The Lank lift on Bödele bei Dornbirn

The Dornbirn Seilbahngesellschaft m.b.H. was founded in 1950, with the primary aim of building a ski lift on the Bödele, thus enabling the Bödele winter sports area to regain its former significance.

Project planning and construction management were in the hands of DI Sepp Luger. Twenty per cent of the finance, or approx. 800,000 schillings, was covered by means from the Marshall Fund as well as the city of Dornbirn, large Dornbirn companies, businessmen, traders and private investors. On 28^th January 1951 the Lank lift began operating, running at a potential speed of 3.8 metres per second. Carrying approx. 60,000 people in the first three months of operation it soon became evident that the slogan coined by Eugen Gabriel - “Bödele is the little man’s Arlberg” - had become reality.

Author: Werner Matt
Dornbirn Municipal Archive