Exploring snow changes with photographs.
BORG Eisenerz
Snow2School explores snow changes in the Uummannaq region of Greenland and the Eisenerz region in the Austrian Alps. Climate scientists from the University of Graz and social anthropologists from the University of Vienna are collaborating with students—junior researchers—from both regions! A central aspect of the project is the collection and both quantitative and qualitative analysis of snow photos and their stories. The importance of combining quantitative and qualitative analysis is to be understood in the larger context of global climate change and its impacts in both the Arctic and the Alpine region. This section of the photo exhibition features historical photos of Eisenerz from the archive of the Eisenerz town museum (Museum im Alten Rathaus), as well as selected photos collected by students from the school BORG Eisenerz. The student photos provide insights into the snow history and present of Eisenerz, as well as surrounding towns and villages in this alpine region of Styria.
This photo by Erich Niederhofer shows the Erzberg in winter around 1970. The Erzberg, the largest active open-pit mine in Central Europe, has been a symbol of mining in Eisenerz and the surrounding region for centuries. While mining used to be the economic foundation of the town, its significance has changed over time. Today, tourism plays a central role alongside mining. Nevertheless, Eisenerz is facing the challenges of structural change and population decline, which require new long-term economic strategies.
The Franzosenbichl (Franzosenbühel) is located in the alpine valley Eisenerzer Ramsau, a popular destination for cross-country skiers, where the Nordic Training Center has been offering a combination of job and sports training since the 1980s. The photo by Hermann Buder provides a glimpse into early winter sports in the 1920s in Eisenerz.
In this image from 1924, workers can be seen clearing the cogwheel track after an avalanche that came down from the Reichenstein mountain in the Weinritzgraben trench. The cogwheel railway was used for both loading ore and passenger transport. Today, Eisenerz is publicly only accessible by bus.
The image from 1969, contributed by Hugo Ganser, shows a group of people playing ice stock sport (similar to curling) on the lake Leopoldsteinersee, which was very popular in the past. It is particularly noteworthy that this is a mixed group of men and women, which was rather uncommon. Today, the lake rarely freezes over enough for this sport to be practiced here.
This image shows the district of Münichtal and a snowplow in front of the Pessl bakery around 1970. The bakery no longer exists, but the Seemauer, a mountain overlooking the Leopoldsteinersee, is still very much present.
Student photos | Old photos
1950, granddad with family in front of their house in Kapfenberg (Vanessa Löcker, 10th grade)
In this picture you can see my granddad (the smallest one) with his two brothers and my great-grandparents in front of their house in Kapfenberg. The dog in the photo didn't belong to the family, but apparently wanted to be in the picture too.
1980, Great-grandparents in front of mountain cabin
in Etmissl (Vanessa Löcker, 10th grade)
And here's another lovely photo of my great-grandparents, who rented a cabin high up on the mountain in Etmissl. Mom spent a wonderful time there during her childhood. She also used to ride a sled down into the valley.
1963, Radmer (Lara Dobnigg, 11th grade)
1978, Präbichl (Lara Dobnigg, 11th grade)
1977, Tauplitzer Höhe (Lara Dobnigg, 11th grade)
1989, Hinterwildalpen (Emin Ben Amor, 10th grade)
Student photos | Nature photos
2014, photo of mountains Schwarzenstein & Stadelstein (Niklas Riegler, 10th grade)
December 28, 2023, Laimbach, Landl municipality (Jonas Stübler, 10th grade)
Panoramic view of the mountains in and around Landl. On December 28th of last year, I went hiking with my uncle, and we climbed a mountain!
2020, Hinterwildalpen (Emin Ben Amor, 10th grade)
10/12/2021, Hinterwildalpen (Emin Ben Amor, 10th grade)
24/01/2020, Hinterwildalpen (Emin Ben Amor, 10th grade)
19/12/2020, Hinterwildalpen (Emin Ben Amor, 10th grade)
February 6, 2024 (04:24p.m.), Präbichl
(Aliyah Gutnik, 10th grade)
My friend and I went skiing together after the school skiing day had already ended.
November 27, 2023 (02:20p.m.), Erzberg
(Aliyah Gutnik, 10th grade)
The first real snow (you could actually see).
Student photos | Mountain pass Präbichl is closed
2019, mountain pass Präbichl (Diána Somogyi, 10th grade)
This year, there was a lot of snow with risk of avalanches on mountain Polster, which is why the pass was closed for many weeks. This photo shows our sauna, which is almost completely covered with snow.
2019, Präbichl (Diána Somogyi, 10th grade)
Also next to our car, the snow was nearly two meters high.
05/01/2019, Eisenerz (Katja Siebenbrunner, 12th grade)
A year of heavy snow fall; pass Präbichl is closed.
02/02/2023, Eisenerz (Larissa Peternel, 12th grade)
Back then, after the 10th school period, I got stuck in Eisenerz because no buses were able to pass over the Präbichl.
Student photos | Lots of snow!
February 2023, Eisenerzer Ramsau (Johanna Keppliner, 12th grade)
My brother is excited about snow.
February 2024, Eisenerzer Ramsau (Johanna Keppliner, 12th grade)
It had snowed so much that I couldn’t get to school.
January 2023, Eisenerzer Ramsau (Johanna Kepplinger, 12th grade)
There was so much snow that we weren’t able to look outside the window.
April 2017, Weißenbach an der Enns (Lisa Pirker, 11th grade)
Due to heavy snowfall, there were numerous accidents on the roads, as many cars were already using summer tires in April. However, only a small area was affected by the severe snowfalls.
February 2023, Eisenerz (Leonie Freinschlag, 12th grade)
This photo was taken while I was waiting for the bus.
25/11/2023, at my friend’s place (Yara Leithold, 12th grade)
Snowstorm
2022, Vordernberg (Nico Rinderhofer, 11th grade)
Snow depth 190cm
2021, Vordernberg (Nico Rinderhofer, 11th grade)
Snow depth 60cm
2023, Präbichl (Nico Rinderhofer, 11th grade)
Snow depth 170cm
05/02/2022, Admont (Lorena Fluch, 12th grade)
1,85 m of snow below the cabin Grabneralm.
January 2019, Radmer an der Hasel (Mona Gottsbacher, 12th grade)
Snow-related chaos in January in Radmer.
Student photos | Sports and animal photos
January 2023, Eisenerzer Ramsau (Johanna Kepplinger, 12th grade)
It had snowed a lot, so my dad, my brother and I went on a ski tour.
March 2020, Bad Kleinkirchheim (Melina Schweiger, 11th grade)
2024, Präbichl (Nico Rinderhofer, 11th grade)
Snow depth 60cm
31/12/2023, Präbichl (Finn Arh, 11th grade)
Skiing
2022, Trofaiach
(Johanna Kepplinger, 12th grade)
My brother, my horse and I during a Christmas photo shooting on a meadow in Laintal valley.
07/12/2023, in front of my house in Trofaiach (Jasmin Reiter, 10th grade)
My dog saw and experienced snow for the first time.
02/12/2923, Leiterndorf in Leoben (Sofia Maté, 10th grade)
I was playing with my friend and my dog in the snow.
2021, Radmer (Mona Gottsbacher, 12th grade)
Mum, Mona, snow man and math homework during homeschooling.
January 6, 2019, Hinterwildalpen (Emin Ben Amor, 10th grade)
This photo was taken during a period of unusually heavy snowfall that began on New Year's Day. So much snow fell that the only road leading to this area was closed on January 5, 2019, due to high avalanche risk, and it stayed closed for 16 days. The residents were completely cut off from the outside world.
On January 6, after lunch, my grandmother opened a window to let some fresh air in. Through the heavy snowstorm and between two fir trees on her property, she spotted a large bird fluttering around. It turned out to be a storm petrel, which is not typically found in our area. The bird was trapped in the deep snow and couldn't free itself.
Firefighters who were called carefully approached the bird, wearing snowshoes. They managed to rescue it and took it to a nearby cabin. After consulting with a bird expert, they provided the storm petrel with food and water. Unfortunately, despite their efforts, the bird did not survive and passed away four days later.