The Olympic story of the Strolz family

Skiing in Warth – the highest municipality in Vorarlberg – began in the 1890s with Pastor Johann Müller. He worked here from 1891 to 1896 and, according to his own description, received a magazine with the title “Deutscher Hausschatz”. In the post-winter of 1894/95 there was a picture of how people in Scandinavia got around on skis. At the same time an order option was given. The priest saw something useful in the winters on the Tannberg and placed an order.

Two weeks later, the postman from Steeg delivered a package. Then the attempts to move around the garden of the rectory began - at night, so as not to be exposed to ridicule. At first these were not very successful because Pastor Müller thought he had to use the skis like ice skates. Later he was able to get around easily on skis in winter and became a pioneer of skiing on the Tannberg.

A pioneer The first athlete from Warth to be successful at international level was Wiltrud Drexel, born in 1950. She was able to practice her skiing talent practically on her doorstep; she spent every free minute in the winter skiing. Drexel received special support from Meinrad Hopfner, then mayor and school principal in Warth. He supported and encouraged her from her first race onwards, thereby providing significant impetus for her later career. “Without him, I would be a different person today,” says Wiltrud Drexel about her mentor. Wiltrud Drexel celebrated the highlight of her career at the Winter Olympics in Sapporo in 1972. Although she was not used in her strongest discipline, downhill, she returned from Japan with a bronze medal, which she had won in the giant slalom and which also served as a world championship medal was valid.

Wiltrud Drexel was Warth's first female athlete. © Warth Municipal Archives

Meinrad Hopfner also recognized the talent of Hubert Strolz, who was born in Warth in 1962, at a young age and encouraged his path as a racer, which began at the Schruns ski school. From here, the young Warther consistently pursued his goals and was supported by his parents. He was able to draw international attention for the first time in the European Cup, where he won the giant slalom classification in the 1980/81 season and the overall classification a year later.

The big hour In February 1988 the XV. Olympic Winter Games take place in Calgary, Canada. On February 15th the combination was on the program, in which Hubert Strolz won the gold medal. Ten days later, he was rewarded with a silver medal in the giant slalom, and he narrowly missed another medal in the Super-G. The euphoria in Warth over the success of the local athlete exceeded anything that had ever been experienced before. The Olympic champion was enthusiastically received and honored in his home community.

When Hubert Strolz ended his career in 1994, his son Johannes was just two years old. As a student, he followed in his father's footsteps and graduated from the Schruns Ski School. He later moved to the Stams ski high school and was accepted into the ÖSV's youth squad. By winning the overall ranking in the 2017/18 European Cup, he secured a starting place in the World Cup. However, due to a lack of success, he lost his membership in the ÖSV squad in spring 2021 at the age of 28. However, he continued to train consistently in order to be able to take part in the elimination for the World Cup season in November 2021. He was actively supported by his family and Warth-Schröcken Tourism.

In the father's footsteps In January 2022, Strolz surprisingly achieved his first World Cup victory at the slalom in Adelboden. This secured him participation in the Olympic Games in Beijing. He returned home as one of the most successful athletes. After the end of the winter season, a big reception was held for Johannes Strolz in his home community of Warth. The Olympic successes of his father Johannes and Wiltrud Drexel were also honored. Together with Johanes they have six Olympic medals, although Warth has not much more than 150 residents. The Olympic history of Warth is now part of an exhibition that was held in the historic house number 5 next to the town's parish church. In the future it will become a museum.

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The Olympic story of the Strolz family

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