Association for Speleology in Austria

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The Association for Speleology in Austria was founded in Graz in 1907 .

history

In autumn 1907 an association of Styrian, Lower Austrian and Moravian cave explorers and friends of cave exploration was founded under the name Verein für Höhlenkunde . The working area covered all of Austria. This was followed by the founding of sections in Trieste , Brno , Salzburg , Linz , Vienna , Semmering and Mürzzuschlag .

From its founding until 1922, the association was headed by Hermann Bock and from 1922 until it was dissolved by Franz Mühlhofer as president.

The seat of the association was Graz and its activity was mainly the research and tourism development of the Lurgrotto system between Semriach and Peggau , where extensive new discoveries were made between 1907 and 1909. In 1909 the 4 km long main corridor was measured in 28 days by members of the association under the direction of Hermann Bock. In addition to the Lurgrotte, research has also been carried out in caves in the Hochlantsch group and the Schöckl . The measurements in the Lurgrotte led to the foundation of the Lurgrottengesellschaft for the purpose of opening up the entire cave range between Semriach and Peggau.

A local committee was set up in 1909 to research the Semmering area, which later developed into the Semmering section.

On the occasion of a joint exploration of the Dana water eater by the cave research association Hades in Trieste with Upper Austrian researchers, it was decided to explore the Dachstein caves together.

On October 31, 1910, the Upper Austria section was founded. Between 1910 and 1914, the Dachstein giant ice cave and Dachstein mammoth cave were explored with great success. The results of the research in the Dachstein were reported in the work "Höhlen im Dachstein".

From September 8 to 10, 1911, the first Austrian congress of speleologists was held in Salzburg.

During the First World War , the association's speleologists were entrusted with cave research for military purposes. Especially Hermann Bock dealt with the exploration and expansion of the caves on the Karst front (San Michele - Doberde) and Georg Lahner with the exploration of the water caves in the Karst of Montenegro .

After the war, the State Office for Agriculture and Forestry placed great emphasis on the recovery of cave phosphates . To facilitate cooperation, the Upper Austria and Salzburg sections declared themselves to be independent regional associations. In 1919 the Styria Section was founded. Since the sections became independent and the Association of German Cave Researchers was founded in the meantime , there was no further need for an Austrian association. Therefore, the Styria section was dissolved in 1923 and continued as an independent association for caving with its headquarters in Graz . At the same time, the Association for Speleology in Austria was dissolved and the activities were transferred to the new association. The area of ​​activity of the association now encompassed Central Styria and Eastern Upper Styria.

After the organization of a cave ball, which resulted in a large deficit, disagreements followed in the association, whereupon it was decided on November 13, 1924 to dissolve the association for cave science based in Graz .

source

  • Activity reports in communications from the Federal Cave Commission, Issue 1, 1924