The Writers

The alpine writers Walter and Hermine Flaig, the German Schwaban and the woman from Schruns, Vorarlberg (and who went to school with Richard Beitl ) belong to this circle . The Flaigs had lived “around Rätikon”, in Gargellen, in Klosters, in Vaduz and finally in Bludenz. Together they brought many unbelievably informative guides forth, which encompassed the entire Vorarlberg region and the “Alpine Park Montafon” and that also, at the same time, depicted local history of the valley community. Along with numerous other publications, Walter Flaig brought out the “Silvretta Book” in 1939 with continuously revised editions, as one of his most important works. The book was at first forbidden from the NS regional board of the Reich in Innsbruck. because the settlement history from Montafoners and the Raetians (an old, still existing, southern alpine population from, in this case, Graubünd ) was mentioned and this was not allowed by the Third Reich,

Natalie Beer of Bregenzerwald, the female lyricist and author, who wrote such giants as “Jubel der Steine” (Rejoicing of the Stones) and “Mathis the Painter”, which described the fate of the Baroque master builder from Bregenzerwald and of the painter Mathias Grünewald, had also lived a for a longer period at Madrisa. While there, she researched her novel “Ich suche den Menschen”, which partially took place in Montafon, the “Montiola” and “Suggadin” aliases for Schruns and Gargellen. Midy Rhomberg, who was very interested in this work, was immortalized as “Frau Julia” as likewise the author honored the poet and lecturer Albrich as “Professor Rüdiger”.

Of course there was also Hedy Rothert, the writer from Rhineland, Germany, which lived 20 years in Gargellen and was Midy Rhomberg’s best friend. She composed many magical and amusing tales full of poesy and distinctively flavored with a local Gargellen feeling, including “Elfriede kam im Postpaket” the most well known from the pen of this so talented and brilliant author.