Innsbruck as it used to be: contemplating, smiling and being amazed
Every year the calendar “Innsbruck, as it used to be” is published by the publishing house of the Wagnersche Buchhandlung. Lukas Morscher, head of the Innsbruck City Archives, selects numerous historical images. Leafing through it takes you on a journey into Innsbruck’s past and you can smile and think about the enlightening texts. The district newspapers spoke to Lukas Morscher about the creation of this calendar.
Mr. Morscher, since 2015 the calendar “Innsbruck, how it used to be” has been published by Wagner’sche Buchhandlung. What criteria do you use to select the historical image material?
Luke Morscher: It should be pictures that make you curious about where you can discover something new. A few houses away and yet unknown. Ideally. In addition, the recordings must be of high quality. As old as possible and all “from a single source”. Unfortunately, that’s not always possible. It always makes me happy when I see a calendar hanging somewhere. That happens all the time.
When your gaze wanders over a historical recording, do you also pay particular attention?
rotten: Details. people and their clothes. Is anyone looking out the window? Are there displays we can look into? And of course all sorts of machines. An old bike or car is always sexy. Even if I’m not familiar with it. Then, if structural changes show up, tell us something.
Which building that was demolished do you mourn most?
rotten: Unfortunately, there are a lot of them and there are more and more of them at the moment. A Gründerzeit house has a completely different quality than the many concoctions of the present, which are primarily aimed at profit. Historical demolition crimes include the so-called herb tower, a tower of the medieval city fortifications that was sacrificed at the end of the 19th century for a few parking spaces and a house. Today that would be a real attraction. But there is much more. Unfortunately.
Are there actually places that have hardly changed?
rotten: Of course, right next to it. The cathedral square for example. But also several streets in Wilten, where apart from the war damage only the attics were expanded. There are also original streets in Saggen.
If you could turn back time, where would you most like to go for a walk in Innsbruck more than 120 years ago?
rotten: First of all, it is important not to have a toothache and to be otherwise healthy. Otherwise I would advise against such a journey through time… 120 years ago the city was much smaller. The Saggen and large parts of Wilten and Pradl were newly built areas, so rather bland. Then only the then still independent villages like Amras, Igls or Hötting remain. Or the markets in the city center.
The calendar is available in the Wagner’sche bookshop and in the online shop:
https://www.wagnerscheverlag.at/innsbruck-wie-es-frueher-war-2023