HISTORY: THE OLD ERLEBACH HUT
Its history dates back to 1784, when the first mountain hut in what is now Špindlerovy Budy was built on the slopes below Malý Šišák.
Few places in the Krkonoše Mountains have such a rich history as the Stará Erlebachova bouda. Its story began as far back as 1784, when the first mountain hut in what is now Špindlerovy Budy was built on the slopes below Malý Šišák. For almost two hundred years, it served shepherds, mountaineers and tourists alike, becoming one of the symbols of life on the Krkonoše ridges.
The building was constructed in 1784 by Ignaz Hollmann as a simple mountain hut intended primarily for shepherds and their livestock. During the summer months, the owners made use of the surrounding mountain meadows, harvested hay and tended their herds. The hut bore the registration number 109, which it retained until its demise.
For over a hundred years, the owners were exclusively members of the Hollmann family. It was not until 1885 that a significant change took place.
On 12 January 1885, the hut was purchased by Franz Erlebach, a native of Svatý Petr and one of the most respected mountain guides of his time.
Until then, he had worked as the manager of the ‘U Sněžných jam’ hut, where he was responsible not only for running the premises but also for the meteorological station there at the time. He knew the Krkonoše Mountains inside out and, thanks to his experience, became a much sought-after guide. Together with Johann Kirchschlager, he was among the best mountain guides on the Czech side of the Krkonoše Mountains and even guided the well-known German writer Berthold Lessenthine, author of one of the most significant books on the Krkonoše Mountains in winter.
Franz Erlebach was also a skilled craftsman – he made lightweight wooden snowshoes, which were sold in almost all the mountain huts.
It was Franz Erlebach who transformed the original farm hut into a place where tourists could stop off. He offered them simple refreshments and the chance to stay overnight, thereby laying the foundations for future mountain tourism in this part of the Krkonoše Mountains.
The name ‘Erlebachova bouda’ began to appear on postcards just before the First World War. In the 1920s, a new building called ‘Nová Erlebachova bouda’ (New Erlebach’s Hut) was erected next to the original structure. To distinguish between the two buildings, the older one came to be known as ‘Stará Erlebachova bouda’ (Old Erlebach’s Hut).
The original hut was a fine example of traditional Krkonoše folk architecture.
The timber-framed building measured approximately 8 × 14 metres, had a shingle roof and a simple interior layout. The entrance hall led into both the living room and the cowshed. The interior was dominated by a large tiled stove, around which a bench ran. There was also a butter churn, containers for processing milk and the typical wooden furnishings of mountain huts.
Following extensive refurbishment in the 1920s, guest rooms and a new restaurant were added. The mountain hut could accommodate thirteen guests in private rooms and a further twenty in a simple communal dormitory.
Life at the Erlebach Mountain Hut had been governed by the rhythm of the mountains for generations.
The farmers reared livestock, cultivated the surrounding meadows and prepared hay for the long winter months. Water from the mountain stream was used not only to cool the milk, but also for an ingenious system of meadow irrigation. Hay was mown by hand using short mountain scythes, carried up to the loft in tarpaulins, and firewood was left to dry for several years.
Self-sufficiency was absolutely essential for mountain farming.
The Second World War also affected the Erlebach hut. Its then-caretakers were forced to leave for the Czech interior, and after the war, ownership arrangements changed.
Following the communist coup, the chalet was gradually brought under state economic planning, and in 1961 the state confiscated it from its original owners. The property was subsequently taken over by the foreign trade company Centrotex.
Nevertheless, František Kukačka-Erlebach, the adopted son of Karolína Erbenová—who had taken over the chalet from the Erlebach family—continued to manage it for several more years.
By the 1970s, the original building was in such a poor state of repair that it was deemed unfit for use. In the end, no renovation took place, and in 1978 the decision was made to demolish it.
A new holiday resort was built on the site, which gradually developed into today’s well-known Erlebachova bouda hotel complex.
Although the original timber-framed building no longer exists, its legacy in the Krkonoše Mountains remains. The story of Stará Erlebachova bouda recalls a time when mountain huts were not merely stop-offs for tourists, but above all homes for people who managed to live in the harsh conditions of the mountains and created the unique culture of the Krkonoše ridges.
Today, visitors come here for the beautiful views, the peace and quiet, and the mountain atmosphere. Few, however, realise that it was here that one of the most fascinating stories of mountain hut-keeping in the Krkonoše Mountains unfolded.
Source: The History of the Krkonoše Huts
