2023-09-27 06:00:00
The gymnastics club in the Morzg district of Salzburg is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Some of the material for the first hall came from the prison camp in Grödig.
The origins of the Morzger gymnastics club go back to 1899. At that time, the elementary school received its first gymnasium. The headmaster at the time, Leopold John, soon had the idea of having his own gymnasium built for the Morzger youth.
Delay caused by the First World War
However, the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 put a stop to his plans. But already during the war, which was to last until 1918, John had, with the help of donations and the proceeds from various events, acquired property on which the gymnasium would later be built. Due to the chaos of war, it took until 1922 before the decision to found the gymnastics club was made. Until then, the Morzgers did gymnastics on self-made gymnastics equipment in the schoolyard, or in the hall of the Schinnerl inn when the weather was bad.
After the club was officially founded in 1923, Leopold John donated the land he had acquired to the club to build a gymnasium. The material came from the former prison camp in Grödig. Many volunteers transported the boards and beams in carts to the schoolyard and prepared the construction. In 1925 the time had come and the hall was opened with a big celebration. In the years that followed, the Morzger gymnasts successfully took part in many competitions, including outside of Salzburg.
The gymnastics club was expropriated
The Second World War naturally also had consequences. Towards the end of the war, gymnastics activities came to a standstill and the gymnasium was used to accommodate refugees.
After the war the club was expropriated. In 1956 it was finally possible to regain the club’s property. Since the gymnasium met less and less the requirements over the years, the board proposed in 1970 to hand over the property and hall to the city of Salzburg so that it might pay for the renovation. However, there was no majority in the club for this.
In 1981 an ice hockey team was founded
Under the new chairman Josef Pletschacher, the hall was renovated and enlarged in 1974. The ice hockey section was founded in 1981, and the team even rose to the national league. However, in 1991 they separated.
Today the club has 300 members
Today gymnastics is limited to children. “We strive to offer alternatives in the area of health sports for adults,” says current secretary Peter Steindl. These include gymnastics lessons, yoga, volleyball and basketball, as well as various other events that are on the program of the Morzg gymnastics club with its 300 members.
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