Preliminary Programme

Wed 23 April
    8.30 - 10.30
    11.00 - 13.00
    14.00 - 16.00
    16.30 - 18.30

Thu 24 April
    8.30 - 10.30
    11.00 - 13.00
    14.00 - 16.00
    16.30 - 17.30

Fri 25 April
    8.30 - 10.30
    11.00 - 13.00
    14.00 - 16.00
    16.30 - 18.30

Sat 26 April
    8.30 - 10.30
    11.00 - 13.00
    14.00 - 16.00
    16.30 - 18.30

All days
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Wednesday 23 April 2014 8.30 - 10.30
Z-1 HEA15 The Modern Therapeutic Bath under Social, Medical and Economic Aspects
UR4 Germanistik second floor
Network: Health and Environment Chair: Alfred Weiss
Organizer: Alfred Weiss Discussant: Sabine Veits-Falk
Elke Hammer-Luza : The Spa as a Commercial Enterprise. The Beginnings of Commercialization by using the Example of Styria in the First Half of the 19th Century
The habit of visiting spas started to develop in Styria in the first half of the 19th century. The already existing large drinking and bath houses of the region like Rohitsch-Sauerbrunn / Rogaška Slatina, Neuhaus / Dobrna, Römerbad Tüffer / Rimske Toplice, Tobelbad and Wildbad Einöd experienced a boost; at ... (Show more)
The habit of visiting spas started to develop in Styria in the first half of the 19th century. The already existing large drinking and bath houses of the region like Rohitsch-Sauerbrunn / Rogaška Slatina, Neuhaus / Dobrna, Römerbad Tüffer / Rimske Toplice, Tobelbad and Wildbad Einöd experienced a boost; at the same time new, larger and smaller institutions like Bad Gleichenberg and Wörschach were founded. Admittedly this has to be seen in relation since, in Austrian or European context, the Styrian spas with several hundreds to maximum 2,000 guests per year played only a minor role.
The formation and development of these spas were strongly influenced by the ownership situations of those days and hence by the available capital. Different bursts of growth can be observed whether the companies were privately-owned, owned by a private limited company or operated by public institutions. Extended cure offerings and accommodations led to a rapid rise in the number of guests from 1820 onwards which again resulted in increasing turnover and profits; so that most of the spas could almost double their economic output during that time.
In the early 19th century the spa represented a prosperous enterprise for its owners. They focused on generous investments and specialization as well as reacting to customer needs. On site, own administrations developed which guaranteed the organization of the institution and provided for the required personnel. Great significance was assigned to commercialization and advertising. It ranged from the compulsory foundation legend via the publication of medical histories to the instrumentalisation of medical and scientific opinions. Renowned spokesmen (advocates) and visitors were played to the gallery; newspaper articles and spa guides were used to present the own spa in the most favorable light and to spread the spa’s reputation.
A perfect example of a commercially-operated company in the first half of the 19th century was Bad Gleichenberg in Eastern Styria. Founded by a limited company in 1834, the spa represented the second bathing resort in Styria already 15 years later thanks to well-planned and intensive build-up and expansion activities.
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Elisabeth Lobenwein : « Suivrai vos conseils et attendrai en philosophie d’apprendre mon sort et probablement de toute l’Europe à la Gastein (26.05.1798) ». Prince Archbishop Colloredo’s Visits to the Spa Town Gastein.
As the last prince archbishop of Salzburg, Hieronymus Graf Colloredo (time of reign: 1772–1812) suffered from a relatively poor health status since the end of the 1780s, physicians recommended him to take therapeutic baths in the famous spa town Gastein. Even though Hieronymus Graf Colloredo confined his brother Gundakar in ... (Show more)
As the last prince archbishop of Salzburg, Hieronymus Graf Colloredo (time of reign: 1772–1812) suffered from a relatively poor health status since the end of the 1780s, physicians recommended him to take therapeutic baths in the famous spa town Gastein. Even though Hieronymus Graf Colloredo confined his brother Gundakar in a private letter that he actually doubted the presumable positive effects of the therapeutic baths, he was convinced that at least the fresh air, the diet as well as the exercise – he loved to carry out longer rides with the horses – had a positive influence on his health status.
Hieronymus Graf Colloredo seemed to have enjoyed his stays in Gastein, however, he was by no means satisfied with the primitive accommodation facilities of the famous spa town, which had not changed a lot since the end of the middle ages. On 18th June 1790, Hieronymus Graf Colloredo mentioned and criticised the unimproved conditions in Gastein in a letter to his brother: « Suis condemné à passer trois semaines ici ce qui cependant m'ennuyé, car j'y suis très mal loge dans une maison de planches où on risque à tout moment d'être grille. » Out of the previously mentioned and various other reasons, the prince archbishop of Salzburg decided to build a castle – the first stone building in Gastein –, which can be seen as the cornerstone of Gastein developing into a worldwide known, modern spa town.
Hieronymus Graf Colloredo’s stays in Gastein in the 1790s shall be reconstructed via the analysis of official documents as well as his private letters to his brother Gundakar Fürst Colloredo. The positive impact, which the prince archbishop of Salzburg had on the remote and antiquated spa town Gastein, shall be in the focal point of interest. Furthermore, it is important to note that Hieronymus Graf Colloredo also had to fulfil his political duties as sovereign of Salzburg during his stays in Gastein, which means that he had to make difficult political decisions at a time, in which half of Europe was at war and without having his political counsellors around him.


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Andrea Puehringer : From “Montecarlization” to “Medicalization” – the Case of Bad Homburg vor der Hoehe
Bad Homburg was the residency of the Landgraves of Hesse-Homburg, an apanaged branche of the Landgraviat of Hesse-Darmstadt. It was a small medieval town until Friedrich II. of Hesse-Homburg, better known as the Prince of Homburg (Kleist), tried to increase his income by enlarging his population by settlements of Huguenot ... (Show more)
Bad Homburg was the residency of the Landgraves of Hesse-Homburg, an apanaged branche of the Landgraviat of Hesse-Darmstadt. It was a small medieval town until Friedrich II. of Hesse-Homburg, better known as the Prince of Homburg (Kleist), tried to increase his income by enlarging his population by settlements of Huguenot refugees at the end of the 17th century. As he was a creature of his time, characterized by a building boom, the so called “bauwurmb”, under his rule not only a modern baroque palace was built but also the town began to expand in a planned way. Beyond that he starts the commercial exploitation of the rediscovered salt water springs in the surroundings of the town, but only for the production of salt. In the periods following the town expanded in two parts and in two different ways: In the west, starting at the palace developed a spacious garden landscape stretched far in the surroundings and up the slopes of the Taunus-mountains and in the east the geometrical planned “new town” emerged.
Rather late in comparison with other spa-towns, not before the second half of the 1830s, Bad Homburg started its “cure-carrier”. In this time the medical value of the salt water springs were discovered and proofed. But not before French entrepreneurs were engaged by the Landgrave in 1840 for public gaming activities as well as for running the spa-activities the booming period of Bad Homburg began. In the short period between 1841 and 1871 a third of all houses in town were built. But these successful years seems to end in 1866 when the Prussians occupied the territory and bared the gaming activities finally in 1872. However, contrary to all expectations and the importance of the gaming activities the town could maintain its reputation and popularity as spa town until the beginning of the 20th century.
So the question is why and how Bad Homburg could maintain its status as spa town. Were only the enlargement and intensification of spa facilities responsible for this development? Played in this context the new leisure and sport facilities a crucial role? Finally, how the meaning of Bad Homburg as a summer resort and the increasing significance of nature in contrast to the neighboring economic booming towns like Frankfurt has to be assessed.
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Christina Vanja : Women as Visitors of Spas (18th and 19th Centuries)
Similar to pilgrimages, numerous women travelled to spas. Therefore, one has the possibility, when dealing with this theme in detail, to reconstruct the movement radius of women throughout various epochs of history. Furthermore, one can answer questions regarding the diverse travel conditions as well as gender-specific reasons for going to ... (Show more)
Similar to pilgrimages, numerous women travelled to spas. Therefore, one has the possibility, when dealing with this theme in detail, to reconstruct the movement radius of women throughout various epochs of history. Furthermore, one can answer questions regarding the diverse travel conditions as well as gender-specific reasons for going to a health spa. The distances, which many women covered by foot or by contemporary conveyances like e. g. coaches or railways, are quite remarkable. Travel groups on their way to spa towns were usually quite heterogeneous. Interestingly, more women travelled without their husbands or fathers than has been assumed so far. Since the end of the 19th century, women coming from the middle-class were even travelling on their own.
Already in the early modern period, the social background of the women, who visited spa towns, was wide-ranging. Also poor women could visit spas as many spa towns had a so called “Armenbad” (a spa, especially for poor people). Particularly after the introduction of the health and disability insurance, women were more dependent on charity aid than men as just a small percentage of women worked in paid jobs.
Medical reasons for going on bath trips were manifold, including e. g. rheumatic pains, mental illnesses like e. g. melancholy or women specific diseases. The hope of being cured from infertility was a very important reason, especially for married women, to take therapeutic baths. For upper social classes – for both women and men alike – not only medical but also social aspects were significant for travelling to spa towns. They could enjoy a manifold entertainment program and had the possibility to establish and intensify important social contacts. As a consequence, women, who visited spa towns, had promising chances to find an appropriate husband for themselves or for their daughters.

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