Ski to Germany?
‘To Germany for Winter Sports,’ that’s what the Ski to Germany poster says!
Well, I have to be honest, when I think of skiing, I think of France, Switzerland and Austria, or America, Canada, and Italy. Finland, Norway and more recently perhaps Japan, Argentina or Chile. Germany is not a place I’d have thought about.
Well, I was wrong! I have it on good authority the Germans are passionate about skiing!
In fact, with more than 14.5 million ski-loving Germans taking part in the sport, it has more skiers than any other European country.
Ski to Germany Poster
The air is cold, the snow is crisp, the race is on! It’s a perfect day for skiing. Hans-Wilhelm Plessen produced a dramatic and eye-catching poster to promote skiing in Germany when he created this Ski to Germany poster, or should that be this To Germany for Winter Sports poster? Whichever it is Plesssen’s poster depicts a skier hurtling down a mountainside. The downhill racer appears to be weightless, floating just above the blanket of snow he is skiing over. He’s focused and determined, his eyes fixed on the slope ahead. He seems oblivious to the cold, his only goal to reach the bottom as quickly as possible. The scene conveys the thrill and exhilaration of skiing perfectly. The poster makes you want to strap on your skis and hit the slopes.
The 1936 Winter Olympic’s
Plessen’s Ski To Germany poster, produced in 1935 just before the 1936 Winter Olympics, is worded in English and was produced to entice the British Skiing tourist trade to German ski resorts and probably raise interest in the forthcoming Winter Olympic Games.
The 1936 Winter Games officially known as the IV Olympic Winter Games were held at the joint ski resorts of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. They took place in Bavaria between the 6th and 16th February 1936. The Winter Sports events included Bobsleigh, Ice Hockey, Figure and Speed Skating, Nordic Skiing, Cross Country Skiing, Ski Jumping and for the first time Alpine or Downhill skiing. The Winter Olympics held in Garminsch-Partenkirchen were significant in the development of skiing in Germany
Skiing in Germany today
In an 2020 article on the germanyinusa website, Nicole Glass wrote: Today, Germany has about 700 ski resorts, 1,384 ski lifts and 864 miles of slopes, making it a perfect wintertime destination for ski lovers. Many of these lie in the mountainous state of Bavaria. One popular ski town is Garmisch-Partenkirchen, which lies near Germany’s tallest mountain, the Zugspitze. The Rhön Mountains feature gentler slopes ideal for beginners, while the picturesque Black Forest has about 200 ski lifts that allow winter sports enthusiasts to experience a change of scenery.
With world-class facilities and some of the most beautiful scenery in Europe, Germany is fast becoming a top destination for winter sports enthusiasts from all over the world. It’s no wonder that so many people flock to the country each year in search of the perfect winter getaway. It looks like German skiing is doing very well indeed.
Hans-Wilhelm Plessen’s Ski to Germany Poster was published by Reichsbahnzentrale für den Deutschen Reiseverkehr in 1935. This is the English language version. A German language version was also produced. Original copies of this rare, art deco style skiing poster sell for in the region of £2,000.
Whether you’re looking for a gift for a friend or just a nice way to show your own love of skiing, this Ski Poster is the perfect choice. Order yours today!
Our posters are carefully and professionally created from vintage originals. Whilst great care is taken in the production of these posters, we also try to maintain a vintage feel, so there may be small imperfections, fold marks, scuffs, tears, or marks that were part of the original poster master. If these do appear they should be visible on the larger views of the item on this listing. The originals of many of the posters we offer can cost many thousands of pounds, so whilst these posters look great, especially framed and mounted on a wall, they are intended as fun, affordable reproductions and not intended fine art prints.
The 50x70cm version has been specially produced to be used in conjunction with Ikea’s 50x70cm Ribba picture frame which currently retails for around £12. So you can bag a bargain of print and poster for just £22.