The culture and sport of skiing : from antiquity to World War II

A comprehensive history of skiing from its earliest origins to the outbreak of World War II, this book traces the transformation of what for centuries remained an exclusively utilitarian practice into the exhilarating modern sport we know today. E. John B. Allen places particular emphasis on the impact of culture on the development of skiing, from the influence of Norwegian nationalism to the role of the military in countries as far removed as Austria, India, and Japan. Although the focus is on Europe, Allen's analysis ranges all over the snow-covered world, from Algeria to China to Zakopane. He also discusses the participation of women and children in what for much of its history remained a male-dominated sport. Of all the individuals who contributed to the modernization of skiing before World War II, Allen identifies three who were especially influential: Fridtjof Nansen of Norway, whose explorations on skis paradoxically inspired the idea of skiing as sport; Arnold Lunn of England, whose invention of downhill skiing and the slalom were foundations of the sport's globalization; and Hannes Schneider, whose teachings introduced both speed and safety into the sport. Underscoring the extent to which ancient ways persisted despite modernization, the book ends with the Russo-Finnish War, a conflict in which the Finns, using equipment that would have been familiar a thousand years before, were able to maneuver in snow that had brought the mechanized Soviet army to a halt. More than fifty images not only illustrate this rich history but provide further opportunity for analysis of its cultural significance. Frontmatter List of Illustrations (page ix) Preface (page xi) Introduction (page 1) Chapter 1. Archeology and Myth (page 7) Chapter 2. Skis for a Purpose (page 22) Chapter 3. The Norwegian Thrust (page 36) Chapter 4. Fridtjof Nansen (page 56) Chapter 5. Creating the Skisport (page 70) Chapter 6. The English Play (page 90) Chapter 7. The French Worry (page 107) Chapter 8. The Germans and Austrians Organize (page 122) Chapter 9. The Ladies Ski (page 140) Chapter 10. The Great War (page 153) Chapter 11. Uneasy Peace—Les Années Folles (page 164) Chapter 12. The Winter Olympic Games of Chamonix, St. Moritz, Lake Placid (page 181) Chapter 13. Europeans Abroad in the East (page 198) Chapter 14. Europeans Abroad in the Americas (page 216) Chapter 15. Skiing Under Siege (page 241) Chapter 16. The Schneider Phenomenon (page 260) Chapter 17. The Russo-Finnish War (page 275) Epilogue (page 283) Notes (page 293) Bibliographic Note on Selected Archives (page 373) Index (page 377) Archeology And Myth -- Skis For A Purpose -- The Norwegian Thrust -- Fridtjof Nansen -- Creating The Skisport -- The English Play -- The French Worry -- The Germans And Austrians Organize -- The Ladies Ski -- The Great War -- Uneasy Peace-les Années Folles -- The Winter Olympic Games Of Chamonix, St. Moritz, Lake Placid -- Europeans Abroad In The East -- Europeans Abroad In The Americas -- Skiing Under Siege -- The Schneider Phenomenon -- The Russo-finnish War. E. John B. Allen. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [293]-371) And Index.