Gustave Abel

Gustave Antoine Abel (born November 8, 1901 in Metz , † July 16, 1988 in Salzburg ) was an Austrian cave explorer .

Life

Born in Metz ( Lorraine ), Gustave Abel came to Salzburg at an early age and showed his interest in exploring caves , which was to become part of his life. His activity was not limited to Austria, but encompassed the entire European area. Over 200 plans based on his own measurements, countless inspection reports and cave photos prove his activity.

Here are a few selected from his numerous expeditions:

• Tennengebirge : Eisriesenwelt , Eiskogelhöhle , Brunneckerhöhle, Frauenofen, Winnerfallhöhle, Grießkessel ice cave
• Untersberg : Salzburgerschacht, Fürstenbrunner source cave, large ice cellar, wind holes , Gamslöcher
• Hagengebirge : Tantal cave , Scheukofen , Brunnloch, Bärenhöhle

For years, Gustave Abel and the Institute for Speleology in Vienna organized the excavations in the Schlenken Cave , a Stone Age hunting station, and also actively participated. A separate cave department was set up in cooperation with the House of Nature in Salzburg.

He also collected valuable data on bat ringing in caves and abandoned tunnels. Through this work information about the life expectancy of these animals could be gained.

As early as 1934 he developed a cave code system and thus developed the cornerstone of a cave cadastre, which later, after appropriate additions and adjustments by the Association of Austrian Speleologists, allowed cave identification of all caves.

Works

• Gustave Abel: In the realm of the caves (=  Lux reading sheet: small library of knowledge; natural and cultural booklets . No. 67 ). Lux, Murnau 1949.

literature

• Albert Ausobsky: in grateful memory of our former chairman Gustave Antoine Abel , Atlantis 2/1988 (publication by the Salzburg State Association for Speleology )