"On the Schöckl"

Alpine dairymaid and hunter: the unknowns of the local mountain

The view from the Schöckl into the distance.(Bild: Harald Eisenberger)

There are many books about the Schöckl. Elke Jauk-Offner and Harald Eisenberger set out to unearth untold stories about Graz's local mountain. Among other things, they came across a dairymaid and excavations from the Roman Empire.

There is a dairymaid - her name is Regina Rinner and she has spent 26 summers on the Schöckl. The season always started in May - the meadow near the eastern summit had to be mowed before the poisonous white germer began to bloom. Only then could the animals be sent to the alpine pasture.

Elke Jauk-Offner met them, listened to their story and wrote it down. "The Schöckl has many faces, one rugged and one gentle, one down-to-earth and one mystical, one stormy and one peaceful," she writes in her book "Auf dem Schöckl", which was published on June 24.

The Schöckl is a mountain steeped in legend. You just have to dig up the stories.

Autorin Elke Jauk-Offner

First there were photos, then the texts were written
It is the second book by the sociology graduate, who has been working as a freelance journalist and author since 2011. "Writing was a passion of mine from an early age. But I wasn't a record holder among the Schöckl walkers before that," says the 50-year-old. The idea for the book was triggered much more by the photographer: "Harald Eisenberger grew up in Passail, in the shadow of the Schöckl."

A hiking trail leads up the Schöckl through the Kesselfallklamm gorge.(Bild: Harald Eisenberger)

Cooking over an open fire at the Hoaldahütte.(Bild: Harald Eisenberger)

Mystical atmosphere on the Schöckl in the morning hours.(Bild: Harald Eisenberger)

Author Elke Jauk-Offner and photographer Harald Eisenberger.(Bild: Harald Eisenberger)

So there were plenty of photos from the different seasons in advance - Jauk-Offner just had to find the stories behind them. "The Schöckl is a very legendary mountain. I rediscovered it in the course of my research," she says. 13 kilometers from Graz by air and 1445 meters high, it contains so much more than what it is known for as the local mountain.

Roman excavations from the third century
Many hikers find mica schist and limestone, for example, on their excursions - but very few people know that Roman excavations are hidden underneath. Jauk-Offner did some research: when the chapel was built near the eastern summit, shards from the ancient Roman Empire were found. They date back to the third century AD.

From its origins to the present day: Nowadays, the Schöckl offers a home to many athletes such as disc golfers, climbers, runners, downhillers and paragliders. Hiking inspiration can of course also be found in the book, which is particularly effective thanks to its powerful images. It has been published by Styria-Verlag and is now available in all well-stocked bookshops.