Mathias Zdarsky
Mathias Zdarsky [ zdarski ] ( born February 25, 1856 in Kozichowitz at Trebitsch, † June 20, 1940 in St. Pölten ) was one of the first ski pioneers and is considered one of the founders of alpine skiing technology. He also worked as a teacher, painter and sculptor.
Life and work
Mathias Zdarsky was the tenth child of a sawmiller in Kozichowitz. Zdarsky was blinded in one eye in childhood, graduated in 1878 at the College of Education in Brno and worked until 1883 as a teacher. He then studied in Munich and Zurich painting, sculpture, but also technology. During his studies he completed numerous trips along the Danube, and to Bosnia, Italy and North Africa, where he everywhere anfertigte numerous sketches and paintings.
The avid Turner was interested in, among other things for flying. During this period of study he acquired a farm in Lilienfeld. Fridtjof Nansen Inspired by Greenland crossing he was interested in, like many others, old for millennia Nordic skiing technique. However Zdarsky soon realized that she was unsuitable for the Alpine region, because the then-common pipe bracket bond was too little support to the foot. In 1890, he developed the lateral stability, strong sprung steel Lilienfelder sole bond which the steerable ski made because the heel could not slip off the side, he also reduced the ski and did so for the first time driving on steep slopes and Torläufe possible. He patented his bond in 1896 and they became the basis of modern ski bindings. As with the old Norwegian skiing techniques he used only a ski pole. The " Alpine ( Lilienfeld ) 's skiing technique " developed by Zdarsky ( " Vorlagestemmschwung ") was the first alpine swing technique, so Zdarsky regarded as the founder of Alpine skiing.
Even his opponents could not avoid to copy its binding and pick out from his driving technique, single elements to enhance their " plows ".
1898, Zdarsky the Lilienfelder ski club, 1900 the " International Alpine Ski Club " (later renamed "Alpine Ski Club "), which was the largest ski club in Central Europe with its 1889 members before the First World War. In January 1905 was carried out by Mathias Zdarsky the first steep descent. In order to prove the superiority of his skiing technique, he invited both friends of the Norwegian and the skiing technique developed by him to a " test drive " on the width Ries am Schneeberg one, in which were beaten by the supporters of the Norwegian technology. On March 19, 1905, he organized the Muckenkogel at Lilienfeld under the name race the first door action of skiing history, to which participated 24 participants. The course resembled a modern giant slalom. It both rapidity and fall- free driving counted. In World War Zdarsky formed mountain troops from the skiing and worked as an avalanche expert. In a rescue after an avalanche in the low- Gail Valley hit him a second avalanche in February 1916, he suffered numerous broken bones. However Zdarsky could restore his mobility through iron will and even skiing at the age of eighty years. He developed skiing technique he described in the book " The Lilienfelder skiing technique", which appeared in 1897 and was published in an abridged and modified form in 1925 in 17 editions. He also is the inventor of the bivy sack.
1931 Gold Medal he was awarded for services to the Republic of Austria. 1951 Zdarskyweg in Vienna Hietzing and 1977 Zdarskystraße in St. Pölten- spatters was named after him.
1981 Zdarsky - showrooms have been established in the District History Museum in Lilienfeld, 1996, they were united to " Zdarsky Ski Museum ". Still in 1981, a twinning was between Lilienfeld and the Japanese city of Joetsu founded, which goes back to Zdarskys interactions: Theodor Edler von Lerch, a student Zdarskys, brought to ski as an exchange officer after Joetsu, from where it spread in Japan. On 26 October 1991, a twinning was signed with Zdarskys birthplace Kozichowitz ( at Třebíč ).
On Muckenkogel is held every year at the Traisner cabin on a Sunday at the 19th of March in memory of Mathias Zdarsky a nostalgic ski race, that's the only under strictly historical conditions as to Zdarskys times worldwide. Historic equipment from head to Ski and Einstock technique is a condition of the participants, the course will be stuck with faithful flags and the race is timed by hand. Furthermore located at Muckenkogel the Zdarsky - Erfinderweg that leads to a circuit of the mountain station of the chairlift to Kosteralm and back again and give to boards Find out more about Zdarsky and his inventions, as well as the Zdarsky - scenic road up from the mountain station to Traisner hut Behind the Alpe and then runs back and brings a sense of Zdarskys ski world.