For more than 150 years, Davos has been a symbolic place. A crystallisation point of European cultural history and political developments. No wonder: nowhere else do hopes and longings, fears and threats of the late 19th and early 20th centuries condense in a comparable form. Davos recognised its opportunity and in a very short time transformed itself from a sleepy mountain farming village into a sophisticated spa and tourist resort - and a meeting place for the European scientific and cultural scene. At this time, Davos had a decisive influence on winter sports, medicine, architecture as well as art and culture. In cooperation with the Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nuremberg, an exhibition project has now been created that will be on display in four Davos museums from November 2021.
The works by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner presented in the exhibition open up a new perspective on European cultural life at the turn of the century. And draw a connecting line between medical and spa history, architecture, winter sports, art and literature, philosophy and politics. Philipp Bauknecht was also concerned with Davos at the same time. The juxtaposition of these two artists creates an exciting dialogue.
The local history museum has a special exhibition together with the model of the Berghof, the portraits of Alexander Spengler and Willem Jan Holsboer, the utensils of Alexander Spengler and some contemporary objects.
The myth of Davos is also reflected in the development of winter sports. At the same time as the winter cures established after 1865, sporting activities on ice and snow also developed. The exhibition highlights this sporting part of the Davos myth, from the first stirrup lift to the Davos sledge and the Spengler Cup.
In the middle of the century before last, Dr. Alexander Spengler discovered the healing properties of Davos' high-altitude climate. This marked the beginning of an unimagined boom. From 1865 until the 1950s, Davos became the most important lung health resort in Europe. The Davos Medical Museum explains this history with display boards as well as medical equipment and photos from the sanatorium era.
Addresses
Promenade 82
7270 Davos Platz
Museumstrasse 1
7260 Davos Dorf
Promenade 43
7270 Davos Platz
Promenade 43
7270 Davos Platz
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