters shot a deer three
times, but the animal survived each of these
shots. On the fourth occasion, the hunters
spotted the deer bathing in the spring and
they killed it. This is when they saw the three
previous bullet wounds, which had been healed
by the water. Therefore, the spring is called
‘Hirschenbrunnen’ or deer’s fountain.
Around the year 1490, a skilled lumberjack
asked the Count of Görz, also known as Count of
Gorizia, for permission to erect the first bathing
house at the Hirschenbrunnen in order to cater
for the sick. His request was granted. Paula von
Gonzaga, the second wife of Count Leonard of
Gorizia, assisted with the rise of what was then
a simple spa. After her visit to Bagni di Braies
Vecchia she was healed from her severe body
aches. As a sign of her gratitude, she donated
the funds for the foundation of the little church
of St. Magdalena in Moso/Moos near Villabassa/
Niederdorf. Of course, word about the fact that
she healed spread quickly, even beyond the
borders. The scenic location of Bagni di Braies
Vecchia with its magnificent view of the moun-
tainscape added to the charm. Many ailing peo-
ple arrived in the forest spa with the hope of re-
covery in their luggage. What started as a simple
bathing house, was expanded step by step into
a hotel. During its heyday in the 19th century,
Bagni di Braies Vecchia offered 200 guest beds.
During peak season, from May to mid-October,
there were an average of 1,500 visitors per
year, including celebrities such as the Archduke
Heinrich Anton of Austria. During the summer
months, the town was even equipped with its
own postal service and telegraph office.
In addition to the legendary ‘Hirschenbrunnen’,
Bagni di Braies Vecchia featured the springs
‘Augenquelle’ (Eye Spring) and ‘Trinkwasser-
quelle’ (Drinking Water Spring). The water tem-
perature reached 8–9°C, which awarded Bagni
di Braies Vecchia the nickname ‘Cold Gastein’
or ‘Tyrolean Gastein’ referring to the Austrian
health resort of Bad Gastein. The baths and
cures were supposed to alleviate many ail-
ments, from rheumatic pains to gynaecological
problems. Obviously with success: numerous
votive tablets hang in the chapel in Bagni di
Braies Vecchia, as thanks for healing, and be-
hind a grate there are crutches which were left
behind by people who healed miraculously.
Towards the end of the 19th century, howev-
er, Bagni di Braies Vecchia gradually lost its
significance. Rumour has it that due to the
quick changes in ownership, the guests’ expec-
tations could no longer be met. Newer struc-
tures such as the bath in Bagni di Braies Nuova
and the hotel Pragser Wildsee took over from
the 400-year-old spa: In the year 1950, the bath
in Bagni di Braies Vecchia finally closed doors
entirely, and since then, the building has been
in constant decay.
©T.A. Braies/Prags ©T.A. Braies/Prags
25
The rise of the thermal spaof Bagni di Braies NuovaBagni di Braies Nuova, situated in the right
branch of the Pragser valley, became the new
hotspot. Approximately 400 guests, mostly from
the noble society, spent their summers here
enjoying the thermal baths and cures, some-
times over a period of several weeks. For the
so-called spa societies, cures with healing water
were not always paramount. Apparently, Bagni
di Braies Nuova offered excellent cuisine and,
occasionally, it was relatively entertaining—an
element that is known to increase the over-
all well-being. With growing visitor numbers,
the acclaimed thermal spa was expanded:
additional buildings with new rooms (some with
a stove and balcony), changing rooms, a tennis
court and a bowling alley were built.
The healing springs of Bagni di Braies Nuova
arise at the foot of the mountain on the oppo-
site side. It is not known, when its effect was
first discovered. The first written entry dates
back to the year 1690. From 1830, the ‘Theresia’
and ‘Jenny’ sources were named ‘Erlachbad’,
later the name changed to ‘Möselbad’ and
Bagni di Braies Nuova. In these thermal spas,
the water is also supposed to have allegedly
alleviated or even healed many minor and
major ailments. The farmers went to the springs
if they suffered from eye disorders and the spa
guests were recommended to do thermal water
cures for various ailments: “The healing power
of this stimulating, strengthening and also soft-
ening and dissolving water shows its effect in
cases of paralyses, muscle weakness, a tenden-
cy to suffer from rheumatic, gouty and podagra-
related ailments, different types of skin rashes,
menstrual issues or to help convalescents who
suffered from gall, typhus or intermittent fevers
to recover,” explained Dr. Johann Jakob Staffler
in the year 1844.
Bagni di Braies Nuova, however, shared the
same fate with many other healing spa towns in
the Alps: after their heyday in the 19th century,
their importance decreased and the Great War
brought about the final collapse for Bagni di
Braies Nuova. The owners had to hand over the
thermal baths to the new fascist potentates in
the country. After the war, the catholic church
took charge of the spa for a few years, using it
as a summer residence. Today the buildings are
empty.
Doris Brunner (Author)
©T.A. Braies/Prags
©T.A. Braies/Prags ©T.A. Braies/Prags
26
“The beeyard ain’t no place for a woman” the
Canadian professional magazine Ontario Bee
Journal wrote in March 2016. In the 80s, this
statement was directed at the author of the
article, Kelly Rogers, who provocatively placed
the focus on it to talk about her own experience
as a beekeeper and as a woman.
Famous beekeepers have always been in abun-
dance: Aristotle, George Washington and Leo
Tolstoy, author of War and Peace; however,
there seems to be no trace of female beekeep-
ers. And yet, a number of women have stood out
in this sector, including the author Sylvia Plath,
Maria von Trapp, the real Maria, who served as
the source of inspiration for the world-famous
movie The Sound of Music, Susanna Tamaro,
the famous author of Và dove ti porta il cuo-
re (Follow your Heart) and Eva Crane, a British
physicist, biologist and author, who introduced
revolutionary apicultural changes.
They are all women, or rather beekeepers and
women, but somehow this still seems to be a
rare phenomenon.
In the middle of the 18th century, the Swiss
scientist and aristocrat Catherine Elisabeth
Vicat was both a veritable institution in this
field and a strong advocate for the use of
rational beehives that are still used today,
while Marie Aimée Lulline and Miss Jurine are
merited with having developed the knowledge
of the production of valuable beeswax.
Another fundamental advance was made in
the late 19th century by the Scottish beekeeper
Miss Clementine Stirling Graham. She was the
first to promote the extraction of honey with-
out simultaneously destroying the honeycombs.
A truly important discovery!
This immediately raises the question:
Is beekeeping reserved for men only?
“Not at all,” replies Peter Senfter from San
Candido/Innichen, who has been the chairman
of the South Tyrolean Beekeepers Association
of the Alta Pusteria/Oberpustertal valley region
for 18 years and has been dedicating himself to
his 30 beehives since 1960. He confirms that, in
the meantime, there are even numerous woman
beekeepers in the beekeepers’ association.
Frida Oberhammer from Santa Maria/Aufkirchen
negates this question even more categorically,
she is after all living proof of it. Beekeeping may
be primarily a male domain, but she has made
great and considerable contributions in this
field.
The beeyard ain’t no place for a woman …but at the Three Peaks this is not the case!
©F. Oberhammer
27
Frida started working as a beekeeper approximately twenty years
ago, however she had been involved with bees even prior to this.
As a child she first helped her grandfather and later her mother
with the bees. In short, her love of beekeeping was born to her.
Today, Frida is the chairwomen for Dobbiaco/Toblach and deputy
chairwoman for the district of the Alta Pusteria/Oberpustertal
valley. She has a lot of experience, and her passion has anything
but decreased over time.
Together with her husband Hubert she keeps approximately
27 bee colonies in three different locations—Santa Maria and
Carbonin/Schluderbach as well as on the Silvesteralm meadow
in the summer. It is remarkable that she calls them “families” in
conversation. Each bee colony consists of approx. 20,000 bees in
the winter and up to 60,000 in the summer.
She talks about their beehives with enthusiasm and dedication.
Each bee family delivers an average of 15 kg of honey, whereby
the yield also depends, above all, on the climatic conditions in
the high mountains, on the air temperature, the flowering period
and the natural conditions.
In the past, there was only one type of honey, referred to
nowadays as blossom honey. In the 1920s, the term ‘variety
honey’ began to spread und currently more than 300 types of
honey are classified. The individual variety honey always gets its
name from the flowering plant, which is exploited by the bees.
In the Dolomites, honey is still considered to be a precious
product and is therefore marked with a protected designation
of origin (u.G.) on a label with the Three Peaks mountain range.
Frida harvests primarily dandelion, honeydew, forest and alpine
meadow honey. There is also alpine rose honey, which is rarely
offered as a pure variety honey, but mostly as an alpine blossom
honey.
Honey—also known as the nectar of gods—is still a basic ingredi-
ent in cooking and baking, however Mrs. Oberhammer also uses
it in an innovative und rather unexpected way, namely for mas-
sages. This tradition from Russia or—presumably from Tibet—
is based on the cleansing properties of honey, be it when it is
consumed or when it is absorbed into the skin. It is, in every
respect, a very versatile, high-quality product.
She answered our—relatively provocative—
question about whether, according to her, a
beekeeper or a beekeeperess does the better
job, with the same sensitivity that she showed
throughout our conversation. “Beekeeping is a
hobby, which is both fun and pure enjoyment. It
makes no difference if the beekeeper is a man
or a woman, as long as he or she is passionate
and dedicated. However, I don’t think that men
are better or worse than women, although, in
general, women are more suited to a lifestyle
close to nature. A hobby should entail both
passion and joy. Women may be characterised
by a higher degree of passion than many men.”
“Each bee has the mechanism of the universe
within it: each one contains the secret of the
world,” as the French philosopher Michel
Onfray wrote. It is therefore unimportant
whether the secret is guarded by a woman or
a man.
Martina Merola (Author)
©O. Seehauser
©F. Oberhammer
28
After all, the population of the Dolomites has
what is probably the best-known saga collec-
tion: its preservation forms the core of the
Dolomite folk tales, which Karl Felix Wolff
collected and published for the first time in
1905 ("The Pale Mountains"). A key theme in
the folk tales is the matriarchy. Above all, it is
women who make decisions and influence the
course of events. It is Dolasilla the strong and
infallible warrior. Moltina, Tanna, Samblana,
Soreghina and Lujanta—everywhere, women
play the protagonist in various distinct sto-
ries. Men can only destroy this symbiosis with
violence. When women then unite with men
it almost always ends in tragedy. In this case,
women only have to retreat back to nature, as
part of which they were created and where they
are happy again. Nature provides security again
as soon as the female legendary figures return
to it.
And yet some of the Dolomite folk tales about
herbs and plants are still fascinating today.
Forest stories and herbal tales
IMPRESSIVE SPECIAL EXHIBITION AT DOLOMYTHOS,
SAN CANDIDO/INNICHEN, THE LARGEST DOLOMITE MUSEUM
COVERING THE LEGENDARY WORLD OF THE DOLOMITES
©Dolomythos Museum ©Dolomythos Museum ©Dolomythos Museum
28
29
The wedding of Merisànaor the larch queen
Moltina,the queen of marmots
The rose garden
DOLOMYTHOSPEDESTRIAN ZONE SAN CANDIDO/INNICHEN
Opening hours:Open every day from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. without a day off
[email protected] WWW.DOLOMYTHOS.COM
Queen Merisàna had everything her heart could
wish for; and yet she was troubled by how many
living things were unhappy or suffered from
pain. One day the "Réy de Ràyes", the King of
Rays, met the graceful maiden and immediately
fell in love with her. She however had one
condition: “Before I get married, all living things
must be happy. Nobody should suffer any more,
not a single tree may be felled and no animal
killed.” The King of Rays became very concerned
and asked the wise councillors whether this was
possible. They said no. Merisàna gave in and
asked that all living things should at least be
happy on the day of the wedding. Even this con-
dition turned out to be unattainable. This made
Merisàna sad: “Not even a single day!” She
sighed. “I thought that this was the minimum
we could do.” Finally, she agreed that at least
at the hour of their wedding everyone would be
happy: the people and animals, the trees and
flowers. The King of Rays hoped to meet this
condition, and in fact all living beings were told
to remove any pain and discomfort at midday on
the wedding day. Everyone praised the girl for
her kindness, and in gratitude they brought the
most beautiful bouquets and bundles that could
be imagined. Merisàna decided to do something
useful with it and said that a new tree should be
made from it. This is how the larch was created.
However, since it was not yet viable in this
form, it wrapped Merisàna with its bridal veil
made of fine, light green fabric. The tree imme-
diately began to sprout. Everyone was amazed
at the properties of the tree. In fact, the larch
is the strangest of all trees. At first it appears
as a conifer, but the needles turn yellow in
autumn and fall off like the leaves of the decid-
uous trees. But when the larch wakes up again
in spring, it looks like a delicate green muslin,
and the tips of the branches clearly show the
fabric of the bridal veil.
Moltina grew up with the marmots on the Plätzwiese high
plateau and even learned to take their shape. One day she fell
in love with the Prince of the Landrins and followed him to his
castle. When asked about her origin, Moltina was embarrassed.
At that moment the Rotwand mountain lit up. Meanwhile Moltina
turned into a marmot unnoticed. However, the prince searched
for it, discovered it and stayed with her.
In ancient times, the dwarf king Laurin ruled in the Dolomites.
He had immense treasures, but the largest of them was a stealth
cap that made him invisible. Laurin's pride was a beautiful rose
garden encircled by a golden silk thread. One day Laurin met
the beautiful Princess Simhild. He fell in love and captured her
with the help of his stealth cap. But Simhild remained sad. One
day the Gothic King Theodoric, also known as Dietrich von Bern,
and his knights ended up in this area. They were amazed at the
splendour of the gold-thread-enclosed roses, but his compan-
ions tore the thread and trampled the roses. Laurin stormed out
angrily. There was a one-sided fight. At first Laurin could pro-
tect himself with his stealth cap, but it was snatched from him
and soon he was lying helpless on the floor and begging for his
life. Princess Simhild has now been released. But with a spell
cast by the fettered king the rose garden was destroyed forever:
neither the bright day nor the dark night should ever see the
roses’ splendour again. Only bare, pale rocks should remain in
their place. But Laurin had forgotten to include twilight between
day and night in his spell. And so it happens that at sunset the
pale mountains of the Dolomites shine and glow in the most
beautiful shades of red.
Michael Wachtler (Author)
29
30
Where the music plays
Beethoven, Mahler and
a large new orchestra:
the Cultural Centre in Dobbiaco/Toblach will
continue to be the Val Pusteria/Pustertal valley
rendezvous for music lovers in the future
»
30
©M. Verdoes
31
Gustav Mahler was inspired by the landscape
and the people during his summer retreat in
Dobbiaco. In his composing hut in Carbonin
Vecchia/Altschluderbach near Dobbiaco he
wrote the ‘Ninth Symphony’, the unfinished
‘Tenth Symphony’ and ‘The Song of the Earth’.
Dobbiaco was a special place for the Bohemian
composer—a fact which is greatly appreciat-
ed in Dobbiaco: Every year, the Gustav Mahl-
er Music Weeks take place in memory of the
late romantic. It would have been a special
anniversary this year: 40 years of celebrating
Gustav Mahler in Dobbiaco! The master class
with Thomas Hampson and his recital would
have been the highlight. But in these times of
the corona pandemic, nothing is the way it used
to be, not even in the world of music (for the
time being)... This also affects the Festspiele
Südtirol (South Tyrol Festival) in the Dobbiaco
Cultural Centre. They were both planned for
August in honour of Ludwig van Beethoven.
The composer was born 250 years ago in Bonn.
His music is considered the highest develop-
ment of Viennese classical music and oozes
strength and originality, which the organisers
also wanted to convey to the festival visitors.
Now, the Romanian youth orchestra under
Cristian Mandeal and a huge contingent of the
‘Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes’ (Ger-
man Academic Scholarship Foundation) under
Martin Wettges will probably only show their
skills in Dobbiaco next year. One thing will not
change: the festival has been dedicated to the
youth for years and this will continue in 2021.
31
On that occasion, music lovers in Dobbiaco
will also experience the first performance of
the newly founded Grandhôtel Orchestra of
Dobbiaco. The orchestra, conducted by Philipp
von Steinaecker, is supported by the ‘Euregio
Cultural Center Gustav Mahler Dobbiaco Dolo-
mites’ foundation. In addition, the foundation
is building a unique collection of instruments
for this project, which brings together musi-
cians from a wide variety of orchestras from
around the world. This is the first time that the
historical instruments of the Vienna Court
Opera Orchestra used during Mahler’s direction
have been reunited in one place. This Septem-
ber, the newly founded Grandhôtel Orchestra
should have played Gustav Mahler's Ninth Sym-
phony as part of the original Mahler Revisited
sound festival, for the first time since the first
performance in 1912 on original instruments.
Now this will happen a year later. This much
is certain, the musicians will have immersed
themselves into the world of Gustav Mahler
much more by then.
It's wonderful here.”
“
©M. Verdoes
©M. Verdoes
32
You played in the Gustav Mahler
Youth Orchestra as a teenager.
Is this where your enthusiasm for
the composer and conductor comes from?
At the age of 17, I was allowed to play Mahler’s
Fifth Symphony under Claudio Abbado and had
the feeling back then that these were the first
really important concerts that I could take part
in. That was my initiation as a musician, but also
as a Mahlerian. That is why Gustav Mahler has
always had a special meaning for me. And then
I feel like many others who have discovered
his music for themselves: you have the feeling
that he wrote this music just for you, that’s how
closely it touches you. Sometimes you want
to watch over it jealously, but experiencing
and sharing it together is always the deepest
experience.
32
In a short interview, the conductor Philipp von Steinaecker explains what the Grandhôtel Orchestra is all about:
You have been involved in the Grandhôtel
Orchestra project from the beginning.
How are the musicians selected?
The core contingency of the musicians are South
Tyroleans, after all the orchestra is located
here. There are such wonderful South Tyrolean
musicians who are successful abroad and whom
we absolutely want to give a platform to in
order for them to make music together in South
Tyrol. Then there are musicians from the Mahler
cities of Vienna, Budapest, Prague, Amsterdam,
Hamburg, Ljubljana, New York and also finally,
fantastic students. We regularly exchange views
with a group of musicians from the orchestra
and with advisors, such as the conductor Daniel
Harding, about who is eligible for which posi-
tion. From our shared networks of musicians
around the world, we then choose the ones that
we admire the most and that we can imagine
would be a good match. So we look at which
great musicians are available and then whether
they, let's say, are inclined to play on the old
instruments. Because, that's not everyone’s cup
of tea.
©A. Taake
3333
This is the next special feature of
this orchestra: it will play on original
Viennese instruments from the 1900’s
It's really great and incredibly exciting! This
orchestra creates something unique and, we also
hope, makes an important contribution to the
worldwide Mahler reception. The idea behind
it is that when Mahler was sitting and compos-
ing in his composing hut in Dobbiaco, he would
naturally have had the orchestral sound that he
knew from Vienna, and was used to, in his ear. In
those days, the Vienna Philharmonic orchestra
played on different instruments and with a
different technique than we do today. That
means that his sound concept was naturally
different from ours today. We want to recon-
struct this sound of the Mahler period in Dobbi-
aco. In the end, we will play his Ninth Symphony
again, for the first time since then, on the in-
struments for which he wrote it. We started a
collection in Dobbiaco and put together the
instruments that the Vienna Philharmonic used
at the time. The first instruments are slowly
coming back from being restored and have been
given to the musicians. There are simply won-
derful pieces. The old Viennese horns sound
sensational. Then we found a pair of timpani
that was used in the Viennese opera by Mahler.
A beautiful harp, an old bass clarinet, wonder-
fully preserved wooden flutes by Louis Lot and
Karl Rittershausen, Heckel bassoons from 1902
and 1903 and, of course, all the strings played
on gut strings ... I could go on raving forever.
For me, this feels like Christmas: I simply can't
wait!
Verena Duregger (Author)
©M. Verdoes
©M. Verdoes
©M. Verdoes
At the time of the editorial
deadline, it was not yet known
when the concert activity in the
Euregio Cultural Center could be
resumed. All current information
can be found on their website:
www.kulturzentrum-toblach.eu
34
DisturbingOdyssey139 prisoners from 17 nations were abducted by the SS
from the Dachau concentration camp to Villabassa/Niederdorf
shortly before the end of the war. These included various
heads of state, well-known personalities and family members
of resistance fighters. Here’s how the special and clan
prisoners were freed under dramatic circumstances.
In the spring of 1945, immediately before the
end of World War II, so-called special and clan
prisoners from several Nazi concentration
camps were all taken to the concentration
camp in Dachau. Amongst these prisoners
were officers of the Wehrmacht who had fallen
from grace, resistance fighters and their fami-
lies, foreign military personnel and prominent
prisoners, such as the former Austrian Chan-
cellor Kurt von Schuschnigg, the former French
Prime Minister Léon Blum, the business mag-
nate Fritz Thyssen as well as family members
of Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg and Carl
Friedrich Goerdeler, who had been arrested
after the assassination attempt on Hitler on the
20th July 1944.
©H
isto
rica
l Arc
hiv
e La
ke B
raie
s/P
rags
er W
ilds
ee
35
To Villabassa as SS hostages
On the 26th of April 1945, a special command
led by SS Obersturmführer Edgar Stiller and
SS Untersturmführer Ernst Bader transported
the prisoners from Dachau to the Reichenau
camp in Innsbruck. The prominent hostages
were supposedly meant to be taken to the
‘Alpine Fortress’, where they would be handed
over to the Chief of the Reich’s Main Security
Office, Ernst Kaltenbrunner, as a bargaining
chip for the negotiations with the Allied Forces.
The next day, the journey over the Brenner
pass followed and on the morning of the 28th of
April the convoy with the SS hostages arrived
in Villabassa. But their original destination, the
Hotel Pragser Wildsee, was occupied contrary
to expectations. There was a big confusion. The
bus stopped outside of Villabassa for hours
and the prisoners feared the worst. In the end,
they could be accommodated in emergency
quarters: in guesthouses, in the rectory and on
provisionally heaped-up straw in the municipal
office. The population of Villabassa showed
great courage and helpfully provided the pris-
oners with food and drink.
Liberation by the Wehrmacht
Wichard von Alvensleben, Captain of the Ger-
man Wehrmacht, who was stationed in nearby
Moso/Moos near Sesto/Sexten, learnt of the
hostage transport and that the assignment was
only completed “once the prisoners had died”.
Von Alvensleben immediately sent a group of
stormtroopers consisting of 15 NCOs of the
Wehrmacht to Villabassa. Shortly afterwards,
a reinforcement of 150 grenadiers arrived and
surrounded the square in front of the town
hall. The highest-ranking SS leader in Italy, Karl
Wolff, decided that the SS guards had to pull out
and move to Bolzano/Bozen. The Wehrmacht
took over the protection of the SS prisoners.
On the evening of April 30th, they were accom-
modated at the Pragser Wildsee Hotel, which
had become available in the meantime. Under
the management of the dauntless hotel own-
er, Emma Heiss-Hellensteiner, the essentials
were organised. On the 4th of May, two days
after the official surrender of the Wehrmacht in
Italy, the U.S. Army arrived at the Pragser Wild-
see lake. They disarmed the Wehrmacht soldiers
and took over the prisoners. All ‘unencumbered’
prisoners were transported to the Island of
Capri, which some regarded as further intern-
ment. Only after a number of interrogations
they were given permission to return home.
Some special prisoners, however, remained in
U.S. captivity. >>
©Historical Archive Lake Braies/Pragser Wildsee
©Historical Archive Lake Braies/Pragser Wildsee
36
The SS soldiers involved in the hostage trans-
port were not held accountable for their actions:
the case against SS Obersturmführer Stiller was
terminated, SS Untersturmführer Bader was
able to go into hiding and their subordinates
also remained unpunished. Some of the former
SS hostages recorded their memories and part-
ly published them in biographies, including Isa
Vermehren, Kurt von Schuschnigg, Fabian von
Schlabrendorff, Sigismund Payne Best, Bertram
Arthur “Jimmy” James and Josef Müller.
Doris Brunner (Author)
From the Pragser Wildsee archiveof contemporary history
In 2005, the Dachau journalist and contemporary historian Hans-Günther
Richardi and the hotel owner Caroline M. Heiss founded the Zeitgeschichtsarchiv
Pragser Wildsee archive of contemporary history (ZaPW in the Pragser Wildsee
hotel). It recorded, amongst other events, the memories of these occurrences. All
available prisoner records, SS documents, witness statements, books, reports and
essays about the hostage transport are collected here. In the book “SS hostages
in the Alpine Fortress”, Hans-Günter Richardi documented the abduction of the
SS hostages. The book also served as a basis for the TV documentary “We, the
hostages of the SS.” (“Wir, Geiseln der SS.”).
www.archivpragserwildsee.com
©Historical Archive Lake Braies/Pragser Wildsee
©Historical Archive Lake Braies/Pragser Wildsee
38
mountainsBurning
It was in the year 1796. France, under the rule of
Napoleon I, was waging war against the Euro-
pean powers opposing his French Revolution. In
Tyrol, they received the terrifying message that
the Napoleonic troops were marching towards
them from Milan. The Tyrolean ‘Landesstände’
(territorial estates) formed a council of war and
met in Bolzano/Bozen to discuss the next steps.
Good advice seemed in short supply. What to
do in this desperate situation? The abbot of
Stams, Sebastian von Stöckl, proposed to the
council to seek divine assistance and to entrust
the country of Tyrol to the Most Sacred Heart
of Jesus. The representatives of the territorial
estates agreed and made a pledge to celebrate
the festival of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
every year. Only a few days later, on the 3rd of
The Most Sacred Heart of Jesusfires blaze on the mountainsevery year in June. Here’s howthis custom came about andwhat promises it is based on.
June 1796, this promise was fulfilled for the first
time in the holy mass in the Bolzano cathedral.
Before the second Battle of Bergisel in the year
1809, the Tyrolean troops, led by Andreas Hofer,
renewed their Most Sacred Heart of Jesus vow,
the ‘holy covenant’, and surprisingly defeated
the French and the Bavarians, whereupon the
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Sunday was elevat-
ed to a high holiday. It was Pope Pius IX who
introduced the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
holiday as an official fixed date in the Catholic
church calendar in 1856.
However, the veneration of the Most Sacred
Heart of Jesus as a symbol of the goodness and
philanthropy of God goes back further: Saint
Peter Canisius, who worked in Tyrol for a long
time, had a Sacred Heart vision in 1549 one
day before his vows. Sainte Margareta Maria
Alacoque had the same experience 100 years
later in France. In 1705 the first Brothers of the
Sacred Heart congregation was founded at the
Ursulines order in Innsbruck. Shortly thereafter,
the Jesuits started to promote the worship of
the Heart of Jesus.©G. Kamelger
39
Blazing mountain fires
Song of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
“To the oath, country of Tyrol,
Raise heart and hand to heaven!
What our ancestors once promised,
whilst in the midst of a raging war,
Is an oath we want to renew:
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus,
we promise you eternal allegiance!”
Lyrics: Josef Seeber, 1896
Melody: Ignaz Mitterer, 1896
The Sunday of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus,
the third Sunday after Whitsun, is still celebrated
throughout Tyrol as a high church holiday.
Solemn services and processions take place
in many parishes. The white and red Tyrolean
flag is hoisted on church towers and private
homes and firecrackers bang loudly to com-
memorate the holiday. In the evening, as soon
as the darkness falls over the country, the
Sacred Heart fires blaze on many mountain
peaks, clearings and alpine meadows. They
are intended to demonstrate Tyrol’s solidarity,
renew the pledge given in 1769 and commemo-
rate the country’s eventful history. In the Alta
Pusteria/Hochpustertal valley there are also
plenty of Sacred Heart fires shining down into
the valley—not only as large bonfires, but also
in the form of a heart or cross with an inscrip-
tion of Christ (‘INRI’ or ‘IHS’) or a Tyrolean ea-
gle, on the Eggerberg of Villabassa/Niederdorf
installed from the rifel-company Johann-Jaeger.
On the ‘Flodigen Sattel’ mountain near Dobbi-
aco/Toblach, one fire is lined up with the other,
forming an atmospheric chain of lights along
the mountaintop. A very special sight!
Young and old members of various associa-
tions, such as riflemen, farmers’ youth or Alpine
clubs carry wood, brushwood, torches and oth-
er flammable materials up the heights for the
mountain fires. This way, the lighting of the
Sacred Heart fires becomes a convivial festivity
amongst friends. In some places the Tyrolean
national anthem ‘Zu Mantua in Banden’ (also
known as the Andreas-Hofer-Lied) is sung as
well as the song ‘Auf zum Schwur, Tiroler Land’
(Song of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus), which
was composed by priest Josef Seeber for the
100th anniversary of the Most Sacred Heart of
Jesus celebrations.
»
©Shutterstock ©Shutterstock
©G. Kamelger
40
Origins ofthe mountain fires
Illuminated DobbiacoVecchia/Alttoblach
The mountain fires themselves have a long
tradition. They are derived from the custom of
lighting a fire as a symbol for the sun at the
summer solstices around the 20th of June, thus
honouring the longest day of the year. In the
course of Christianisation, the midsummer fires
changed to the Saint John's Fires. These were
lit in honour of the feast of Saint John the Bap-
tist, which is celebrated on the 24th June. In
the past, however, the glowing fires in clearly
visible places had an entirely different function.
In the mountain regions, they were one of the
few ways of communicating with faraway com-
patriots. For example, the ‘Kreidfeuer’, literally
translated ‘screaming fires’, heralded the threat
of war for centuries or were the visible sign of
the attack. As such the attack of the Tyrolean
militia was also initiated by a signal fire on the
mountain summits.
In Dobbiaco Vecchia, the historic heart of the
village surrounding the parish church, the
residents also have another custom: on the
eve of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Sunday,
they light up the windows of the buildings with
beautiful window pictures that represent
religious motives and place candles on the win-
dowsills. In combination with the glistening
fires on the mountains, this is a truly atmos-
pheric experience.
Doris Brunner (Author)
©Shutterstock
©T.A. Dobbiaco/Toblach
©T.A. Dobbiaco/Toblach
©T.A. Dobbiaco/Toblach
41
In the holiday region 3 Zinnen in the Dolomites hiking enthusiasts can enjoy a
varied hiking program in autumn, which also includes a trial course as a hut host.
Here is a selection of other interesting topics that are offered weekly:
Every Tuesday: Climbing tour >Dolomiti senza confini<
A breathtaking tour in the middle of the Dolomites,
that makes every climber's heart beat faster!
Every Wednesday: A history of frontiers
War zone in the region 3 Zinnen in the Dolomites—a hike
with memorable historical background
Every Thursday: You as a landlord
The guests in the role of Hebs, the landlord—a quaint experience
at the Rossalm alpine hut in the Braies Valley!
Every Thursday: In the footsteps of smugglers
Along the legendary footsteps of smugglers
on the border trail between Austria and Italy
Every Friday: Three Peaks sunrise
The Dolomite landmark in early sunshine—a unique
autumnal colour spectacle!
Those interested can find further information on the following homepage:
Hiking in autumn
©M. Kottersteger
www.dreizinnen.com/autumn
42
Get social!#3zinnendolomites#discover3zinnen
©M. Kottersteger
©M. Kottersteger
©M. Kottersteger
©M. Kottersteger
©M. Kottersteger
43
Fa c e b o o k . c o m / 3 z i n n e n h o l i d a y r e g i o n
I n s t a g r a m . c o m / 3 z i n n e n d o l o m i t e s
Yo u t u b e . c o m / a l t a p u s t e r i a
©M. Kottersteger
©M. Kottersteger
d r e i - z i n n e n . i n f o
©M. Kottersteger
St.-Johannes-Str. 69 : : I-39034 TO B L AC HTel. +39 0474 972 350
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Trachten Stüberl
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T +39 0474 972 142
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