The Famous Ski Sons of Stuben – Two sets of brothers put the small alpine village of Stuben am Arlberg—home to just 100 souls—on the global skiing map. All four shared not only immense talent but also a deep connection to their birthplace. Thanks to them, the once humble mule driver’s village became known as the cradle of alpine skiing.
Hannes and Friedrich Schneider were pioneers in every sense. Hannes, the master skier, revolutionised the sport with his invention of the stem turn and, later, the Arlberg technique, which laid the foundation for ski schools worldwide. St. Anton offered greater tourism opportunities than Stuben, so Hannes was invited to establish Austria’s first ski school there. He went on to star in more than 15 films such as Fuchsjagd, Der weiße Rausch, and Berg des Schicksals, and featured in instructional films like Die weiße Kunst. His hometown of Stuben served as a filming location for many of these, making it not only the cradle of skiing but also of early mountain sports cinema. His charisma and groundbreaking technique helped shape modern international ski tourism.
His book Wunder des Schneeschuhs, co-written with filmmaker Arnold Fanck in 1923, was even translated into Japanese.
His brother Friedrich Schneider was the first downhill winner of the still-famous Arlberg-Kandahar Race—founded by Hannes himself. Friedrich also appeared in several ski films. In 1924, he founded one of the world’s earliest ski schools, right in Stuben, which he later handed over to Albert Walch. He went on to lead the Zürs Ski School until 1969, with a brief interruption during the war.
Willi and Emil Walch, another Stuben duo, also left their mark. Willi, the younger, appeared in many early ski films as a bold but often unnamed skier. He later triumphed in legendary races such as Kitzbühel (downhill and combined), Garmisch (downhill), and Wengen (combined). Often found tinkering in Hannes Schneider’s ski workshop, he even inspired the creation of the “Willi Walch” ski binding. South Tyrolean filmmaker Luis Trenker, who shot Berge in Flammen and Der verlorene Sohn largely in Stuben, was a close skiing companion of Willi and mentioned him in one of his books.
Emil Walch was also a successful ski racer. After retiring from competition, he returned to his original trade as a stove builder—his craftsmanship can still be seen today in the historic tiled stove in the Alte Gaststube of the Hotel Mondschein, which he took over from his brother Fridolin.
During the global economic crisis of the late 1930s, a group of five ski instructors—including Friedrich Schneider and Emil Walch—acquired Hotel Lorünser in Zürs. One of the co-buyers was Zürs ski legend Herbert Jochum, whose family still owns the hotel today. Meanwhile, Emil used his language skills (he spoke two foreign languages fluently) to work as a private ski instructor and mountain guide for wealthy international guests. He also played a major role in the construction of the Albonabahn, Stuben’s first ski lift. As its inaugural managing director, he helped lay the groundwork for quality winter tourism in the region. Building the lift in such exposed terrain was seen as a major achievement in cable car engineering at the time.
The Legend of Hannes Schneider
In 1930, Hannes Schneider was invited to Japan by Crown Prince Chichibu to promote skiing as a national sport. The Arlberg technique was already internationally respected, making him the natural choice. That same year, he also gave lectures in New York at the request of the Amateur Ski Club, which helped attract American skiers to Austria.
In 1939, Hannes emigrated to the U.S., where he founded the Hannes Schneider Ski School at Mount Cranmore in North Conway, New Hampshire. This was the birth of modern skiing in America, and he became known as the father of modern skiing.
In 2012, a bronze statue was erected in his honour in his hometown of Stuben, commemorating his extraordinary life and global contributions to alpine skiing. A replica also stands in the historic Alte Gaststube of the Mondschein.
“That’s how it’s done.”
When Schneider was invited to teach in St. Anton in 1907, he didn’t yet know how to explain skiing. He simply demonstrated, and his few students copied his moves. In his free time, Johann—as he was still called—refined his technique. Later known as Hannes, he began systematically breaking down the movements.
He realised that skiing in a crouched position brought a lower centre of gravity, making falls less dangerous and turns easier. This led to the development of the Stemmbogen (snowplow turn), the forerunner of the parallel turn. His teaching method was groundbreaking—but controversial. His low, wide-legged stance clashed with the then-preferred upright, military posture. He was mocked at competitions: “Shame on you, Schneider! That’s no way to ski!” But he stuck to his guns, and with time, the results spoke for themselves. He won race after race, and his ski school grew. In 1912, the first assistant instructor was hired, and students were divided into ability groups.
