Die Karlsbad-Reise des Ferdinand Krackowizer im Jahre 1909: Anmerkungen zu einer Kulturgeschichte der bürgerlichen Badereise

In May 1909, Ferdinand Krackowizer (1844-1933), an archival councillor from Linz, took a trip to the spa in Karlovy Vary. He kept a travel diary as well as a memory album where he stored all sorts of documents: postcards, concert programmes, tickets, menus, a report from his attending physician, etc. By analysing these documents we are able to reconstruct in detail Krackowizer’s stay at the spa and gain deeper knowledge of the everyday spa culture in Karlovy Vary at the turn of the century. In addition, the analysis takes into account the opinions and assessments provided by the traveller himself in his travel diary. The diary further facilitates reconstructing Krackowizer’s networks and understanding different aspects of cultural practices connected to spa travel. Finally, these primary sources show the importance which Krackowizer attributed to his spa trip as a form of external representation.