Otto Borger

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Otto Borger (born February 27, 1904 in Schruns ; † December 23, 1994 there ) was an Austrian manufacturer and local poet .

Life

Otto Borger was born in 1904 as the son of Max Borger, who comes from near Stuttgart, Germany, and Bertha Borger (née Mayer from Schruns). At the Stella Matutina in Feldkirch and at the commercial academies in Innsbruck and Calv near Stuttgart, he received a classic general and commercial training.

Loden factory on Litzdamm in Schruns

Otto Borger, together with his brothers Karl and Hugo, took over the Schrunser loden factory from father Max in 1934 and managed it until it was closed around 40 years later.

In addition to his main activity as a manufacturer, Otto Borger published a total of seven volumes of poetry in the Montafon dialect every five years . His poems, full of humor and poetry, reflect the Montafon way of life and customs in a clear and original language and, along with works by Johann Baptist Biedermann, Prof. Richard Beitl and Heinz Bitschnau, form an essential part of the literary cultural history of the valley.

The first poem “Funkenlied” was probably written in 1946 at the suggestion of his friend Prof. Richard Beitl, about 700 more were to follow on a wide variety of topics, occasions and thoughts.

Schrunser Funken, 2018

Otto Borger's love of customs was also evident in the fact that, after a long break due to the war, he again initiated the establishment of a spark in Schruns in 1946 . He became the "spark master" and held this office from 1930 to 1989.

As a long-time commander of the Schruns fire brigade, he was also the head of operations in the 1954 avalanche disaster and received the Bronze Cross of Merit of the Federal Fire Brigade Association.

In addition, he was a member of the boards of the Raiffeisenbank , Montafonerbahn and Hochjochbahn, and treasurer in several associations such as the Montafon Heritage Protection Association , where he also made merits by expanding the collection. The foundation of the Montafon folk dance group in 1935 is also due to his initiative.

Otto Borger was awarded the State of Honor for Literature in 1980. Some of his verses have already entered the Vorarlberger Volksliederbuch.

In addition to his many tasks and activities, Otto Borger was also granted a full family life. He lived in a house on Montjola with his wife Martha Borger (née Peter) and their five children, one of whom died at a young age. The poet also incorporated important private matters into his works, such as the tragic death of his wife and son.

Works

  • Muntafuner Zwörn , 1953
  • Maisas-Arbat , 1958
  • Fir-Obad , 1963
  • The Lötschta , 1968
  • The Allerlötschta , 1973
  • Noochhögler , 1978
  • Ds Johr dor , 1983

In addition, numerous poems appeared in local newspapers, calendars, booklets and other publications. Some of the works used to be part of radio broadcasts where they were performed. Also not to be underestimated is the successful setting of some of his most famous poems by Johannes Pfefferkorn, for example, which have also found their way into the Vorarlberger Volksliederbuch.

The poet's estate is managed and scientifically processed by the Montafon Archive, as is a directory of his works that was created on the occasion of his 100th year of birth in 2007.

Even if the self-published volumes of poetry with illustrations by the graphic artist Hubert Borger, the poet's son, have not been reprinted since his death and have long been out of print, the interest in his works remains unbroken. The project of making his works accessible to a wider public using the new media, via Facebook and a blog, therefore met with great interest, not just from internet users from the Montafon valley.

Dialect rehearsal

D's Amreili hot to zwidra Ma, where there's so no expecta ka,
as nu anger and frustration, ke guats wait, ke praise, ken kiss,
los ko would like us dära distress, blangat yetz scho of a death.
Bal dernooch, God praise a thank you, the Ma erzetzli would be sick.
"I zwä Taga-n-isch as us", the doctor set before the Hus.
But where does it go longer, ds Amreili lut to Süfzger lot:
“Death, when would you be knocked out? Kast di hat of nüt los. "

literature

  • Krista Vonbank: Tafernen on Landstraß and Sömersteig ... Montafon inns with a history . Russ, Schwarzach 1997. ISBN 3-85258-036-6
  • Martina Hofner: Montafon dialect vocabulary in the poems of the local poet Otto Borger . Dipl.-Arb. Univ. Innsbruck, 1998.
  • Peter Strasser: Otto Borger - A life for the Schrunser spark , summary of a lecture 2007 in the annual report of the Montafoner Heimatschutzverein

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Peter Strasser: "Otto Borger - A life for the Schrunser spark", annual report of the Montafoner Heimatschutzverein, page 31
  2. ^ A b c Peter Strasser: "Otto Borger - A life for the Schrunser spark", annual report of the Montafoner Heimatschutzverein, page 33
  3. ↑ Peter Strasser: Otto Borger - A life for the Schrunser spark , annual report of the Montafoner Heimatschutzverein, page 34
personal data
SURNAME Borger, Otto
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Austrian manufacturer and local poet
DATE OF BIRTH February 27, 1904
PLACE OF BIRTH Schruns , Austria
DATE OF DEATH December 23, 1994
Place of death Schruns , Austria