The historic pictures of Johann Schönwetter (1875-1954) and his son Hans (1906-1997) from Braunwald in canton Glarus are part of the private collection of Fridolin Walcher, also a photographer from eastern Switzerland.

Ester Unterfinger

Johann and Hans Schönwetter, Ester Unterfinger (picture editor), swissinfo.ch

The bulk of the Schönwetter’s legacy was bequeathed to canton Glarus. This comprises more than half a million negatives, slides, photo montages, postcards and prints on paper and film (some 50 kilometres) in various formats. The material gives a unique insight into the past and is of great aesthetic and historic value.

Images from Foto SchönwetterExternal link appeared as postcards all around the world and featured in countless publications, thus contributing greatly to the identity and image of Glarus and its inhabitants.

Here is a selection of pictures that document the early days of the mechanisation of winter sports: the Braunwald funicular, the 1901 cable car, the legendary sledge run that was still used until the mid-1970s. The second T-bar ever built in Switzerland was initiated in Braunwald in 1941 by an innovative hotel owner.

In addition, the first ski races, tourists having a go at curling and the bizarre shovel races on the ice rink all show Braunfeld before it was cut off from the snow-guaranteed ski regions.

(Images: Johann und Hans Schönwetter/Lunax)