Oberhofen, Birgitz, Völs: Three places – three museums

15 April 2025

Post originally written in: Deutsch

There is increasing talk of 'local identity'. The return to the closest living environment manifests itself above all in small communities. The following three museums in three authentic Tyrolean villages are wonderful places to get to know this local identity.

At first glance, it is mainly associations that provide a quasi unmistakable presentation of their closest surroundings. The local organizations that take care of the actual uncovering of the historical roots of this identity are striking and yet less well known. They organize excavations, keep the local chronicle, take care of the presentation of the finds in small but fine museums and shed light on the historical past of their community. I visited three of these local museums: in Oberhofen, Birgitz and Völs.

The work of the idealists

For too long, museum associations led a kind of shadowy existence. They usually worked quietly and persistently to explore the historical basis on which their community rested. They collect old equipment, rummage through old documents and organize archaeological excavations. They present the results of this work in small exhibition rooms. With this blog, I want to make a contribution to presenting the work of these idealists in the three communities.

Oberhofen and the "team of chroniclers"

With the advent of the 'social media age', they now finally have the opportunity to advertise what moves them and what they do at no cost. I consider the "Chronistenteam Oberhofen im Inntal" to be a prime example of this. With their Facebook presence, they are able to present their work as village chroniclers to a wider public. They look after the museum, which presents unique prehistoric objects despite the limited space available. Finds that can also be traced back to the commitment of the chroniclers.

Remarkable are finds from the surroundings of a Roman „Villa rustica“farmstead in the Krautfeld, east of the village. In addition to Roman coins, the find spectrum includes interesting metal artifacts such as a so-called belt distributor made of bronze, lead net sinkers, then - a touch of luxury - fragments of a glass drinking horn and of course lots of Roman shards in the form of Terra Sigillata, grating bowls and cooking utensils made of soapstone.

The fact that Bronze Age finds were also made at the excavation site is proof that settlements existed on the valley floor in the prehistoric Inn Valley at least as early as the Bronze Age, i.e. more than 3,000 years ago (!). This was facilitated by the flood-proof terraced location of Oberhofen, around five meters above the level of the Inn. The village was therefore already popular as a residential area very early on.

A wide range of other activities by the chroniclers' association round off the work. Starting with a historical overview on the newly designed homepage, it is above all the 'tangible' activities that stand out. These include the construction of a coal pile, the restoration of a deep groundwater well, the organization of special exhibitions, school tours and courses for local residents (a course to learn Kurrent script is currently being offered).

Birgitz and the Rätermuseum

Birgitz suddenly found itself at the center of Roman conquest policy in 15 BC. The troops of Drusus and Tibrius conquered the northern Alpine regions, including the Rhaetian settlement whose remains have been excavated on the Hohe Birga since 1930. The inhabitants were most likely driven into the valley, as the Romans certainly did not trust them. I have already written a blog about this: https://www.innsbruck.info/blog/de/kunst-kultur/als-die-romer-das-alte-birgitz-zerstorten/

The association has made a lasting name for itself „Archäotop Hohe Birga“ in researching and preserving this former Rhaetian settlement on the 'Hohe Birga'. founded in 2001, the association members dedicated themselves to one main topic: the protection of the Hohe Birga. Dr. Annegret Waldner, founding member and director of the Rätermuseum in Birgitz: "Once the entire area was under protection, we began 're-excavations' of the excavations that were stopped in the 1950s. We wanted to stop the further decay."

In Birgitz too, the continuous activity of a museum association brought new findings. In the meantime, several Rhaetian houses of the type ‚Casa Raetica‘ have been excavated and researched. In the meantime, it has also become clear that the Rhaetian Hohe Birga settlement was one of the main sites of Rhaetian culture in the Middle Inn Valley.

Tourists sometimes 'get lost' in the museum

What would an excavation be without the presentation of the finds? The Rätermuseum in Birgitz was opened back in 2013. And not just to present the finds. It is also the starting point for guided tours of the High Birga, which are mainly used by schools. Museum director Dr. Waldner's observation that many tourists 'get lost' in the museum is interesting and somewhat amusing. "When they walk through the 'Nasse Tal' from Völs to Birgitz, they pass signs that draw attention to the Rätersiedlung and also to the museum."

That would be a good idea: presenting the excavations with 3D glasses

What still needs to be considered is how the excavation site can be presented to the public in the best possible way. "We're not thinking of putting the Rhaetian houses under corrugated iron to make them accessible," says Waldner. The idea of equipping visitors with 3D glasses and showing the former Rhaetian village using augmented reality is as new as it is fascinating. I am certainly curious.