THE 4 GENERATIONS OF THE HUT TENANT FAMILY

The first one was a mountain farmer living on a farm high above Galtür beneath the Ballun summit. That’s why he was called “Balluner“. His name was Gottlieb. During one of the Alpine migrations of the Walser people some centuries ago, his ancestors settled in the Paznaun valley.

“Walser“ Lorenz I generated some extra income as guide of the first Silvretta alpinists. He was a good guide as the visitors even asked him to come with them to Switzerland. From 1882 until 1908 Gottlieb Lorenz took care of the small Jamtal hut located in the heart of his homeland mountains, owned by the mountain enthusiastic Swabians. More like a cozy cave than anything else with six bunks and a fireplace – that was it. His job was to guide guests and to cater for petroleum, wood and repair works and for polenta.

had first chosen to see a bit of life while joining the “Kaiserjäger“ of the imperial and royal monarchy. But that was not a good solution for a longer period of time. He preferred being a mountain guide and joined the first “true“ guide training course in 1902. While trying to equal his father, he experienced part of Alpine history at first hand: for eight years he was permanent mountain guide and “ski attendant“ of the legendary Rickmer Rickmers, the “professor“ renowned for his adventurous expeditions: 1903 in Svaneti, when the Ushba peak in the Caucasus mountains was conquered, 1908 in Pamir, in Samarkand – at that time journeys to 1001 Nights.

With Lorenz II winter operation started in 1922. In summer, mother Lorenz and a few goats ensured good food. This worked out fine until 1939 when the area around the now already stately hut was declared a prohibited zone during the war – just as it had been 20 years before.

born in 1925, well recalls those days when in the beginning people facing political persecution saved themselves by fleeing to Switzerland. Later they were escaped allied prisoners of war. And still later deserters…

The infantryman Franz Lorenz had to go to Lüneburg. One of his brothers was hit even more seriously – he found himself as sailor in Kiel. Silvretta man Walther Flaig put an end to this. He trickily smuggled Albert’s boys to Mittenwald where they joined the mountain troops. During the French occupation in 1945, the 19-year-old Franz certainly was the youngest mayor throughout the liberated “Ostmark“. Today he is laughing about it. “I was just too young to be suspect…“

Soon everything turned out fine. Under the guidance of Peter Aschenbrenner, Hermann Buhl, Walter Frauendorfer and Erwin Schneider, all well-known people from the Nanga Parbat saga, he received “old school“ training: first as rescuer, then as carrier and finally as mountain guide. “The best time of my life…“

Since 1948 Lorenz III has been supervising the Jamtal Hut with the dignity of a man who feels compelled to his origins, traditions and “his“ section. In the valley, the Lorenz family is still known as the “Balluner“. There, his wife Hildegard, who is no longer hut warden but hotel manager provides for their old age. 

His most moving experience in the last decades?

“That was the moment I had to say goodbye to the draught horses Flora, Max, Liesel and to Schwarzel, the mule. But today technology is part of the game if you want to ensure guests an enjoyable stay. You just must make sure that the soul of a hut is not being betrayed.“

Even though the Jamtal Hut has meanwhile developed into a large lodge, it’s still a hut with a soul.

Lorenz the third followed since 1995, his son, Lorenz Gottlieb of the Fourth, as the landlord Jamtal Hut. The son of Franz Lorenz, who, like his great-grandfather Gottlieb leads the exemplary Jamtal Hut further in the fourth generation. Even though much has changed over time on the mountain huts in the Alps, with Gottlieb on the "jam" the inherent calm and prudence of Franz Lorenz has remained.