The lecture examines the myth of 60,000 avalanche deaths of the Austro-Hungarian army on the Italian front alone during the First World War. Army on the Italian front alone during the First World War will be analysed from an avalanche expert’s point of view.
Based on original files in various archives, avalanche documents such as reports, sketches, orders etc. were collected and the most important locations were examined on site. A reconstruction of the weather conditions during the war winters on the Italian front enabled a realistic assessment of the respective avalanche situations. It also deals with the measures taken by the Austro-Hungarian army against avalanches. The measures taken by the Austro-Hungarian army against avalanches and which avalanche protection measures were developed and which are still valid today.