History Of Fieberbrunn
Evidence pointing to mining operations prior to Roman times suggests that Fieberbrunn is an old community. Records dating back to 1156 as “Pramau,” it was formerly a part of the Hofmark Pillersee of the Rott Monastery. Mining peaked in the sixteenth century, mostly on the floodplains of Gebra and Rettenwand. Up to 1908, Fieberbrunn was well-known for using extracted iron to make the famed Pillersee steel. Notable in 1641 were eleven prospects and five shafts, with the Rosenberg von Rosenegg family being major miners.
Origins and Name
Fieberbrunn was first mentioned in writing in 1224 when it was called “Pramau” in an edict of Pope Honorius III. The town is situated close to the Fieberbrunner Ache river, so the name Pramau means “meadow by the stream”. Later on and inspired by a legend, Fieberbrunn means “fever well.”The story goes that in the fourteenth century, a fountain close to the chapel healed Tyrolean Countess Margarete Maultasch of an illness. Still standing today, the fountain attracted pilgrims and tourists looking for healing and miracles.The town was given the name Fieberbrunn formally in 1806, when it joined the Napoleonic Kingdom of Bavaria.
Medieval and Early Modern Period
Fieberbrunn belonged to the Tyrol County, which was governed by the Habsburg House from 1363 until 1918. Wars and battles frequently afflicted the town, which was ideally situated on the commercial route between Salzburg and Innsbruck. At the Landshut War of Succession in 1504, the Bavarian army invaded and looted Fieberbrunn. The French forces assaulted and burnt the town in 1703 as part of the War of Spanish Succession. The Bavarian and French armies seized Fieberbrunn in 1805 as part of the Third Coalition War. Fieberbrunn also saw some daring and heroic acts of resistance during these volatile times. One of the most well-known tales is that of Jakob Lechner, a local innkeeper who, in 1703, led a group of peasants to ambush and kill a Bavarian detachment. An excellent illustration is the tale of Anna Stöckl, a young woman who in 1809 battled the French invaders while disguising herself as a male.
19th and 20th Century
The 19th and 20th centuries brought with them some social and economic upheavals in Fieberbrunn. Particularly after the railway line opened in 1875, the village became a well-liked summertime tourist attraction. Together with producing cheese, butter, wool, and wood, the town expanded its agricultural and industrial areas. A brass band, a folk theater, and a passion play were among the musical and cultural customs of Fieberbrunn. Fieberbrunn shown courage and camaraderie in addition to suffering some casualties and damages throughout the First and Second World Wars. In 1918, for instance, the village housed and provided for hundreds of Italian POWs. The locals hailed the American soldiers that freed the town in 1945.
Present Day
Modern and energetic, Fieberbrunn has something to offer both tourists and locals. A winter sports destination, the town hosts major snowboarding competitions including the Snowfever Festival and the Freeride World Tour. Summertime finds the town a popular hiking and climbing destination with a plethora of paths and peaks to explore, including the Lauchsee lake and the summit of Wildseeloder. Fieberbrunn is equally proud of its museums, festivals, and historical and cultural legacy. A hamlet festival called Dorffest, the Heimatmuseum, and the castle Schloss Rosenegg are a few of the highlights.
