When a Virginia cigar and a bottle of schnapps were a lifesaver in Hallstatt

2023-11-12 17:05:00

He can’t do it alone anymore. The head is tied up, the body is wrapped in thick blankets. The rescuers have to take him from the Simonyhütte to the valley on a stretcher made from wooden trunks. They wear a suit and hat, and the victim appears satisfied despite all the hardships. The man waiting in the stretcher to be taken away doesn’t have his hand free, but he’s happily puffing on a Virginia cigar. Mountain rescue, early 20th century.

At this time, eleven men come together at the foot of the Dachstein to assist the “summer visitors” who are lured into the Inner Salzkammergut by the well-designed paths. The “Hallstatt Mountain Rescue Service” was founded in 1923, at that time still part of the Alpine Club. Two stretchers are available and rescue equipment is being sent. The best-known founding member is probably Hans Seethaler. The Seethalerhütte (also Dachsteinwarte), on the edge of the Hallstätter Glacier, is named after him.

It had already become clear two years ago that it was not just inexperienced hikers who needed help on the “Kaiser-Franz-Josef-Reitweg”, which led from the Echerntal to the Simonyhütte. Seven mountaineers from Ebensee froze to death during a ski tour in February 1921. Died around 20 minutes from the Simonyhütte. An accident that probably provided the impetus for the establishment of an organized mountain rescue service.

The first female mountain rescuer

Even in the 1960s, mountain rescuers still carried a bottle of schnapps with them to ease the pain of those who had broken their feet. But the development of the Hallstatt mountain rescue center took off rapidly.

It now has 44 members, including three women: Lena Trausner-Steinböck, Gerlinde Ferdin and Silvia Mayrhofer. When she joined in 2002, Mayrhofer was the first woman to take part in a mountain rescue service in the Salzkammergut.
Christoph Preimesberger, state manager of mountain rescue, also learned in Hallstatt, state radio officer and alpine police officer Michael Gruber and the chairman of the mountain guide association Michael Unterberger have also been active members for years. Local branch manager Dieter Eder wrote an impressive book to mark the anniversary. All 44 are experienced alpinists, idealists and are always there when they are needed.

There is a lot to do, and not much has changed in the area of “summer visitors” in 100 years. But above all because the almost 60 square kilometers of community area, apart from Lake Hallstatt and the center, is almost entirely alpine terrain. In the recent past, the people of Hallstatt were challenged not only during the large forest fire on the Echernwand, but also during complex rescue and recovery operations on the Dachstein. In May 2014, for example, three mountaineers climbed the Seewand via ferrata despite heavy snowfall. Or in March 2020, when a huge avalanche buried five snowshoers.

Last Friday, the people of Hallstatt celebrated their anniversary with a ceremony. In addition to numerous guests of honor from politics, business and tourism, there were also those who have shaped the local office over the years. Adolf Trötthan, known to everyone as “the Adi”, for example. He joined on July 6, 1965 – and was a supporter of many motivated candidates.