The Emperor's Greatest Stuben

"The Emperor's largest parlor" - this was the popular description of the small village of Stuben am Arlberg, as Joseph Ritter von Bergmann recorded in 1868.

This exhibition presents pictures and stories from the 19th and 20th centuries, focusing on the people of Stuben. A cross-section of around 200 years shows the eventful history of the village and the profound changes that have shaped it.

Around 1800, Stuben am Arlberg was characterized by cattle breeding, agriculture with potatoes and barley as well as harnessing services for wagons. In addition, the residents worked on maintaining the road, clearing snow and opening the often closed pass roads - work that was paid for by the imperial building authorities, as reported by Pastor Peter Schaffner in 1835.

The oldest depiction of Stuben is by Franz Carl Zoller and shows the village after the opening of the Arlberg road over the "Posteck" in 1787 and before the devastating avalanche disaster of 1807. The parish of Stuben, which had been independent since 1666, was assigned to the municipality of Klösterle in 1808 during the Bavarian era.

These early times paint a picture of Stuben as a village caught between traditional agriculture and its importance as an important transport route at the foot of the Arlberg.

"The village looks as if it was only built to serve the road," wrote Julius Mayr about Stuben am Arlberg in 1896. The few houses nestled close to the side of the mountain with bay windows, arched hallways and front doors tell of an early period of development and the village's role as the last stage before the arduous Arlberg Pass.

One of the oldest photographs of Stuben, taken on July 5, 1879 by Bregenz photographer Theodor Immler, shows the village before the construction of the Arlbergbahn and the Flexenstraße. This image documents Stuben at a time when it was still heavily influenced by the road and the pre-tensioning services and was of central importance for the transport route over the Arlberg.

The Flexenstraße leads over the Flexensattel (1750 m) and connects the Klostertal with the Lechtal. From Stuben, the road winds its way to the Kanzel, through a tunnel, several avalanche galleries and over a boldly arched bridge that nestles spectacularly into the vertical rock face to the top of the pass.

The Vorarlberg governor Adolf Rhomberg attended the opening of the first section of the Flexenstraße in 1897. The impressive structure was planned by Paul Illmer and built by Johann Bertolini and his team in just two years. The road was finally extended into the Lech Valley until 1909 and is still considered a masterpiece of Alpine road construction today.

Stuben am Arlberg, a place of particular charm, has been described in many travelogues. One of the most beautiful descriptions was written by Martin Thomas Wegmacher, a pseudonym of the civil engineer Martin Martins, who worked on the Arlberg road.

The houses in Stuben are solidly built from stone and covered with robust roofs - a necessity in this storm-ravaged region. Standing close together, they offer resistance to the forces of nature. A gloomy alleyway leads between the houses to a narrow wooden footbridge over the almost silent stream that meanders behind the village. On the other bank, the little church rises on a green hill, surrounded by a small, walled cemetery.

This natural architecture and the village's location give Stuben its special charm, which has always fascinated visitors and comes to life in the descriptions of the past.

After the construction of the Arlberg Railway (1880-1884), Stuben am Arlberg lost its significance as an important post station. During the construction of the railroad, there was still plenty of life, but after that the Arlberg road was hardly used and the village fell on hard times.

The emergence of tourism finally brought about a turnaround and secured the future of the village. Without this development, Stuben would probably have been abandoned sooner or later.

Around 1900, Zürs was nothing more than a summer pasture for the Tannberg Walser farmers, with the small "Zur Alpenrose" inn, which was only open in summer. In winter, Franz Josef Mathies (1864-1937) took on the role of watchman and looked after the Flexenstrasse on behalf of the municipality of Lech, which was not yet cleared at the time.

Franz Josef Mathies, who came from Warth and later settled with his family in Stuben am Arlberg, became well known as "Avalanche Franz Josef". In December 1886, he was rescued alive from the masses of snow after an avalanche accident on the Flexenstraße - an incredible 30 hours later. His courage and his story made him famous far beyond the region.

Hospitality has a long tradition in Stuben am Arlberg - the village was already a warming hut for travelers when it was founded. In the 20th century, Fanny Fritz (1874-1953), the legendary landlady of the "Post" in Stuben and the Ulm hut, became the epitome of this hospitality.

The Ulm section entrusted her with the management of the Ulmer Hütte, making her inseparable from the skiing and mountain history of the Arlberg. Thousands of skiers appreciated her as a motherly hostess, which is why she was affectionately known as the "Schimutter of the Arlberg".

Fanny Fritz's name remained known far beyond the region - a symbol of warm hospitality on the Arlberg. She can be seen in a famous photograph together with her two St. Bernards, who were part of her image and shaped the image of hospitality in Stuben.

Farming, along with traffic over the Arlberg, was the livelihood of the people of Stuben for centuries. But at 1,400 meters above sea level, it was always characterized by great challenges.

As the Vorarlberger Volksblatt reported on October 6, 1896, not all the hay could be brought in even in October. Extreme climatic events, such as persistent rainfall or late sunny days, made the work even more difficult. Poor hay often meant insufficient feed for the livestock and jeopardized the livelihood of the inhabitants.

Thus, farming in Stuben was in a constant battle against nature, which had a significant impact on people's everyday lives.

Fridtjof Nansen (1861-1930), the pioneer of skiing in Central Europe, made a stopover in Stuben am Arlberg in 1912 together with Olaf Gulbransson and his wife Grete Gulbransson (née Jehly). Nansen's legendary crossing of Greenland on snowshoes, which he described in a book, had previously triggered a real ski boom in the Alps - the so-called "Nansen fever".

Grete Gulbransson recorded the journey to Stuben in a lively account. The journey from Langen to Stuben, which moved her so much, became a special gift to Nansen. Her stay at the Gasthof Post, where the "Fritzin" welcomed her, shows the warm hospitality of the village.

Nansen's visit underlines the historical significance of the Arlberg as the cradle of skiing and a meeting place for visionary personalities who had a lasting impact on winter sports in the region.

As early as 1900, the first skiers in Stuben discovered Zürs, which was uninhabited at the time, as an ideal training ground. In the interwar period, Zürs developed into an international winter sports resort, largely shaped by skiers and ski instructors from Stuben am Arlberg.

The well-known Schneider-Jochum ski school provided sporting impetus and lively winter tourism from the 1930s onwards. A photo taken by photographer Lothar Rübelt in 1949 impressively shows the strong involvement of the Stuben population: no fewer than nine ski instructors from Stuben worked in Zürs - proof of the great economic importance of ski tourism for the region.

Stuben and Zürs are therefore closely linked, as pioneers of ski culture who made the Arlberg an international winter sports destination.

Albert Mathies (1891-1963) was one of the most important ski pioneers from Stuben am Arlberg. As the younger brother of the famous "Lawinen-Franz-Josef" and Theresia Mathies (later wife of Viktor Sohm), he had a decisive influence on the development of skiing in the region.

As a teenager, he learned to ski together with Hannes Schneider. Albert Mathies was the first employed ski instructor in Vorarlberg and taught at Bödele. After six years as a prisoner of war in Russia, he returned in 1921 and became the first ski instructor in Zürs, where he pioneered alpine skiing.

His role in the "ski academy" of Zürs, together with ski instructors such as Toni Schneider, contributed significantly to the development of the region as a winter sports destination. Albert Mathies' legacy lives on as a pioneer of skiing in Vorarlberg.

Friedrich Schneider (1898-1987) was one of the most influential personalities of the 20th century in Stuben am Arlberg. As the younger brother of the famous Hannes Schneider, he made his own mark on skiing and the development of the region.

In 1928, Schneider won the downhill at the first Arlberg-Kandahar race, proving his outstanding talent. He founded the Stuben ski school, ran the Zürs ski school for around 40 years and was co-owner of the Hotel Lorünser. In addition to his role in the winter sports business, he always remained connected to his homeland and ran a farm in Stuben for decades.

Friedrich Schneider combined sporting success, entrepreneurial skill and deep roots in the region. His achievements contributed significantly to the history and reputation of the Arlberg as a center of alpine skiing.

The First World War was not only a turning point in history, but also an important driving force for modern skiing. Skis became an important tool, especially in the mountain war between Austria and Italy, and were used in a variety of military applications.

The magazine "Der Winter" (1914/15) described the use of skiing in the warring armies as a "baptism of fire", which gave its future decisive importance. Soldiers also stayed in Stuben am Arlberg during the war years, as historical photographs prove.

The military use of skis accelerated their technical development and contributed significantly to the spread of skiing in the Alps.

Willi Walch (1912-1941) from the Hotel Mondschein in Stuben am Arlberg was Vorarlberg's most internationally successful ski racer before the Second World War. He made a name for himself with his elegant skiing style in particular and won numerous prestigious races.

At the Alpine World Ski Championships in Chamonix in 1937, Walch won the silver medal in the slalom. Two years later in Zakopane, he was again runner-up in the combined and also won bronze in the slalom. French reporter Alex Viktot counted him among the best downhill skiers in the world and described him as the most direct opponent of world champion Emile Allais.

Tragically, Willi Walch fell on the first day of the Russian campaign in 1941 during the Second World War. His successes remain unforgotten: The exceptional athlete's trophies can still be seen in the Hotel Mondschein to this day - as can the tiled stove there, which is still in daily use.

Rosa Riezler (1919-1990) from Stuben am Arlberg started skiing at the age of 14 and soon dedicated herself to ski racing. She celebrated her first major successes in the mid-1930s and was soon regarded as one of the best female skiers in Vorarlberg. Between 1935 and 1937, she won the prestigious Madloch race in Lech three times in a row.

Like her brother Rudi Riezler (1921-1942), Rosa was a great talent. However, the Second World War prevented her from pursuing an international career, as she was unable to take part in competitions outside the region. After the war, she competed in a few races in 1946 before ending her sporting career.

Rosa Riezler will be remembered as an outstanding Vorarlberg ski racer who achieved top sporting performances in a difficult time.