Anniversary exhibition opens: 100 Years Luge Club Berchtesgaden

Berchtesgaden (FIL/04 Sept 2023) The “Rodelclub Berchtesgaden” (RCB) is celebrating its 100th anniversary. In the jubilee year 2023 there will be a big birthday party as well as a jubilee exhibition about the history of the sport and the club. The exhibition in the "Haus der Berge" in Berchtesgaden was opened on Sunday, September 3rd and shows exhibits from 100 years of history. The first chairman Maximilian Burghartswieser, Olympic medal winner Anna Berreiter, the first Olympic medal winner Hans Plenk and exhibition manager Hans Scherer symbolically cut the ribbon to allow interested friends of the luge sport to enter the exhibition.

In his opening speech, RCB Chairman Max Burghartswieser (1988 Olympian) thanked all the volunteers around Christa Schmuck, Hans Scherer, the RCB Board and many others: "The idea for this anniversary exhibition came to us about nine months ago. Since then, a lot of heart and soul and countless hours of work have gone into this project, which we can open today with great pleasure and no less pride".

Around 100 objects, including sleds, racing suits, trophies, Olympic medals, historical videos and documents, have been collected and attractively presented by exhibition manager Hans Scherer. In addition to entertaining video documents and photos, the exhibition will feature exhibits from former and current athletes such as Georg Hackl, Felix Loch, Tobias Wendl, Tobias Arlt, Anna Berreiter, Christa Schmuck, Hans Stanggassinger, Franz Wembacher, Stefan Hölzlwimmer, Hans Brandner, Hans Plenk, Anja Huber-Selbach and Sepp Lenz.

A special attraction is the "egg helmet" invented by Josef Fendt for the 1976 Winter Olympics, who caused a sensation with this aerodynamic head protection and won the silver medal in Innsbruck. With Josef Fendt from Berchtesgaden, the RCB provided the President of the International Luge Federation (FIL) for 26 years.

But also the double-sled and the equipment of the gold medal winners of the 1984 Olympic Winter Games in Sarajevo, Hans Stanggassinger and Franz Wembacher, are among the exhibits. Numerous original sleds from luge and skeleton sports are on display, as well as replicas of the Olympic medals won.

On February 4, 1923, the founders of the Rodelclub Berchtesgaden e. V. (RCB), led by the first chairman, Lorenz Reitschuster, met at the Gasthof Neuhaus in Berchtesgaden to found an association to support local luge athletes. In the 100 years of its existence, the RCB has become one of the most successful winter sports clubs in the world, winning 13 Olympic gold medals. Today the club has over 200 members, 40 of whom are active athletes.

The RCB jubilee exhibition at the Haus der Berge in Berchtesgaden is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from September 4 to 24.