Elsa Roth (1906–2000)

Biographical approaches to class, gender and nation in Swiss skiing in the 20th century

Based on the life story of Elsa Roth, the long-time central secretary of the Swiss Ski Association, my dissertation opens up perspectives on the history of Swiss skiing in the 20th century against the background of class, gender and nation. How was Elsa Roth integrated into economically and socially privileged networks, how was she involved in the processes that made skiing the often-cited role model for gender equality and to what extent did she contribute to the myth of skiing as a national sport? For my sports, social and gender history approach, I analyse publications and documents from relevant organizations, Elsa Roth's personal documents and media coverage. Elsa Roth was not only the central secretary of the national association for many years, but also its first female board member, co-founder of the Swiss Women's Ski Club, one of the first female ski instructors, co-inventor of the national youth ski camps and the first president of the Women's Committee of the International Ski Federation. In short, she was one of the most influential figures in Swiss skiing in the 20th century. Yet she is known to very few people today.