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Social – Schools: For the education of workers' children there were schools in the Kammergutorten, which the communities shared with the Salzamt. The schoolmaster was usually paid by the parents themselves, but the office paid the school fees for poor workers. The first school on Bad Ischler Boden was probably in the "Freien Markt Lauffen", where a schoolmaster Hyronimus Seifelder is said to have worked as early as 1519. It is known that in 1550 there was a schoolmaster in Ischl. The first schoolhouse was built by the municipality in Markt Ischl in 1560 and in Lauffen in 1567. For the boys who had outgrown school, acceptance into the imperial service or into the manufacturing service was the rule; on the Salzbergen in Hallstatt and Ischl, the son usually followed his father in the same branch of service. If the boy had learned a trade, the office paid the fee or apprenticeship fee to the master craftsman. Up to the last quarter of the 18th century, the school system in the Kammergut had not undergone any significant improvement compared to before, only the number of schools had increased. In 1767 there were schools in Laufen, Ischl, Ebensee, Obertraun and St. Agatha in addition to Hallstatt and Goisern. The schoolmasters were poorly paid, but they and their widows were commissionable. Their knowledge was very limited, so apart from Christianity, which was the main subject of the lesson, they could only teach the children little. After all, the majority of the schoolmasters came from the clerkship and their widow was allowed to continue the lessons. The schoolmasters were also always appointed in agreement with the religious commission and the missionary superior. In 1769, in addition to the parish schoolmaster, who was paid by the Salzamt, Ischl also had a market and religious schoolmaster, who taught independently of the former and also taught Christians in the neighboring parishes. On December 6, 1774, the great school reform took place under Maria Theresia. So-called trivial schools should be set up in every parish. How the first trivial schools were designed can be read in Abbot Johann Ignaz Felbiger’s “Core and Method Book”: “The children gather at school before 8 a.m. and go to church in pairs, modestly. After Holy Mass they also go back to school. There they pray, the names are read out. From ¾ 9 to ½ 10 the little students learn to know and spell the letters. From ½ 10 to ½ 11 the catechism is read. ½ 11 is prayed, the students are dismissed except for the arithmetic students, who are instructed and practiced in arithmetic until ½ 12.” The schools in the Kammergutorten were continued from 1774 onwards as trivial schools according to a uniform curriculum drawn up by the government and were only managed by certified teachers. The schoolmasters had to travel to Linz to acquire the teaching method, take a course at the local normal school and, after completing it, take an exam. The trivial school in Ischl only required a single classroom, separate from the schoolmaster's apartment, with a step for the teacher and an easel with 2 black boards. So that the older children would not be completely deprived of housework, half-day classes were introduced, in which the children only had to attend in the mornings. From then on, religious instruction was no longer taken care of by the schoolmaster, but by the catechist twice a week. Well-to-do parents had to pay the school fees of 1 guilder a year themselves, the poorer workers were paid by the Salzamt, and very poor children were also provided with school books. The maintenance costs of the public trivial school fell to the state. The trivial school was followed by the also public secondary or normal school with higher learning goals, to which the trivial students could transfer after the second grade. In 1782 Ischl got a new school building for the old rooms that had become inadequate. In 1816 the number of students had already risen to over 400, so a third classroom and a second assistant became necessary. In 1782 Ischl got a new school building on the left bank of the Traun near the main bridge, but it was immediately overcrowded. To relieve the strain, the first school class was set up in Pfandl in 1791 in the “Zum Pfandl” inn. In 1816 there was a teacher with two teaching assistants and 400 (!) students in Ischl. The filling of vacant teaching positions in the public elementary schools was based on the proposal of the nursing offices by the episcopal consistory, which appointed a school supervisor for each deanery. The schoolmasters at the trivial school were permanently employed. The teachers at the trivial schools were placed on an equal footing with the civil service and the clergy. If the number of pupils became too large for one teacher, the authorities provided him with assistant teachers with a lower salary. Although the catechist did not receive a special salary, he was given a remuneration for giving religious instruction. A considerable amount of extra work arose for the teaching staff from the imperial decree that came into force at the beginning of 1817, according to which repeat lessons on Sundays and public holidays were to be introduced for young people aged 12 to 15 who had outgrown school. Applicants for the saltworks service had to provide proof of having attended a repeat school. A great benefit for the growing female youth was the founding of knitting schools in Gmunden, Ebensee, Ischl, Hallstatt, Aussee and Altaussee, which enjoyed special support from the Court Chamber. She paid the tuition fees, sometimes also honored the teachers and gave the schools the firewood. The knitting schools, run by handicraft teachers, were also regularly attended by girls from the salt pans. The trivial school in Ischl with the three teachers' rooms was already too small in 1819 and the connection of a fourth room had become necessary. However, the number of school children continued to rise. In 1825, a teacher and three assistants taught 420 children in two school classes, each with two departments. The prescribed maximum number of 80 students in one room was therefore considerably exceeded and the procurement of a fifth classroom could no longer be postponed. In 1839 the emperor approved the amount of 11,086 guilders for the renovation, which was also to include the fifth classroom. Until then, the school was housed in the old, completely inadequate rooms, the building was badly preserved, and the storey height was far too low. Since the number of schoolchildren had grown to 460 in 1832, each of the four department classes held over a hundred students, and the teachers reluctantly went into the overcrowded and unhealthy rooms due to the fumes. For the rental of the absolutely necessary fifth classroom in some private house, Dr. Wirer agreed to dispute the interest. dr Wirer had also taken on the young women of the market and in 1832 in Ischl set up and maintained the first handicraft school in the Kammergut entirely at his own expense. As early as the following year, a hundred girls enjoyed free lessons there. dr Wirer also bought the raw materials needed for the spinning school and used the school's products only for the benefit of the children, he clothed the poorest and gave presents to the hard-working. The small village school in Pfandl near Ischl also needed an extension in 1835, and the school-friendly residents of the up-and-coming town had asked for it. The soup facilities in Hallstatt and Ebensee, established in 1845 and open during the winter months, were a beneficial welfare institution for the school children of the salt workers. On May 14, 1869, the "Reichs Volksschulgesetz" was passed. "Every elementary school is a public institution and as such is accessible to young people regardless of their religious affiliation." Among other things, compulsory schooling for eight years was introduced, collections of teaching materials and school libraries were established. The school system then took an enormous upswing. Sources used: Carl Schraml "The Upper Austrian salt works from the beginning of the 16th to the middle of the 18th century", Vienna 1932 Carl Schraml "The Upper Austrian Salt Works from 1750 to the time after the French Wars", Vienna 1934 Carl Schraml "The Upper Austrian Salt Works from 1818 to the end of the Salt Office in 1850", Vienna 1936 Ischl home club "Bad Ischl home book 2004", Bad Ischl 2004 FX Mannert "Of Ischl and the people of Ischl...", Bad Ischl 2012 FX Mannert "From Ischl and the people of Ischl... 2.0", Bad Ischl 2016

Saltworks history of Upper Austria and neighboring Alpine saltworks; Vols. 1 & 2 in a slipcase with drawings and pit maps Anton Dicklberger , Thomas Nussbaumer ISBN: 978-3-99028-791-0 Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 in slipcase new release Saltworks history of Upper Austria Summary volume 1 Anton Dicklberger, Bergmeister Salzbergbau Ischl, received the order from the court chamber in Münz und Bergwesen in 1812 to create a systematic mountain description of the local salt mining with maps. After submitting this elaboration and the large number of documents still available, Dicklberger applied in 1813 to also be allowed to create a history of the salt works in Upper Austria. Upon approval, this two-volume work, divided into eight major parts, covers the period from the year 600 BC to 1000 BC. to the 18th century recorded, completed March 31, 1817. With this work, a basis for further research into the history of the salt pans was created, whereby Anton Dicklberger received a lasting and honorable monument. Summary volume 2 This volume contains copies of 127 documents covering a period of more than 530 years (1123 to 1656). After historiography at the beginning of the 19th century It was usual to record the sources almost exclusively in their entirety, resulting in a work of more than 660 pages. When entering the supplements, attention was paid to the original spelling due to some difficult-to-understand words, but these were adapted to the spelling of 1817. Short biography, author Thomas Nussbaumer: Thomas Nussbaumer, born 1961 in Bad Ischl, accountant, worked for 31 ½ years in finance and accounting at Österreichische Salinen. As supervisor and later administrator of the main library of the salt pans, he was able to acquire a great deal of specialist knowledge about the history of the salt pans. Thomas Nussbaumer, Bad Ischl on July 24, 2018 4820 Bad Ischl, Stifterkai 17 Telephone number. 0660/4890727 e-mail: thomas.nussbaumer@drei.at Sale: Salt world shops of Salinen Tourismus GmbH in Bad Ischl (Kaiser-Franz-Josef-Straße), Hallstatt, Altaussee and Hallein/Dürrnberg Orders can also be placed with the author: Tel. No. 0660/4890727, e-mail: thomas.nussbaumer@drei.at Price: 98.00 euros

Mass and weight: With the sedentary peoples and with the shift from hunting and fishing to agriculture and animal husbandry, the need for suitable measurement systems grew. The earliest weights and units of measurement were based on measurements of body parts and the natural environment. Early Babylonian , Egyptian , and Bible writings show that length was first measured using arm, hand, or foot measurements. Time was divided according to the orbital periods of the sun , moon and other celestial bodies. If you wanted to compare the volume of containers such as bottles or clay jars, they were filled with plant seeds, which were then counted. Our current knowledge of early weights and measures comes from a variety of sources. Archaeologists have recovered some early standards that are kept in museums today. Comparison between the dimensions of buildings and descriptions by contemporary authors can provide more information. Length measurement: Measuring lengths is one of the most important tasks of a mark cutter. The oldest form of length measurement came from the Romans and affected limbs of the human body, such as arms, hands, feet or crotches. When a person spreads out both arms, the result is a measurement of about 1.70 to 1.90 m long, which was referred to as a "fathom". The "Klafter" was divided into 6 equal parts, which were called "foot" or "shoe". The "foot" was again divided into 12 equal parts, which were called "inches" or "thumb widths", following the duodecimal division. The lengths of the fathom system varied greatly locally and regionally. Only the Viennese fathom was an exception, since it was used from the 16th century. remained practically the same length. The fathom/feet/inch system was used as a technical measurement system exclusively in construction, mining, military and surveying. It was never used in the textile trade. In addition to the cord measure, the "cubit" appears again and again as another measure of length. Although the "cubit" as a forearm length represented a natural archetype, so to speak, its length varied astonishingly from region to region. For example, lengths in the range of 0.765 to 0.802 m were referred to as "Wiener Ellen". The "cubits" were not evenly divided, like the "fathom" by "foot" and "inches". They had an uneven division, mostly into 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16 and 1/32 parts of the "cubit". These parts did not have their own name. The system of cubits was exclusively a trade measure, predominantly a cut goods measure for textiles. There were in Europe until the 18th century. many hundreds of different cubit lengths, which made trade and communication very difficult. Nevertheless, the "Elle" was valid until the end of 1875. The linear dimensions valid in mining were determined by measuring sticks decreed by the sovereign and were only valid for the respective district. In the Salzkammergut, each salt mine originally had its own "staff". To standardize the measuring system, the emperor introduced the "Österreichisches Kammergutstabl" with a length of 1.195 m. The "stick" was divided into 8 "eighths", the "eighth" again into 6 "inches" and 2 "eighths" made 1 "shoe". In 1768, Empress Maria Theresa issued "the introductory patent for the Viennese weight and measure". The now legal "Viennese units" only slowly began to establish themselves in the Salzkammergut. The "Kammergutstabl" was not replaced by the "Wiener Klafter" until 1838. The meter, which is still valid today, was introduced at the Austrian salt works on January 1, 1876. Cord, shoe and inch measurements: 1 Austrian mile 7.585km 1 Viennese fathom (°) 1,896m 1 Linz fathom (°) 1.816m 1 chamber goods fathom (°) 1.785m 1 Hallstatt mountain fathom (°) 1,991 m 1 Viennese shoe or foot (') 31.60 cm 1 Kammergut shoe or foot (') 29.75 cm 1 Vienna inch ('') 2.63cm 1 Kammergut inch ('') 2.48 cm Length measurements for textiles: 1 Gmundner Elle 0.795 m 1 Viennese cubit 0.778 m Length dimensions in mining: 1 Bergstabel Chamber Estate 1.195 m 1 Ausseer Bergstab 1.179m 1 Hallstatt and Ischler Bergstabel 1.192 m 1 Hall mountain table 1.169 m 1 Salzburg mountain table 1,199m Length dimensions for wood: 1 stick of spruce or fir wood 6,807m Area measurement: Cord, shoe and inch measurements: 1 Austrian square mile 57.54 km² 1 Viennese square fathom 3,596 sqm 1 Viennese square foot 999.3 cm² 1 Vienna square inch 6.939 cm² Room measurement: From the High Middle Ages to the 18th century. it was customary for us to put up publicly accessible standards, stone masses and scales so that the merchants and weavers could compare their own measurements and on the other hand the buyers could check for themselves whether they had received the correct measurement. A measure patent issued by Emperor Maximilian II in 1570 ordered the public attachment of the "land measures" (fathoms and cubits) to town halls or churches and the installation of stone "landmasons" in market squares. In earlier times up to the 19th century. Grain was not traded by weight but by volume. In Austria, the "Metzen", a so-called dry capacity measure, was generally used as a measure. The Metzen was canceled and fully counted. Cord, shoe and inch measurements: 1 Vienna cubic fathom 6.82m³ 1 Vienna cubic foot 31.59 dm³ 1 Vienna cubic inch 18.28cc Room dimensions for wood: 1 pan Widholz (firewood) spruce or fir 398 m³ 1 pan Widholz beech 341 m³ 1 Rachel Widholz (1/48th of a pan) Spruce or Fir 8.3m³ 1 Rachel Widholz Beech 7.1 m³ Capacity for brine: 1 bucket 56.57 dm³ or 56.6 l 1 March to 180 buckets 10.18m³ 1 room for 2,000 buckets (until 1677) 113.14m³ 1 room for 4,320 buckets (until the 18th century) 244.38m³ 1 room for 3,240 buckets (from the 18th century) 183.29m³ Capacity for grain: 1 Gmundner Metzen (until 1752) 62L 1 courage to 30 Gmundner Metzen 1,860L 1 Stockerau Metzen (from 1752) 61.49L Weight measurement: As the oldest measuring instruments, scales have been in use for more than 7,000 years. The most original form is the equal-armed beam balance, which was used until the 19th century. was in widespread use. From the 15th century princely cementation offices existed as predecessors of today's calibration offices. As princely officials, the Zimenter had to periodically calibrate scales, weights and length scales, i.e. to check that they corresponded to prescribed original models. After the check, the Zimenter attached an official mark. In 1777, Empress Maria Theresa ordered in a "Cementation Patent" that lengths, weights and scales be checked every two years. Stone weights were not allowed to be used because of the high risk of fraud, and they were also not allowed to be provided with a cement stamp. General weight measurements: 1 hundredweight Vienna (q) 56kg 1 Viennese pound 0.56kg 1 loth 1.75 dkg 1 pinch 4.38g 1 quintal (salt works from 01.01.1876) 100kg Weight measurements for salt: 1 load of salt (100-115 pounds over time) 56.6-64.4kg 1 cartload of salt (115 pounds circa 1769) 64.4kg 1 pound fodder = 240 pieces fodder of salt 15.46t 1 Schilling Fuder = 30 Fuder salt 1.93t 1 barrel of salt (hundredweight barrel) 61.6kg 1 cup of salt 7.16kg 1 Bohemian runner (150 Viennese pounds) 84.0kg Metric system: The first defined metric system was introduced in France. In 1791 the intention to create such a system was legislated; it was introduced in 1793 at the time of the Jacobin Reign of Terror . For the first time in history, an artificially developed system of measurements was introduced. The decimal metric system was introduced with the aim of creating a system of measurement "for all time, for all peoples". The original meter , which was created as a reference, is kept in Paris. The first metric system was based on centimeters , grams and seconds ( cgs system , c for centimeter) and these units were very useful in science and technology . Later metric systems were based on meter , kilogram and second ( mks system ) to be more manageable for practical applications. In technology and industry, the technical system of measurement was created, which had the meter, kilopond (formerly: force kilogram), second and degree as the basic units. Metric units have spread all over the world, first to non-English speaking countries but more recently there as well. The metric system was slow to be adopted in France, but scholars and engineers considered its adoption as an international system desirable. On 20. On May 18, 1875, an international treaty, the Meter Convention , was signed by seventeen states. Various organizations and laboratories were formed to create and maintain a unified system. The meter was introduced at the Austrian saltworks on January 1, 1876. The metric system is simpler than the old units of measurement because different sized units are always smooth powers of ten of other units. This relationship between the units leads to easy conversions from one unit to another in the decimal system . The currently predominant form of a metric system is the International System of Units (SI – System). It was founded in 1954 - not yet under its current name and initially with only six base units - and is also based on the meter, kilogram and second, but also contains other base units for temperature , electric current , luminous intensity and amount of substance. Sources used: Carl Schraml "The Upper Austrian Salt Works from the beginning of the 16th to the middle of the 18th century", Vienna, 1932 Franz Kieninger "Forestry since the 14th century", company newspaper Österreichische Salinen, 3rd JG, 4th H, Vienna, 1930 "Brine and salt", Bad Ischl exhibition, catalogue, Bad Ischl, 1987 Anton Dicklberger "Saline history of Upper Austria", transcription by Thomas Nussbaumer, Weitra, 2018 Alois Fellner "Mining Dictionary", Vienna, 1999 Harald Witthöft "From the mountain measure in the Schwazer Bergbuch", Der Anschnitt 60, Bochum, 2008 Wikipedia "Weights and Measures"

11 b The stone main channel "Between the mountains" The Ischl salt dome has the shape of a flat wedge that tapers upwards and inclines towards the north, which strikes from east to west. In the area of the Reinfalzalm, the salt-bearing layers bite out to the surface. As the wedge-shaped deposit is tapered upwards, the upper adits were a major disappointment. The north-south extent of the salt deposit was only 40 m, the east-west strike around 250 m. In this small salt deposit, the leach works quickly reached the overburden and thus water-bearing limestone layers. The penetration of so-called scour water repeatedly led to extensive factory collapses, which, due to the small thickness of the overlying layers of cover, continued into the day area of the Reinfalzalm and into the area "between the mountains" south of the Reinfalzalm. The surface water collected in the resulting caverns ("Pingen") and penetrated unhindered into the pit areas with sometimes devastating consequences. As early as 1600, the need to collect surface water in wooden gutters in order to quickly drain it away from the collapsed areas of the Reinfalzalm and thus prevent further damage in mining was recognized. In 1738 there was a catastrophic flood in the Streybel and Seitzen weir in the Frauenholz tunnel. For this reason, an inspection was held on April 16, 1738, at which it was decided to dig a new water tunnel (middle water tunnel) in the Reinfalzalm area to search for the waste water and to extend the existing drainage system. However, the hoped-for success did not materialize, since fresh water entered the Frauenholz tunnel unhindered until the construction of a water pit in the Lipplesgraben tunnel in 1769. This water scour was successfully driven underground into the almost 15 m deep Pinge, which is still clearly visible in the area today, to drain off the water. The drainage system at the Reinfalz was expanded in 1746 and 1741 in order to be able to safely drain the harmful surface water above the salt storage. In 1769 Hofkammerrat Gigant found the surface water that had penetrated the Frauenholz tunnel well summarized in the Lipplesgraben tunnel. To protect the salt storage against the sedimentation of rainwater, the surface area was already criss-crossed by a dense network of drainage ditches and side channels, the ongoing maintenance of which, however, required great expense. In order to reduce this, the Verwesamt decided in 1795 to give up that part of the drainage system that ran over lettuce, i.e. water-impermeable ground, and where there was no longer any fear of the further penetration of surface water. A major repair of the then already 1,125 fathoms (2,133.54 m) long main and side gutter system, which was partly made of batten and partly consisted of wooden gutters, was carried out in the years 1830 - 1831. In 1843 there were again extensive factory collapses at the Ischler Salzberg. The Erlach works in the Frauenholz tunnel and the Mohr and Freund works in the Elisabeth tunnel collapsed, allowing large amounts of polluted water to penetrate from the surface layers. In addition to the excavation of the Keel rubble in the Amalia tunnel for direct underground exploration of the waterways, it was also decided to further expand the water channels on the Reinfalzalm above. In order to reduce the repair work and the associated costs for the extensive water channel, this was made from hand-hewn limestone blocks instead of wood from 1840 when repair work was required. The standard cross-section of the cuboid drainage system was set at 20 cm deep and 45 cm wide. The first cuboid drainage system was built between 1840 and 1850 over a length of 92 fathoms (174.48 m) from the Reinfalzanger to the Niederes Wasserstollen. In 1892, the Imperial and Royal Ministry of Finance approved the construction of a workers' accommodation hut made of stone masonry as a replacement for the wooden tunnel hut built in 1567 on the Lipplesgraben tunnel. At the end of 1905, the total length of the drainage system was 1,103.00 m. Of this, 201.30 m were made of wood and 901.70 m of ashlar. From 1913, prefabricated concrete elements began to be used instead of the laboriously hand-made ashlar blocks. The so-called "cement channels" with two different standard profiles (45 or 35 cm wide and 20 cm deep) were manufactured in the Perneck tube works not far from the Leopold tunnel. In the years 1913, 1917 - 1918 and 1918 - 1919 another 135 m of the wooden gutter were replaced by cement gutters. From 1924, as a result of renewed factory collapses, extensive subsidence and landslides occurred in the south-eastern area of the Reinfalzalm. By 1927, an area of more than 9,500 m² was in motion. This also affected the stone main drainage system, which was destroyed over a length of around 150 m. As a replacement, two inexpensive wooden gutters were built parallel to the destroyed main gutter. Until 1950, the "Stone and wooden water channel between the mountains" was repaired annually by the Ischl salt mine. The construction crew lived in the tunnel hut near the Lipplesgraben tunnel. After the completion of the maintenance work on the water channel, the tunnel hut was leased from the salt pans to the Upper Austrian Cave Researchers' Association. In the course of the construction of a forest path "Between the Mountains" at the beginning of the 1970s, large areas of the stone main drainage system were destroyed or covered over. In May/June 2020, members of the IGM were able to uncover this mining historical monument, which is important for the Ischler Salzberg, over a length of approx. 100 m with considerable effort and only by hand. Sources used: Ischl home club "Bad Ischl home book 2004", Bad Ischl 2004 Anton Schauenstein, "Denkbuch des Österreichischen Berg- und Hüttenwesen", Vienna 1873 Michael Kefer "Hand Karten des Ischler Salzberges", 1829, Transcription Nussbaumer, April 30, 2019, Archiv Salinen Austria Carl Schraml "The Upper Austrian Salt Works from 1750 to the time after the French Wars", Vienna 1934 Carl Schraml "The Upper Austrian Salt Works from 1818 to the end of the Salt Office in 1850", Vienna 1936 NN "Water channel made of ashlars", Ischler stock book no. 50, transcription Thomas Nussbaumer, 01 07 2018, archive Salinen Austria Ischler Salzberg, Rinnwerk Reinfalz, 1907, plan archive Salinen Austria, archive number BI - 35 - 13214 Alfred Pichler "Lipplesgrabenstollenhütte", LVFH Upper Austria, Linz, 2003

Squire's dress and squire's garb: Clothing has always served people as protection against harmful environmental influences such as cold or wet, and in their respective design also for interpersonal communication. It has therefore developed very differently according to the climatic, individual and fashionable needs. Shoes and headgear, such as helmets, are considered clothing, but purely decorative items are not. The oldest remains of fabric from miners' clothing are known from the salt mines of Hallstatt and Dürrnberg near Hallein from the period from 1,600 BC. Christ. More than 700 fragments of flax, hemp, but above all wool fabrics and also fur and leather clothing were discovered in the Bronze Age pits. Although the fragments of fabric found are too small to provide information about the cut and the way it was worn, they do provide other essential information about Bronze Age textile craftsmanship. So high-quality sewing techniques and weaving patterns are documented. In addition to these revealing but fragmentary witnesses to mining clothing, a single piece has been preserved in its entirety. It is a cone-shaped leather or skin hat with strips of leather hanging from the crown. She was worn with the hair side inwards. Textiles were not only used as clothing or makeshift binding material in Bronze Age mines, but also for wound care. A bandage for a finger made of linen strips with plant remains to stop bleeding was found on the Dürrnberg. Fritz Gruber gives a good overview of the everyday clothing of early modern miners in his "Mining History of the Rauris Valley". In the 16th century, a squire wore a "Pfaid" (= "path", shirt), over it a skirt. This skirt originally reached to the knee like a smock, but later showed a clear tendency towards shorter and shorter versions. In the first third of the 16th century such open “mountain smocks” were at least sometimes still worn. It is not known whether underpants were used, but it can be assumed. Originally, a belt was worn under the skirt, to which the stockings were attached. Presumably, however, a strip of fabric was also attached to the belt, which covered the pubic area from below and was similar to a "bruoch" (= short trousers). The shirt was mostly linen, sometimes with a black collar. If the collar was set off and sewn out particularly beautifully, one spoke of a "Golter". The skirt in the cheap, simple form usually referred to as "Joppn" could occasionally have a lambskin lining. There was a version with wide or narrow sleeves, but there was also a version without sleeves. The trousers also underwent changes. Originally, the buttocks were covered by the so-called "bruoch" and for the legs there were two pieces of knitted stockings that were attached to the "bruoch" or, if they were not available, to a "trouser belt" (= trouser belt). As early as the early 16th century, the "bruoch" and leggings grew together into a single, undivided garment. Since the smock was probably quite short at that time, the idea of covering the male sex with a well-padded, capsule-shaped “braguette” (= codpiece) came up with the idea, as it had occasionally before. It is questionable whether the braguette belonged to the everyday clothing of the miners. For lansquenets, however, the "braguette" was part of the costume as a masculine attribute. Another aspect is important, namely the transformation of the old "Bruoch" into a particularly wide, bulbous, baggy "Puffhose" that reached down to the knees. The miners depicted in the Schwazer Bergbuch of 1556, for example, wear puffy trousers. The colorfulness of the trousers, which is particularly accentuated by the striped pattern, is striking. By the middle of the 18th century at the latest, the old leggings - similar leg warmers - gradually shrank to normal knee socks and puffy trousers to knee breeches. Interesting is the fact that the miners in the Rauris valley were allowed to wear trousers by decree for their loyalty to the Salzburg archbishop in the peasant wars of 1526, after the end of the turmoil of war. The rebellious farmers were still forbidden from doing this, they were not allowed to take off their old coats. All in all, the colors were lost in the later centuries and the natural gray should have determined the work clothes, apart from the "ass leather", which was black at all times. It was an approximately triangular cut leather patch that was worn on the buttocks. This made sense, since a miner had to protect himself against the damp, especially against damp, often clay-covered tunnel walls, not only when walking through narrow loops that were often not much more than 30 - 40 cm wide, but of course also when sitting . Incidentally, the ass leather could also be worn as belly leather, this was done by the mountain blacksmiths, for whom the nature of their work meant protecting the sensitive front. In a broader sense, of course, shoes also belonged to clothing. The old Bundschuhe only rarely appear in the estate inventories, but always "a cut pair of shoes", these initially without their own soles. If you want to look at it that way, these shoes were actually a kind of leather bag. It can be assumed that the "pit shoes" already had a sole, initially perhaps made of wood, later made of hard leather. Of course, the latter made them quite expensive. A "berett" made of cloth or "rough" (= fur, fur) served as headgear. The beret was a cap-like headgear that was more likely to belong to holiday garb and was not commonly worn until the 18th century. For bad weather, some afforded a dirty, light-grey “weather coat”. It didn't take long to clean the clothes. A contemporary report from Rauris around 1610 says that some people stink so much "that you have to flee the church because you faint." In addition to everyday clothing, the miners' costume was very important for identifying with the miners' class. For the entire Alpine region, the "white" (or "Maximilian") miner's costume is considered "historical" miner's clothing, the essential components of which are a light "mountain smock" reaching to the thigh, the hood either connected to it or at least to a neck and shoulder protector ("Gugl") and the Bergleder ("Arschleder") are. When miners represent their status, contemporary pictorial evidence shows them uniformly in white mountain smocks, with a hood and mountain leather, but mostly also with "mallets and irons" as attributes. It can be assumed, however, that only a very small percentage of those employed in mining bought this status clothing, most likely still members of the middle class among the miners: hat people, feudal workers and small trades. Uniform clothing at the expense of the mining operator is also unthinkable before the 18th century. Their clothing at work was not that uniform, but representations of working miners show a lot of agreement in essential parts: the preference for light colors for better visibility in the dark of the workplace, the hood that protects the head and neck, and the butt leather as protection with the often mallet work to be performed while sitting. However, the everyday and, above all, festive clothing of the miners, or the small number of those who could afford to dress, followed the changes in fashion as far as the applicable dress code allowed. Anyone who counted among the mining operators, the trades, was also allowed to wear the clothing reserved for merchants, townspeople and patricians. They dressed in magnificent robes of silk and cloth, wore pristine white ruffs, embroidered doublets, waistcoats or velvet jackets and short skirts and coats lined with fur. A beret worn on the head was considered a sign of status. According to the imperial dress code, berets were not allowed to be worn by farmers, commoners and craftsmen. The black miners' costume was introduced towards the end of the 18th century. It is attributed to the influence of the official clothing of the mining officials who were trained at the mining schools and academies and felt like "mining officers". The official attire, for its part, was based on models from Saxony from the beginning of the 18th century. The example of the Saxon "mining officers" with precisely prescribed uniforms for the individual ranks influenced Austrian mining, as photographic evidence shows, even before the first mining academy was founded in Schemnitz in 1771. However, pressure from the authorities to ensure a festive and representative setting for visits and transits by members of the imperial family certainly had the greatest influence on the implementation of uniform dark festive clothing. The mountain festival held in 1864 at the Ludovika tunnel in honor of the visit of the queens of Prussia and Saxony can serve as an example. Contemporary engravings show the miners' detachments with black kalpaks and plumes, black mountain smocks and trousers, and ass leathers. On April 20, 1850, after the events of the revolution in 1848, a regulation on mountain uniforms for mining state officials was issued for disciplining purposes. This regulation regulated the design of the mountain uniform down to the last detail as well as the general conditions of who had to wear it and when. The development of the miners' deed was completed in 1871 with the somewhat relaxed uniform regulations for miners and people working in the mines, to which the miner's smock, which is still worn today, goes back. The black mountain smock, which is still common today, has 3 rows of brass buttons on which the mining sign "Schlägel und Eisen" is shown. Furthermore, shoulder straps with the mining symbol are attached to the mountain smock. A white shirt with a black bow tie or tie, black trousers and a black shaft cap, a kind of beret, which also bears the mining symbols, are worn with the mountain smock. Some symbolic components of the mountain smock are worth mentioning: The 29 buttons of the smock are dedicated to the 29 years of St. Attributed to Barbara, the patron saint of miners. The golden buttons are supposed to symbolize the sun and the black cloth the color of the night in which the underground work is to be carried out. The miners' working clothes mostly consisted of discarded everyday clothes. Depictions from the Schwaz mining area show miners who, depending on their profession, wear worn and patched, colorfully assembled clothing. People often worked barefoot or with simple clogs. The Gugl was the only headgear. Protective clothing as we know it today has only existed since the second half of the 20th century. An essential part of modern mining clothing is the protective helmet. For thousands of years, helmets were worn primarily to protect against weapon damage. In the course of technological progress and the increasing number of special requirements, the first forerunners of modern protective helmets emerged in the middle of the 18th century. Originally made of leather or felt, these offered little protection. Moss caps made of felt have been worn in the Harz mining industry since the 18th century. They protected the miner from small rock falls and bumping against the ridges during his work. Moss caps were made from a hard green felt , but there are also said to have been "crocheted" versions. They were cylindrical, conical or dome-shaped. At the beginning of the 19th century, the first pit helmets were made of leather. They also offered only limited protection during underground work. Only with the development of plastics in the middle of the 20th century could the wearing comfort, the service life and above all the protective effect of the helmets be significantly improved. The color of the helmet also showed the profession or position of a miner. White helmets were reserved for supervisors such as foremen or overseers, blue helmets were worn by locksmiths, red helmets by electricians and yellow helmets by houseworkers. Modern mining protective clothing consists of overalls with reflective protective strips, safety shoes with steel toecaps, protective gloves, a protective helmet with integrated earmuffs and lamp holder, protective goggles, dust mask and a CO2 filter self-rescuer. Sources used: "Mining - everyday life and identity of the Dürrnberger - miners and Halleiner - saltworks workers", Salzburg contributions to folklore, Salzburg, 1998 Alois Fellner "Mining Dictionary", Vienna, 1999 Fritz Gruber "The Rauris Valley - Gold and Silver, Mining History", Rauris, 2004 Günther Biermann "Living conditions of the miners" in "Grubenhunt und Ofensau", Klagenfurt, 1995 German Mining Museum "Uphill - Downhill, 10 000 years of mining in the Eastern Alps”, Bochum 2015 Anton Kern "Salt - Reich 7000 Years Hallstatt", NHM Vienna, Vienna, 2008

3 a Rosas waterfalls: On May 7th, the members of the IG-Mitterbergstollen - Via Salis graveled the approximately 100 meter long path to the "pink waterfalls" in the Perneck district of Bad Ischl, set up the information board and the benches and installed the signposts. An extraordinarily attractive sight has thus been opened up for Perneck and Bad Ischl. Figure 1: Rosa's Waterfalls, 2021 IGM The naming of these cascades, known as "Rosa's waterfalls", is derived from Countess Rosa v. Kolowrat, who really enjoyed visiting this vantage point. As early as 1809, Johann August Schultes, in his travels through Upper Austria, described "The two waterfalls on the lschler Salzberg" as "a very rewarding game". pink v Kolowrat Countess Maria Rosa Johanna v. Kolowrat was born on May 23, 1780 as the daughter of Count Kinsky and married Count Franz Anton von Kolowrat-Liebsteinsky in 1801. The marriage remained childless, Countess Rosa Kolowrat died on March 16, 1842. Figure 2: Rosa von Kolowrat, Internet Wikipedia Franz Anton von Kolowrat Count Franz Anton von Kolowrat-Liebsteinsky, *01/31/1778, +04/04/1861, headed the finance section as Minister of State from 1827 and from 1835, together with Prince Clemens Metternich, was a permanent member of the secret state conference, which from 1836 to 1848 governed government affairs in the led the Habsburg Empire. After Metternich's resignation in 1848 he was the first constitutional prime minister. Figure 3: Franz Anton von Kolowrat, Internet Wikipedia The Kolowrat family in the Salzkammergut In 1830 the Minister of State acquired the "Schlössl am Wolfsbühel", which was called "Schloss Kolowrat" from then on. He was made an honorary citizen of lschl in 1831. The new brewhouse built in lschl in 1834 was named "Graf Kolowrat-Sudwerk". Today's "Adalbert-Stifter-Kai" was called "Kolowrat-Kai" at that time and today's Bahnhofstraße was called "Kolowrat-Allee" in 1837. Around 1835, Count Kolowrat built a "big Swiss house" on the Hoisenradalm and in 1836 he had a lookout tower built on the "Hohen Perneck". This existed from 1836 to 1863. Since then this mountain peak has been called "Kolowratshöhe". The connecting road between Strobl and Schwarzenbach, built in 1840, was named "Rosa-Straße" in honor of Countess Rosa von Kolowrat. Figure 4: Tower on the Kolowratshöhe, Internet Wikipedia Figure 5: Schweizerhaus Hoisnrad, 1835 JV Reim Figure 6: Rosas Waterfalls, 1809 Schultes travel through Upper Austria

Moore, water, salt: A relationship with rough edges. Somewhat hidden to the east of the Ischler Salzberg are the high moors of Langmoos and Roßstallmoos , which have been brought out of their "sleeping beauty" by the Austrian Federal Forests with the "Moor Protection Program" in recent years. Although these are not part of the Via Salis network of paths, they were important for the Ischler Salzberg. 1 Location of Langmoos and Roßstallmoos: The two nature reserves Langmoos (2.6 ha) and Roßstallmoos (1 ha) are located 1 and 1.4 km east of the Reinfalzalm. Both moors are high moors that arose in karst depressions. They are supplied by precipitation and are therefore independent of groundwater. The peat layer is up to 6 m thick. Compass hiking map, 2020 2 History of the formation of our moors: In the not too distant past, 20,000 years ago, large glaciers stretched out from the Trauntal into the foothills of the Alps and buried the country under ice. Glaciers were instrumental in creating the conditions that led to the growth of peat bogs in our country. They dug out shallow basins and brought back glacial rubble (the finest rock debris) that was deposited there and formed clays impermeable to water. As a result, the water collected in the pools and various forms of still waters were created, from small ponds to large lakes. When the climate improved about 17,000 years ago, the ice receded and the glaciers disintegrated relatively quickly. Clay-lined hollows with small still waters remained; outside of the formerly glaciated areas gravel, sand and loess-covered terraces. Various mosses, sedges and reeds soon settled in the hollows. The late glacial, still cool climate with low evaporation and high humidity played an important role. Schematic structure of raised bog, ÖBF 3 Moore as a habitat for rare plants and animals Moors are an irreplaceable habitat for many animal and plant species that have become rare today. Quite a few "moor dwellers" are on the Red List, such as the sundew, the cranberry or the dwarf birch. Typical of their fauna are the moor dragonfly and moor frog as well as numerous reptiles such as mountain lizards, adders, butterflies and spiders. Sparrige peat moss, WIKIPEDIA Moor tot bug, WIKIPEDIA Warty peat moss, WIKIPEDIA 4 Moore as a climate protector Moore fulfill the function of CO2 storage very well. Since the plant components do not decompose in the wet, acidic soil, the carbon remains stored. Only when the moors are drained does a decomposition process begin and the positive effect achieved over thousands of years is reversed again. 5 Moors as water reservoirs Bogs can absorb up to 95% of their dry mass in water. During dry periods, they slowly release the stored water. In this way, they contribute to the continuous supply of the springs. When it rains, the moor does not absorb large amounts of water. This fulfilled an important function as flood protection. 6 Moor protection program ÖBF On the occasion of the "Year of Wetlands" proclaimed by the Ministry of the Environment in 1993, the Austrian Federal Forests placed all of their moors under protection. In June 2000, as part of the WWF campaign "Let them live", the ÖBf and WWF signed the cooperation agreement for "active moor protection". According to this, bogs that had been adversely affected in the past primarily by drainage, peat extraction, grazing and afforestation are to be actively renatured. Such as: construction of dams to raise the moor water level in Langmoos. Revitalization of Langmoos, ÖBF Leckenmoos, ÖBF Larch dam in Langmoos, ÖBF 7 The importance of these moors and the surface waters in the Reinfalz area for the Ischler Salzberg: In the 1830s and 1840s, after the Napoleonic Wars and the beginning of industrialization, the need was great. It was the Biedermeier period, monarchical absolutism prevailed. Resignation spread, hunger demonstrations and peasant uprisings shook Austria. And in these difficult times, there was almost a catastrophe on the Ischler Salzberg: The surface waters in the Reinfalzalm area have always been a problem for the salt tunnels below. A lot of attention has therefore already been paid to this fact. But not enough. And so the tragedy took its course: As early as 1739 , a wooden drainage system, which was laid out "between the mountains" (path from Reinfalzalm to Hütteneckalm), was extended to the Reinfalzalm. In addition, as early as 1738, a water tunnel, the Mittlerer Wasserstollen, was laid to drain off freshwater that had already penetrated to the Frauenholzstollen. With little success, as it turned out. It was not until 1769 that the access to the water was successfully contained by the water digging in the Lipplesgraben tunnel. Drainage plan Reinfalz 1854, archive Salinen Austria 1739: Freshwater inrush up to the Frauenholz tunnel, archive Salinen Austria In 1775, 1784, 1793, 1799 and 1805 the wooden drainage system was renewed and expanded again and again. A major repair of the then 2,133.54 m long main and side channels, partly made of slats and partly consisting of wooden channels, was carried out in the years 1830 - 1831 . As can be seen from these years, maintenance was a very expensive one. Therefore, from 1840 onwards, the gutters were made of ashlars . Block channel system Reinfalz April 2020, IGM Restored cuboid gutter "Between the mountains" June 2020, IGM Despite all these measures, it came in 1839 in the Amalia tunnel to massive fractures of the workers Preßel, Schwaiger, Rappan and Baron Sternbach. In 1843 , the water that had broken in as a result of the demise of the workers Erlach, Mohr and Freund had already penetrated the Ludovica tunnel in such large quantities that the lye could soon no longer have been accommodated in the workers who were still available. The entire mining area was endangered! These events and the underground measures are presented in detail under this link: https://www.viasalis.at/amaliastollen . 1839 and 1843 factory declines and water ingress up to the Ludovica tunnel, archive Salinen Austria In order to save the Ischler Salzberg, of course, attempts were also made during the day to regulate all the water that had not yet been controlled. Now the work on the bogs has also started! Main and side drainage ditches were dug in Langmoos . And as mentioned in Chapter 2, the Langmoos is located in a trough. In order to be able to drain the entire tub, a 50 m long drainage tunnel was even built. In the attached plan, it is very nicely marked as a "warm hole" . The name has the following meaning: Quite in the middle of the tunnel, a stepped shaft was surprisingly cut , which shows a natural draft. There is an entrance 255 m below, namely the "Tauernwasserloch". In winter, air draws in below, heats up and steams up in the "Warm Hole" off. The "Warm Hole" was also a research project of the Linzer Höhlenverein for many years. They use the "Lipplesgraben - Hütte" at the Lipplesgraben - tunnel as a base for this. This hut was built in 1892 as a lodging hut for workers maintaining the gully and was used until the 1950's. Plan Langmoos with drainage ditches and drainage tunnel "Warmes Loch" 1860, archive Salinen Austria Entrance Hütterschacht in the "warm hole", archive IGM clean fold ramp In addition to the Langmoos, the Reinfalzschanze was also drained. This field designation, which has now been forgotten, extended to the SW of the Lower Rosenkogel, as can be seen on the following map from 1867. A small digression on the name Schanze: In earlier times, a hill fort meant a field fortification for defense. From the 16th century, the word "schanzen" was generally applied to any kind of earthwork. And therefore probably also on the drainage work SW of the Niederen Rosenkogel. This is probably where the name Reinfalzschanze came from. Drainage plan Reinfalzschanze 1854, archive Salinen Austria Work on the gutter then happened in the years 1890, 1892, 1894, 1896, 1898, 1902, 1904 and 1907. Through all this work on the gutter made of ashlar stones, the same now had a length of 864.7 m with an average width of 0. 45 - 0.50 m. From 1913 to 1919 another 155 m of the wooden gutter were replaced by cement gutters: Plan Rinnwerk Reinfalz 1907, archive Salinen Austria Despite all measures above and below ground, there were also large-scale landslides in the Reinfalzalm area up to the twentieth century , as can be seen on a map from 1933: Archive Salinen Austria 1933 Landslides in the years 1924 / 1925 / 1926 / 1927 / 1931. With marked water ingress into the Wolfen weir (Amalia - tunnel), water ingress into the Streibel weir (Amalia - tunnel), water ingress onto the Neuhauser Kehr (Lipplesgraben - tunnel). Sources used: Carl Schraml "The Upper Austrian Salt Works from 1818 to the end of the Salt Office in 1850", Vienna 1936 Michael Kefer "Description of the main maps of the kk Salzberg zu Ischl", 1820, transcription by Thomas Nussbaumer, as of September 13, 2016 Geological Federal Institute, sheet 96 Bad Ischl, 2012 Reports of the Bavarian Botanical Society 87: 55-70, 2017 Moor revitalization of the Inner Salzkammergut, ÖBF

Opening ceremony 7.9.2019 Via Salis - words of blessing from Franz Peter Handlichner: Dear Pernecker - dear men of the Mitterbergstollen interest group Dear Mr. Mayor, dear Mr. Executive Director Dear sisters and brothers in faith we are not god We are not rulers of the earth, but part of creation. The earth was there before us and was given to us. That is the message of the environmental encyclical "Laudato si" - With sentences like these, in the first environmental encyclical in church history, Pope Francis makes a radical break with an unfortunate tradition of exploitation that is based on a misunderstood interpretation of the Bible verse from the creation story Make the earth subject to you . As the Pope concedes, many people have grown up with the conviction that the earth is man's property and that man can therefore exploit its treasures. This is not the case – the Pope warns in clear words in “Laudato si”: “This is not a correct interpretation of the Bible as the Church understands it.” What sets this encyclical apart from others is the new location of man in creation - what is the place of man in creation? Man is not the ruler of the world, but only a part of the whole - the Pope makes clear. You too aptly express such a view of creation in the hiking guide that you created on the occasion of the inauguration ceremony of the VIA SALIS themed trail and the blessing of the Perneck village square: "The history of salt begins an unbelievable 250 million years ago with the deposition of the salt layers in the primordial sea , the so-called Tethys. This time is for us people of the 21st century. in the deepest darkness of history and we can only guess at it from the story of creation. The salt has always been present in the mountain and it required inventiveness, combined with courage and diligence, to make it usable for the people. Salt production has survived wars and revolutions, global economic crises and dictatorships and is still an economic factor in our region today. The rise of Bad Ischl from a village at the confluence of the Ischl and Traun rivers is based solely on the treasures of the mountain. This is thanks to many generations of hardworking, brave miners who have shown renewed courage, drive and tenacity in their dangerous work every day.” The small village square of Perneck and the VIA SALIS would like to remind us and future generations of this mining tradition. In his environmental encyclical, Pope Francis also expressed his great concern for the ecological balance and the world climate, which is a common global good that must be protected. The Pope criticizes the effects of environmental degradation, the consumerist throwaway culture and a capitalism that destroys social relations. The consequences of climate change hit the world's poor the most. Pope Francis is in solidarity with the poor countries that are demanding financial support from the rich countries in the international climate negotiations. And he calls for an ethics of international relations: “Because there is a real, “ecological” debt – especially between the North and the South – related to the imbalances in trade and their consequences in the ecological area as well as in the course of history disproportionate consumption of natural resources practiced by some countries.” It is fortunate that today's celebration is part of the so-called CREATION TIME takes place. If we walk the VIA SALIS, we also find the little mountain church. In 1751, Empress Maria Theresa ordered the construction of this little church: Luther's forbidden teachings were widespread among the miners - this church was intended to strengthen the Catholic faith among the working class again. Today, the little mountain church is a place where it is repeatedly evident how the ecumenical togetherness of the churches is lived as a matter of course. We thank our evangelical brothers Leopold senior, Leopold junior and Hermann Schiendorfer for their concern for the preservation of this church. I close, before the blessing of the new town square and Via Salis, with the words of the unknown miner who many years ago said: Ischl salt - God gave it, God preserves it. Franz Peter Handchner

Signs of miners The world of miners is rich in signs and symbols. Mining Sign “Mallet and Iron” The symbol of mining par excellence is the crossed mining sign made up of mallet and iron. The chisel is a one-sided pointed iron wedge for chipping off the rock. The mallet is a heavy hand mallet. The squire's left hand held the iron, its point was set against the mining site and driven in with the mallet held by the right hand. When the work was done, the squire put the iron down with the tip pointing to the right. Above that came the mallet crossed to the left. The teeth thus discarded were a symbol for the face being cut. Until the introduction of blasting in the 17th and 18th centuries, mallets and irons were the miner's most important tools. Mallets and irons have been used as symbols for mines since the 14th century. Miner's greeting "Glück Auf" Although the miners' language dates back to the Middle Ages, the miners' greeting "Glück Auf" first emerged in the 17th century. Its roots are probably in the wish "Luck is opening up to you!". Ore veins should open up so that the miner is granted a rich mountain blessing. The much older form of the miner's greeting "God give!" has been preserved in Carinthian ore mining to this day. Miner's costume “mountain smock” The miner's costume has always been important for the miners' self-portrayal on festive days. The miners' oldest uniform, the white or Maximilian costume, has its origins in the working clothes of medieval miners. It consisted of a light-colored mountain smock with a hood that reached down to the thighs and the ass leather tied around it. Light, non-dyed fabrics were cheaper and more visible in the dark of the tunnels. The hood served as protection for the head and shoulders. The butt leather protected against moisture when playing the drumsticks, which often had to be done while sitting. The introduction of today's black miner's costume dates back to the end of the 18th century. This costume was prescribed by decree by the imperial family for the mountain officials. The reasons for this are likely to have been fashion considerations as well as disciplining measures. The miner's costume, which is common today, has 3 rows of brass buttons on which the mining sign "Schlägel und Eisen" is shown. Furthermore, shoulder straps with the mining symbol are attached to the mountain smock. Some symbolic components are very important: the 29 buttons of the smock are dedicated to the 29 years of St. Attributed to Barbara, the patron saint of miners. The golden buttons are supposed to symbolize the sun and the black cloth the color of the night, i.e. underground work. The mountain smock is worn on festive occasions such as mountain parades, Barbara celebrations as well as weddings or other anniversaries. But also on sad occasions such as funerals. The mountain smock accompanies its owner from the test of courage of the leather jump to the last trip to the pit in the cemetery. Ass leather and leather jump The mountain or butt leather, also known as leather for short, is an important item of clothing for miners and is associated with a great deal of symbolism. It is cut out of a piece of black calfskin in a semicircle and sewn to a belt. The belt has a clasp decorated with a mallet and iron. At first glance, the ass leather looks like a leather apron that is a bit too short. Aprons are part of many old craft costumes. Blacksmiths, carpenters, gardeners, cooks and winegrowers wear them. Of course, aprons are also part of the basic equipment of every good housewife. And yet the miner's apron is something very special! It has been the only apron that has been worn backwards for 500 years now. And we miners are even proud of that! The reason for this is that, in the past, miners often had to do their work sitting on the wet rock for hours. The leather was a protection against wet and cold. When entering the miners' ranks, the start-up leather was awarded as a sign of belonging. Every miner had to take good care of this leather, it was a kind of membership confirmation that brought many advantages of the status. If a miner committed dishonorable acts, he was expelled from the Knappschaft. His leather was tied off and he was chased away in disgrace. So to untie someone's ass leather was to declare them forfeited. An ass leather attached to a long pole was considered a sign of rebellion in earlier times. When it was carried forward by a mob of grim-faced miners, it did not bode well for the trades or miners. Everyone shuddered at the sight! Because miners like to adorn themselves, there used to be a separate butt leather with the appropriate fashionable accessories for each class of miners. The higher the rank, the richer and larger the leather. At the head of the miners were the trades as owners and the miners as the highest-ranking officials. The leather of these honorable gentlemen was lined with brightly colored silk and decorated with a wide gold border at the edge. The middle classes, which today would include managers and foremen, had to make do with unlined leather, which was only decorated with a silver cord. All other members of the Knappschaft were left behind in the truest sense of the word. They were only allowed to wear the plain black leather without any ornaments. Higher level miners commonly had at least 3 different butt leathers in their wardrobe: The somewhat more decorative start-up leather, which was awarded at the beginning of the miner's life, the simpler everyday leather for everyday use and, as a highlight, the parade leather equipped with all the fashionable chicanes. It is hardly known that the ass leather was also used as a kind of musical instrument. Mountain musicians in Saxony rolled up the leather and blew firmly into it. The range of tones reportedly ranged from the roar of a deer to the fart of a deserving miner. But now back to a much more serious meaning of leather. The ass leather was part of important legal acts. In the past, mining authorization was granted as part of the so-called inheritance survey. This legal act expired as follows: The mining officials came to the newly found ore vein on horseback in miners' festive costumes. The trades also came in festive costume, but with a carriage. The rest of the hill tribe, the common miners, had to walk to the new mine. Everyone lined up in a circle around the newly found outcrop. Mine officials had to measure the thickness of the vein and use that to determine the survey or rental fee. Up to this point, today's negotiations with an on-site inspection would not have gone much differently. Only the mining captain and the managing director would no longer travel on horseback, but in a befitting petrol carriage. The common mountain people would of course appear on site with much smaller petrol carriages. But earlier, when paying the survey fee, something quite unexpected happened to us: All miners present stood in a circle and the miner placed his ass leather in the middle of the circle. The trades were sentenced to pay the award fee by means of a quick verbal decision. The tradesman immediately had to pay the required amount in the form of coins on the ass leather in the middle. And now comes the unbelievable: The miner took some of the coins and tossed them to the miners present. Then the mining official took a few more handfuls of coins and invited the entire assembly to a measuring meal followed by a feast. Only the money that was left was delivered to the state authorities by the mining authorities. This form of negotiation should be reintroduced as soon as possible. This ensures that everyone involved goes home happy with full pockets and bellies after the legal act has been completed. Unfortunately, there are no such efforts to be found in the current mining or commercial law! In the course of the measurement meal, a kind of decision was also issued. The ass leather, on which the money was previously placed, was cut up by the mining captain. Everyone present immediately received a piece as a sign of participation in the award ceremony. It's that easy to solve our current problems with complicated postal routes, long processing times and high stamp fees. In earlier times, a successful mining company was not characterized by folders full of valid or less valid notices, but by a sack with as many pieces of ass leather as possible. For the miners, it is still a great honor and distinction to be able to jump over such a historical, but also misjudged piece of clothing at the leather jump! The leather jump The leather jump is undoubtedly the celebratory highlight of every Barbara celebration. Perhaps one of you has already seen the butcher's jump at Salzburg's Residenzplatz. After a public pledge to their profession, the newly minted butcher journeymen jump into a water-filled vat. This symbolically washes them clean of the sins of the apprenticeship. They then demonstrate courage and strength by waving the guild flag, which weighs more than 60 kg. Our valued Ledersprung also originates from this tradition of medieval guilds. Its roots probably lie in the Saxon Ore Mountains. The form of the leather jump that is common today came to Austria in 1848 from Schemnitz in the Czech Republic. In the course of the unrest at the time, the German-speaking mining professors and their students had to leave the Bergakademie Schemnitz. At the invitation of Peter Tuner, they were admitted to the mining school in Vordernberg near Leoben. The mining customs they brought with them, such as the leather jump, but also their black mountain smocks, quickly spread to all Austrian mining areas. How does a traditional leather jump work? The leather jump can be roughly divided into 3 sections: Namely in questioning the candidate, in emptying the glass and finally in jumping over the leather. The questioning of name, origin and status is a public declaration of your homeland and profession. The following sayings are usually more original than meant seriously. Emptying the glass is intended to express the new miner's zest for life. Of course, the "Ex" before the jump can be emphatically demanded by the audience. After all, the jump over the leather is the core of the ritual: It symbolizes courageous entry into the new state, which can entail great dangers. The jump means courage. With both feet at the same time, one jumps into the new, freely chosen position, which does not tolerate stumbling, but does require rapid determination and energy. The miners of all social levels see themselves as a community of destiny. This is expressed by the fact that the oldest present miner as well as the highest ranking official hold the leather for the jump. Where are leather jumps still celebrated today in the old mining tradition? In the traditional, active mining operations, of course. After successfully passing the hewer's test, the candidate with the leather jump is officially accepted into the miner's rank. Large leather jumps take place annually at mining universities such as Leoben, Clausthal, Freiberg, Krakow, Miskolc or Laibach. Every young student is invited to the leather jump. After passing the exam and having a merry party, he has the right to wear his mountain smock with pride as a young miner. The leather jump is an important event in student life that we look back on fondly. And therein lies a certain obligation for us miners. In our active professional life, we should also give this joy to young colleagues! Another area in which leather jumps are still actively held is that of miners' and traditional clubs. In these associations, classic miners, representatives of institutions and companies meet with people who are interested in mining for a wide variety of reasons and who openly support mining. In addition to maintaining friendship and sociability, an intensive exchange of experiences and mutual appreciation in club life are considered particularly important. Of course, leather jumps are an important, connecting element! But we must not forget one thing: The leather jump is and remains a mining tradition, namely ours! Under no circumstances must it degenerate into an empty, folkloric event! A home evening with Hansi Hinterseer songs is definitely something else!!!

25 The mine locomotive: The Ruhrthal mine locomotive with serial no. 2947, Type G 22, service weight 5,160 kg was made in 1951 by the Ruhrthaler Maschinenfabrik in Mülheim an der Ruhr / Germany built. On February 8, 1952, it was delivered to ÖSAG in Bad Ischl and then pulled up from the Au with several teams of oxen and the entire Salzberg workforce to the Maria Theresia tunnel. Until the Jenbacher mine locomotive was purchased in 1982, the Ruhrthaler was the only locomotive in use both for transporting materials and for visiting the Maria Theresia tunnel. From 1982 until the cessation of foreign traffic in 2000, the Ruhrthaler served exclusively as a reserve machine. In August 2009 I was able to buy the Ruhrthal mine locomotive that had been parked for 9 years at the station in the Maria Theresia tunnel. After a thorough restoration, it is now operational on my property. I managed to save this rare piece from scrapping and make it accessible to the public. Good luck for Eric Ramsauer Technical details:

17 The new Steinberg tunnel Stud Name: "Neuer Steinberg - Stollen" because of the route in dense limestone Struck: around 1715 Length: 280 m Altitude: 862 m The New Steinberg tunnel was built under Emperor Charles VI. struck about 1715. In 1721, the new Steinberg tunnel - main shaft was already extended to 137 Stabel (163.3m). At that time, the main shaft was started on the left Ulm with the removal of a scoop, which was to remain the only construction of this tunnel. The new Steinberg tunnel - main shaft was 130 Stabel (155m) in the limestone, then followed up to the Feldort 108 Stabel (129m) poor, changing salt mountains. Shortly before the field site, a dig was sunk to the right into the Rabenbrunn tunnel. Due to the small extent of the salt mountains, no further constructions could be built in this tunnel, which is why it was abandoned in 1775. With the decommissioning of the pumping works in the new Steinberg tunnel in 1775, brine production in the Steinberg warehouse also ended. From this point in time, the extraction activities shifted entirely to the much more productive Pernecker camp. Until 1769, the center of Ischl salt mining was on the so-called Steinberg. The miner and the miner had their offices here. The ancient "Steinberghaus", mostly made of wood, which is not identical to the "Taxhaus", which is also located here and was demolished in 1821, had already fallen into disrepair around 1820. In 1821 - 1822 a replacement building was erected for the also dilapidated "Taxhaus", which was referred to as the "Mining Serviceman's House", "New Steinberghaus" or "Existing House" for short. Among other things, the existing, usable ashlars from the old, dilapidated Steinberghaus were used for the construction. The "existing house", which was only used as a woodworker's accommodation, fell victim to a fire in 1943. Sources used: Carl Schraml "The Upper Austrian salt works from the beginning of the 16th to the middle of the 18th century", Vienna 1932 Carl Schraml "The Upper Austrian Salt Works from 1750 to the time after the French Wars", Vienna 1934 Johann Steiner "The traveling companion through Upper Austrian Switzerland", Linz 1820, reprint Gmunden 1981 Michael Kefer "Description of the main maps of the kk Salzberg zu Ischl", 1820, transcription by Thomas Nussbaumer, as of September 13, 2016 Anton Dicklberger "Systematic history of the salt pans of Upper Austria", Volume I, Ischl 1807, transcription by Thomas Nussbaumer, as of 06.2018