On September 22, 1934, Austria made history when the then Governor of Salzburg, Franz Rehrl, became the first person to cross the impressive Hohe Tauern mountain range in an automobile.
This event marked not only a milestone in the development of the high mountains, but also in the technical and tourist development of the country. The journey took place one year before the official opening of the Grossglockner High Alpine Road and symbolized the triumph of technology over the natural barriers of the Alps.
A political visionary and the birth of a panoramic road
Franz Rehrl, who served as governor of Salzburg from 1922 to 1938, was the driving force behind the construction of the Grossglockner High Alpine Road. At a time when automobile traffic was still in its infancy, Rehrl recognized early on the importance of a modern Alpine road for tourism. His vision was to give visitors to the city of Salzburg access to the untouched beauty of the Hohe Tauern and at the same time to open up the high mountains for tourism. The Grossglockner High Alpine Road was not only to be seen as a technical masterpiece, but also to function as a harmonious combination of nature and culture.
In addition to his political ambitions, Rehrl was also a passionate car enthusiast, which prompted him to undertake the daring project of making the unfinished road the first to be driven on. He was accompanied by Franz Wallack, the engineer and road planner who played a key role in overseeing the construction of the road. Despite great concerns, particularly since the Mittertörl tunnel was merely a footpath cut into the rock at the time, work was carried out at full speed to make the road passable.
Prestige project for Dollfuß and Schuschnigg
On August 3, 1935, the Grossglockner High Alpine Road was ceremoniously opened, a project that was not only considered a technical masterpiece, but also played a central role in the economic and political development of Austria. Federal Chancellor Dr. Kurt Schuschnigg performed the ceremonial opening and thereby sent a strong signal for the reconstruction and modernization of the country in a politically turbulent time. The construction of the panoramic road, which connects Salzburg and Carinthia via the Hohe Tauern mountains, was not, however, the work of Schuschnigg alone, but began under the leadership of his predecessor, Dr. Engelbert Dollfuß.
The dictatorial politician, who served as Chancellor of Austria from 1932 to 1934, played a central role in the decision to build the Grossglockner High Alpine Road. At a time of economic hardship, marked by the global economic crisis and high unemployment, Dollfuß was looking for projects that would create jobs and at the same time improve the country's tourism infrastructure. He recognized the importance of an alpine road connection not only for domestic tourism, but also as a national prestige project.
Under his leadership, the project was pushed forward, with construction beginning in 1930. The road was not only intended to connect the two federal states of Salzburg and Carinthia, but also to become one of the most impressive high mountain roads in the world. Dollfuß saw the project as an opportunity to overcome the economic challenges of the time and to strengthen Austria's position as a travel destination. Especially after the death of Dr. Dollfuß, the regime, which was now led by Dr. Schuschnigg, tried to establish a veritable personality cult around the deceased Chancellor. Numerous memorials were built. The so-called "Dr. Dollfuß Memorial" still exists today on the Hohe Wand. Read more in this article at Aviation.Direct.
Kurt Schuschnigg: Completer and initiator of the Grossglockner High Alpine Road
After the death of Engelbert Dollfuß, who was assassinated in 1934, Dr. Kurt Schuschnigg took over as Chancellor. Although Dr. Dollfuß was the driving force behind the construction of the Grossglockner High Alpine Road, it was Schuschnigg who brought the project to its conclusion and presided over the official opening of the road, as Dr. Dollfuß was no longer alive at the time of its completion. For Dr. Schuschnigg, the completion of the road was not only a sign of Austria's technical progress, but also a tribute to his murdered predecessor and friend.
In his opening speech, Schuschnigg acknowledged the importance of the road as a symbol of Austria's reconstruction and economic recovery after the years of crisis. He also emphasized the value of the road for tourism and the country's alpine development. In his words: "This road is not only a work of engineering, but also a symbol of our people's will to master nature and at the same time make the beauty of the Alps accessible."
Schuschnigg also highlighted the role of Engelbert Dollfuß and described the road as a "monument to the vision and courage of my predecessor", who initiated the project despite difficult political and economic conditions. Schuschnigg continued: "It is our common goal to strengthen Austria through projects like this and to show that our country is capable of achieving great things despite all adversities."
The opening ceremony: A celebration of national unity
The opening of the Grossglockner High Alpine Road was a major event that attracted widespread public attention. Thousands of people lined the road to see the first cars pass through and celebrated the new engineering masterpiece. The official ceremony took place at the Hochtor, the highest point on the road, and included speeches by Schuschnigg and other dignitaries. It was a celebration of national unity that was intended to boost the country's self-confidence in a difficult time.
The completion of the road was also a sign that Austria was capable of completing major infrastructure projects despite the political tensions and unrest of the time. The road not only connected Salzburg and Carinthia, but also symbolized the hope for economic prosperity and stability.
For Schuschnigg, the opening of the road was a triumph, symbolising that Austria was able to forge its own path and succeed despite the political and economic difficulties of the 1930s. He also linked the project to his political agenda, which emphasised the development of Austria's infrastructure and the promotion of national cohesion.
The adventurous first ride in the modified “Steyr 100”
For the historic journey mentioned at the beginning of this article, Rehrl chose a "Steyr 100", an Austrian automobile that was specially modified for the crossing. The car, which normally had a width of 1,58 meters, fit through the narrowest parts of the unfinished road, which was only 1,65 meters wide, with only seven centimeters of clearance. The road itself was still in a shell state at the time and consisted largely of rough ground, which made the journey a risky adventure.
On September 22, 1934, the time had finally come: Rehrl and Wallack began their journey in Heiligenblut and crossed the Hochtor on the way to Ferleiten. The journey, which would be classified as extremely dangerous by today's standards, took almost seven hours - five hours for the outward journey and two hours for the return journey. This "sporting challenge", as it is often described, not only proved Rehrl's driving skills, but was also an important step in the successful completion of the road project.
Symbolic power of the first descent
The symbolic significance of the first journey was immense. It represented an initial success for the workers and engineers working on this ambitious project and gave a foretaste of the tourist and economic potential of the road. At the same time, the journey served as a promotional measure for the upcoming official opening in August 1935. In a time marked by political and economic turmoil, the construction of the Grossglockner High Alpine Road was a flagship project that symbolized Austria's progress in infrastructure and economic reconstruction.
In addition, the Grossglockner High Alpine Road played a significant role in the development of tourism in the Alpine region. It enabled people to experience the impressive mountain world up close and helped to make the Grossglockner, Austria's highest mountain, an international tourist attraction. The road itself became a symbol of the combination of modern engineering and the majestic nature of the Alps.
The challenges of the construction work and the official opening
After the successful first drive, construction work on the road continued. Winter was a particular challenge, as the work could only be carried out in the summer months due to the extreme weather conditions at high altitudes.
Despite these obstacles, the road was officially opened as planned by Federal Chancellor Dr. Kurt Schuschnigg on August 3, 1935. From then on, the Grossglockner High Alpine Road connected Salzburg with Carinthia and enabled one of the most spectacular car journeys through the Alps.
The importance of the Grossglockner High Alpine Road today
Since its opening, the Grossglockner High Alpine Road has become one of the most famous panoramic roads in the world, attracting hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. It symbolizes the triumph of human technology over the challenges of nature and remains an impressive example of the engineering skills of the 1930s.
The historic vehicle, a "Steyr 100", with which Franz Rehrl and Franz Wallack crossed the Hohe Tauern by car for the first time, can now be viewed at Austria's highest automobile exhibition on the Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe. The exhibition offers a fascinating insight into the history of the road and the technical legacy it has left behind.
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