Galtür is a municipality with 766 inhabitants (as of January 1,
2020) in the district of Landeck, Tyrol (Austria). The main line of
business is tourism due to its location in the Alps. Since April 22,
1997, Galtür has been the first official climatic health resort in
all of Tyrol.
The Rhaeto-Romanic, Alemannic and
Bavarian-Tyrolean cultures overlap in Galtür. It was settled by the
Engadines from the south, the Walsers and Vorarlbergers from the
west and by Tyroleans from the east.
The Romanesque settlers
who occupied the alpine pastures around the then still marshy valley
floor at the confluence of the Vermuntbach and Jambach rivers had -
as can be seen from the founding records of Schuls monastery from
1089/96 - interest obligations (cheese interest) towards landlords
in the Lower Engadine and in the Vinschgau, which lasted over 700
years. The cultivation work of the Engadines is still remembered
today with the name Galtür (Cultura). There was a close connection
with the Engadine. For example, mule tracks and cart paths over the
Silvretta passes were created at altitudes between 2500 m and 2800
m, which testify to lively trade.
Around 1300 the immigration
took place through immigrant Walser from the Montafon, who were
welcome by the Rhaeto-Romanic landlords. As late as the 19th
century, the Churretian-Graubünden, Walser and Upper Tyrolean
influences are said to have been recognizable in the speech and
physiognomy of the locals.
Galtür was looted during the
Thirty Years' War. The church and many houses went up in flames. The
village has not recovered from this damage for a long time and the
accrued tax debt was not waived until 1645.
In the 18th
century, “far-sighted” pastors made Galtür a well-known place of
pilgrimage. In the years 1776 to 1778, the church was redesigned
into the baroque building that still exists today with the help of
private donations. A “soul federation” founded in 1722, which still
exists today, made a significant contribution to this.
The
first streets leading through the Paznaun were built in the 19th
century. As a result, Galtür was discovered by many travelers. At
that time Galtür still consisted of a church, an inn and 7 to 8 huts
and could be described as very poor. With the new connection cheap
food became available, prices fell and the mountain farmers
continued to become impoverished. At times the ancient paths and
high passes were used as smugglers' paths to ensure bare survival.
The mountain climbers who were enthusiastic about the Silvretta
were on the up again. The first hotel soon followed the construction
of the Jamtalhütte. With the tourists came new life and prosperity
to the valley. From the middle of the 20th century, the community
developed from an agricultural community to a tourist community with
a focus on winter tourism. An early ski tourist was Ernest
Hemingway, whose short story "An Alpine Idyll" Galtür is the
setting.
The Paznaun has always been at a high risk of
avalanches. Recent events are:
Avalanche disaster in Galtür:
On February 23, 1999, Galtür was hit by an avalanche that claimed 31
lives. Due to heavy snowfall, the place was cut off from the outside
world in February 1999; aid teams could only be flown in and
holidaymakers out by helicopter.
On December 28, 1999, not far
from the Jamtalhütte (2165 m), a group led by mountain guides from
the DAV Summit Club was hit by an avalanche on the way back from the
Rußkopf. 14 people were buried, 9 could only be rescued dead.