Mount Paterno/Paternkofel - Written in the landscape

The war at high altitude required considerable logistical and material effort for the care of the wounded and sick. In the high mountains there were only first aid structures, while intermediate structures, more spacious and organized, were located in the valley floor. For the most serious cases, transfer to military hospitals in territories even farther away from the front was organized. In addition to historical photographs, there remain recollections of the health infrastructure and biographies of doctors who worked at the front or who visited it.
For many, religiosity played an important role in making the harshness of war bearable. The private one, of the individual soldiers, can be reconstructed with extreme difficulty through some objects or personal diaries. The rites of official religiosity, on the other hand, are well documented by photographs, drawings and written sources. These sources show that religiosity itself was often exploited for propaganda purposes and to support the war effort. Parish priests and chaplains, such as Feldkurat Josef Hosp on the Austrian side and Don Pietro Zangrando on the Italian side, supported with conviction the causes of their respective staffs, to the extent that they intervened at times: on the front, faith and patriotism were closely intertwined.
The general staff prepared numerous cemeteries for the fallen. At high altitude, there were emergency cemeteries, in some cases located near the front lines. Time has left barely visible traces of these places. On the Austro-Hungarian front, the cemetery of Toblingerdörfl and that of Zirbenboden are known, both well documented by photographs of the time. Between the two wars, the remains of the soldiers were exhumed and moved to the large cemeteries dedicated to the fallen, in ossuaries or in village tombs, partly for ideological and political reasons. (GF, SK)

The landscape that characterizes the area on which the research of the Written on the Landscape project focused is the Dolomite medium and high mountains, upon which military structures and infrastructures were grafted. From a naturalistic point of view, a monographic report of the Italian I Army Corps of 1917 proves to be particularly revealing, in which we read: “The region in question is part of the Dolomite Alps, of which it forms the extreme eastern edge, and, in this region, the characters of the Triassic formation are very marked, with local tectonic disturbances […]. The phenomena of erosion have acted intensely on dolomite, a constituent element of these rocks, so as to form irregular and steep slopes, furrowed by deep gullies. The typical example of the intensity of this erosion is given by the Tre Cime di Lavaredo; and where erosion has manifested itself most, shales and sandstones have been laid bare.”
The report is very detailed and also focuses on the intricate situation of water: “From the orographic complexity of the region results, by natural consequence, a corresponding hydrographic complexity, and it is noteworthy that in a relatively small area there are watercourses unfolding in different and opposite directions. Thus, while the Rio Marzon, the Rio Cengia and the Rio Giralba all have the general north-south direction, the Bacher Bach goes from south to north; and while the Boden Bach runs from west to east, the Schwarze Rienz [Rienza Nera] descends from east to west.” This is followed by climatic considerations, in which the minimum winter temperatures that have been recorded can drop to -30° C, and insights on the vegetation, ranging from coniferous forest, to mountain forest, to rhododendron.1Archivio dell’Ufficio storico dello Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito, Roma, Monografie del I Corpo d’Armata – Genio – Sistemazione difensiva, AUSSME_B1_110D_23A.
A complex natural landscape, therefore, that did not make life at high altitude easy for the hundreds of men who faced each other for twenty-nine months, summer and winter, in the Dolomites. (GF)

For the soldiers who found themselves fighting on the Three Peaks Plateau, winters were long and snowy. The snow fell from October to April and could last until late June in the shaded areas of the highest peaks. The minimum temperature often dropped to -30°C at night, hovering around 0°C during the day.
Frostbite and avalanches soon became familiar dangers. To help the soldiers survive in such conditions, both staffs provided detailed equipment and instructions. Each Italian soldier, for example, received two sets of woolen garments and three heavy blankets. The troops in the trenches also received coats and shoes lined with fur, clogs, balaclavas, leg wraps, socks, waterproof clothing and sleeping bags. To avoid frostbite, antioxidant fat was distributed to spread on the feet. To limit the damage caused by avalanches, officers from both armies had maps at their disposal showing the points most likely to cause snow loss. Despite this, the winter at high altitude resulted in hundreds of victims.
As time went on, the general staffs began to take advantage of winter conditions. The attack on Sasso di Sesto/Sextenstein on 21 April 1917 is a clear example of this. The approach of members of the Austro-Hungarian army to the Italian lines took place through a tunnel dug hundreds of meters in the snow. This tunnel made it possible to catch the sentinels by surprise and temporarily conquer the position. It also required the training of departments specialized in the use of winter equipment, including skis used for stealth and surprise attacks as well as sleds for the transport of materials. (GF)

Photograph of the arrival station of the cable car with barracks behind the Monte Paterno/Paternkofel near the Forcella Passaporto/Passportenscharte with posing alpine soldier in the cable car. ISCAG_PHOTO_025438. Courtesy of the Istituto Storico e di Cultura dell’Arma del Genio, Rome. © ISCAG.
Observation station on the summit of the Monte Paterno/Paternkofel with day protection for the spotlight. ISCAG_PHOTO_025442. Courtesy of the Istituto Storico e di Cultura dell’Arma del Genio, Rome. © ISCAG.
Inside the Paterno/Paternkofel gallery. Summer 2021. Photo of the archaeological documentation, Arc-Team and Gianluca Fondrist. © unibz, WiL Archive.
Relief at the entrance to the main section of the Paterno/Paternkofel gallery in the direction of Forcella di Toblin/Toblinger Riedl. Summer 2021. Photo of the archaeological documentation, Arc-Team and Gianluca Fondriest. © unibz, WiL Archive.
Stairs in the Paterno/Paternkofel gallery. Summer 2021. Photo of the archaeological documentation, Arc-Team and Gianluca Fondriest. © unibz, WiL Archive.
Panoramic view with Sasso di Sesto/Sextenstein, Monte Paterno/Paternkofel e Torre di Toblin/Toblinger Knoten, during one of the war winters, photographed from the heights near Pian di Cengia. ISCAG_FOTO_025456. Courtesy of the Istituto Storico e di Cultura dell’Arma del Genio, Rome. © ISCAG.
Photograph taken from the Calotta Ovest/Kuppe West, which, starting from the left, shows the Torre di Toblin/Tablinger Knoten, the Sasso di Sesto/Sextnerstein and the monte Paterno/Paternkofel. MGR_243_423. Courtesy of Museo storico italiano della guerra, Rovereto. © MGR.
Photograph from 1920. The mountain hut on the Three Peaks of Lavaredo was rebuild in wood and behind her towers the monte Paterno/Paternkofel. MGR_243_457. Courtesy of Museo storico italiano della guerra, Rovereto. © MGR.
Aerial photograph of the monte Paterno/Paternkofel. MGR_190_131. Courtesy of Museo storico italiano della guerra, Rovereto. © MGR.

Excerpt from the diary of Subsection Command III, February 11, 1917. Transcript: “On the night of December 11, when the enemy searchlight was interfering with our work, the Paterno [Paternkofel] searchlight, which was superior to the enemy searchlight, was put into operation. This enabled us to machine-gun the enemy positions and installations. Mutual machine gun and rifle fire ensued. No casualties on our side.” AUSSME_B1_130s_87e. Courtesy of Archivio Ufficio Storico dello Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito, Rome. © AUSSME

Encrypted communication between Monte Paterno/Paternkofel and Forcella di Toblin/Toblinger Riedl – message about the completion of the work from October 1, 1917. ISCAG_cart_014. Courtesy of the Istituto Storico e di Cultura dell’Arma del Genio, Roma. © ISCAG.
Encrypted communication between Monte Paterno/Paternkofel and Forcella di Toblin/Toblinger Riedl – message about the completion of the work from October 1, 1917. ISCAG_cart_014. Courtesy of the Istituto Storico e di Cultura dell’Arma del Genio, Roma. © ISCAG.
Encrypted communication between Monte Paterno/Paternkofel and Forcella di Toblin/Toblinger Riedl – message about the completion of the work from October 1, 1917. ISCAG_cart_014. Courtesy of the Istituto Storico e di Cultura dell’Arma del Genio, Roma. © ISCAG.
Encrypted communication between Monte Paterno/Paternkofel and Forcella di Toblin/Toblinger Riedl – message about the completion of the work from October 1, 1917. ISCAG_cart_014. Courtesy of the Istituto Storico e di Cultura dell’Arma del Genio, Roma. © ISCAG.
Encrypted communication between Monte Paterno/Paternkofel and Forcella di Toblin/Toblinger Riedl – message about the completion of the work from October 1, 1917. ISCAG_cart_014. Courtesy of the Istituto Storico e di Cultura dell’Arma del Genio, Roma. © ISCAG.

Luigi Segato, La Galleria del Paterno. Published in: “Rivista di artiglieria e genio,” December 1926 (Page 1 of 32 pages).
Luigi Segato, La Galleria del Paterno. Published in: “Rivista di artiglieria e genio,” December 1926 (Page 2-3 of 32 pages).
Luigi Segato, La Galleria del Paterno. Published in: “Rivista di artiglieria e genio,” December 1926 (Page 4-5 of 32 pages).
Luigi Segato, La Galleria del Paterno. Published in: “Rivista di artiglieria e genio,” December 1926 (Page 6-7 of 32 pages).
Luigi Segato, La Galleria del Paterno. Published in: “Rivista di artiglieria e genio,” December 1926 (Page 8-9 of 32 pages).
Luigi Segato, La Galleria del Paterno. Published in: “Rivista di artiglieria e genio,” December 1926 (Page 10-11 of 32 pages).
Luigi Segato, La Galleria del Paterno. Published in: “Rivista di artiglieria e genio,” December 1926 (Page 12-13 of 32 pages).
Luigi Segato, La Galleria del Paterno. Published in: “Rivista di artiglieria e genio,” December 1926 (Page 14-15 of 32 pages).
Luigi Segato, La Galleria del Paterno. Published in: “Rivista di artiglieria e genio,” December 1926 (Page 16-17 of 32 pages).
Luigi Segato, La Galleria del Paterno. Published in: “Rivista di artiglieria e genio,” December 1926 (Page 18-19 of 32 pages).
Luigi Segato, La Galleria del Paterno. Published in: “Rivista di artiglieria e genio,” December 1926 (Page 20-21 of 32 pages).
Luigi Segato, La Galleria del Paterno. Published in: “Rivista di artiglieria e genio,” December 1926 (Page 22-23 of 32 pages).
Luigi Segato, La Galleria del Paterno. Published in: “Rivista di artiglieria e genio,” December 1926 (Page 24-25 of 32 pages).
Luigi Segato, La Galleria del Paterno. Published in: “Rivista di artiglieria e genio,” December 1926 (Page 26-27 of 32 pages).
Luigi Segato, La Galleria del Paterno. Published in: “Rivista di artiglieria e genio,” December 1926 (Page 28-29 of 32 pages).
Luigi Segato, La Galleria del Paterno. Published in: “Rivista di artiglieria e genio,” December 1926 (Page 30-31 of 32 pages).
Luigi Segato, La Galleria del Paterno. Published in: “Rivista di artiglieria e genio,” December 1926 (Page 32 of 32 pages).

Notification of completion of tunnel breakthrough, September 21, 1917. AUSSME_B1_110D_34A. Courtesy of Archivio Ufficio Storico dello Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito, Rome. © AUSSME.

Diary 137 of the company “Zappatori” (pioneer battalion. Two mines were blown up to block the Paterno/Paternkofel tunnel before the retreat, November 5, 1917. AUSSME_B1_145-d_87d. Courtesy of Archivio Ufficio Storico dello Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito, Rome. © AUSSME.

Site plan Monte Paterno/Paternkofel – Forcella di Toblin/Toblinger Riedl, October 1917. Map of the tunnel under the Paternkofel with the projected openings and artillery positions. AUSSME_B1_110D_34A. Courtesy of Archivio Ufficio Storico dello Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito, Rome. © AUSSME.

Schematic map of the Italian defense system Monte Paterno/Paternkofel – Sasso di Sesto/Sextenstein (detail), September 1917. AUSSME_B1_110D_34A. Courtesy of Archivio Ufficio Storico dello Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito, Rome. © AUSSME.

Rail guide of the single-track ropeway for material transport in the Paterno/Paternkofel tunnel. AUSSME_E1_B265. Courtesy of Archivio Ufficio Storico dello Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito, Rome. © AUSSME.

Detail of a cable car. AUSSME_E1_B265. Courtesy of Archivio Ufficio Storico dello Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito, Rome. © AUSSME.

Section of the gallery, May 31, 1917. Signed by Capitano Cristofori. AUSSME_B1_110D_34A. Courtesy of Archivio Ufficio Storico dello Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito, Rome. © AUSSME.

Detailed drawing of the tunnel exit. AUSSME_B1_110D_34A. Courtesy of Archivio Ufficio Storico dello Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito, Rome. © AUSSME.

Sketch of the tunnel exit Paterno/Paternkofel –Toblinger, April 17, 1917. ISCAG_cart_0678. Courtesy of the Istituto Storico e di Cultura dell’Arma del Genio, Rome. © ISCAG.

Three-dimensional reconstruction of one of the initial sections of the Monte Paterno/Paternkofel tunnel. Elaboration by Arc-Team and Gianluca Fondriest. © unibz, WiL Archive.
360° panoramic photograph of the interior of the Monte Paterno/Paternkofel tunnel. In some areas, the original wooden supports are still in place. Elaboration by Arc-Team and Gianluca Fondriest. © unibz, WiL Archive.
360° panoramic photo of an open machine gun position along the Paterno tunnel, overlooking the Laghi dei Piani/Bödenseen and Val Fiscalina/Fischleintal. Elaboration by Arc-Team and Gianluca Fondriest. © unibz, WiL Archive.”
Three-dimensional reconstruction showing Monte Paterno/Paternkofel in transparency with the layout of the tunnel that traversed the entire mountain. Today, only the first part is accessible via the via ferrata that leads to the summit. Elaboration by Arc-Team and Gianluca Fondriest. © unibz, WiL Archive.

Monte Paterno/Paternkofel, in addition to being the site of the tragic death of Sepp Innerkofler in July 1915, also became one of the cornerstones of the Italian defenses in the conflict’s following years. On its summit was placed a powerful 60 cm searchlight with a photoelectric station1Archivio dell’Ufficio Storico dello Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito, Roma, Progetto di difesa della sottozona Lavaredo-Toblinger, AUSSME_B1_110D_23A, Carteggio del 1° Corpo d’Armata, luglio 1916. capable of illuminating the area below, especially the narrow border line between the Sasso di Sesto/Sextenstein and the Torre di Toblin/Tobliner Knoten, whose activity is often mentioned in the diaries of military departments.2Archivio dell’Ufficio Storico dello Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito, Roma, Diario comando III sottosettore, AUSSME_B1_130s_87e, 11 febbraio 1917.
During July 1916, the Command of the I Army Corps (General Segato) and the Engineers of the I Army Corps (General Moris) ordered the design of a tunnel through the Paterno, so as to have a connection between Forcella di Toblin/Toblinger Riedl and Forcella Passaporto/Passportenscharte covered from view and Austrian bombs. At first its purpose was to be only that of a covered walkway, but later the project was expanded and improved, making it also a fortified position with artillery positions. Work began near the fork in August 1916.3Archivio dell’Ufficio Storico dello Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito, Roma, Diario 16° Compagnia Minatori, AUSSME_B1_146-4_152f, 9 agosto 1916. In the diary of the company, during the following months, one can read the progress of work (e.g. on August 19, the works continued for 5 meters, with section 1.65 x 2, and the pylons for the “Ceretti” cableway from Pian del Cavallo to the entrance were being mounted; on August 25 they reached 25 meters; on September 8, 32 meters; to 4 November, 115 meters; on December 1st, a Marelli fan with a 5 horsepower Borgo engine was installed for ventilation and a 40 horsepower Ingersoll drilling unit was used for drilling). The construction, from that moment on, proceeded slowly, due to accidents and winter weather conditions, unfavorable to the transport of the necessary materials. At the beginning of January, it was also realized that the direction of the tunnel was incorrect, and the slope had to be changed.4Archivio dell’Ufficio Storico dello Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito, Roma, Diario 16° Compagnia Minatori, AUSSME_B1_146-4_152f, 1 gennaio 1917. The 16th Miners’ Company that had begun the constructions, only when spring was beginning to allow for more substantial work, was given another assignment, and in its place came the 137th Zappatori Company. Lieutenant (and later captain) Cristofori, head of the Engineers on the plateau and first designer of the tunnel, was assigned to the technical direction of aviation in Turin. Thus, in May 1917, a new technical director of the subsector was appointed, the captain of artillery of the reserve, engineer Ernesto Galeazzi, who designed and began the work starting from the second section.5Archivio dell’Ufficio Storico dello Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito, Roma, Diario 137° Compagnia Zappatori, AUSSME B1_145-d_87d, aprile-maggio 1917.
During the construction, based on his idea, an outlet to the Valle di Rienza/Rienztal and six outlets to the Laghi dei Piani/Bödenseen were prepared, which would then be equipped with artillery positions in the cave. The tunnel was to be equipped with a freight transport system with trolleys hooked to a track placed on the ceiling (aerial railway), so as to quickly transport supplies and ammunition.6Archivio dell’Ufficio Storico dello Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito, Roma, Vie e mezzi per trasporto di materiali alla posizione Toblinger-Sexten, Carteggio del 1° Corpo d’Armata, Genio, Sistemazione difensiva, AUSSME_B1_110D_34A, 18 agosto 1917; Segato, La Galleria del Paterno, 2138.
During the period June-September 1917, about 400 meters of tunnel was opened, with an average of over 3 meters per day7Segato, La Galleria del Paterno, p. 2154.. The excavation work was completed on September 20, 1917; a dispatch from the Engineer Command of the sector at Casoni Crociera reads: “at 23:45, just 32 hours after the established communication between Paterno and Sella del Dito Grosso, the last branch of the tunnel between said Sella and the Toblinger Riedl [Forcella di Toblin] emerged, definitively establishing a complete communication between Paterno and Toblinger Riedl. Those who contributed to the completion of the arduous work celebrate with joy and pride the fait accompli”,8Archivio dell’Ufficio Storico dello Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito, Roma, Schema della sistemazione difensiva M.Paterno – Sextenstein, Carteggio del 1° Corpo d’Armata, Genio, Sistemazione difensiva, AUSSME_B1_110D_34A. and on the 10th of the following month an official commendation from the command of the Fourth Army reached all the departments involved in the work.9Istituto Storico e di Cultura dell’Arma del Genio, Roma, Depositi esplosivi e comunicazione coperta fra il M.Paterno e Toblinger Riedel, ISCAG_cart_014, Guerra Italo-Austriaca 1915-1918. Inscriptions and commemorative plaques of the king and the departments that had contributed to the construction (23rd Infantry, 50th Infantry, 8th Bersaglieri, 5th Engineers, 2nd Mountain Artillery, 183rd Siege Group) were placed at the two entrances of10Segato, La Galleria del Paterno, pp. 2143-2145. the tunnel: it was missing only the air cargo transport system, but the cave was totally passable in its 670 meters of development, considering the three sections (respectively of 260, 280 and 130 meters).11Archivio dell’Ufficio Storico dello Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito, Roma, Schema della sistemazione difensiva M.Paterno – Sextenstein, Carteggio del 1° Corpo d’Armata, Genio, Sistemazione difensiva, AUSSME_B1_110D_34A.
At the end of October, however, there was the Italian defeat at Caporetto, and the subsequent retreat. It was decided that the work, just inaugurated, would not be left in Austrian hands: on November 3 the gallery was mined, pending developments.12Archivio dell’Ufficio Storico dello Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito, Roma, Diario 137° Compagnia Zappatori, AUSSME B1_145-d_87d, 3 novembre 1917. Two days later, Lieutenant Prando of the 137th Zappatori Company was given the order to burn the bridge of Cengia, blow up all the motor cableways and detonate the two mines already positioned in the Paterno tunnel “with very effective destructive effects”, causing the obstruction of the entrance on the south side and the partial flooding of a stretch of the cave.13Archivio dell’Ufficio Storico dello Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito, Roma, Diario 137° Compagnia Zappatori, AUSSME B1_145-d_87d, 5 novembre 1917. Today, a part of the tunnel is passable in the route of the via ferrata that climbs to the summit of Paterno.14Kübler and Reider, Kampf um die Drei Zinnen, pp. 162-163.

(GF)

Kübler, Peter and Hugo Reider (1997). Kampf um die Drei Zinnen. Das Herzstück der Sextener Dolomiten 1915-1917 und heute. Bozen: Athesia.

Segato, Luigi (1926). La Galleria del Paterno, Rivista di Artiglieria e Genio, 65° annata. Roma: Arti Grafiche Ugo Pinnarò.

Diario comando III sottosettore, AUSSME_B1_130s_87e, Archivio dell’Ufficio Storico dello Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito, Roma.

Diario 137° Compagnia Zappatori, AUSSME B1_145-d_87d, Archivio dell’Ufficio Storico dello Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito, Roma.

Diario 16° Compagnia Minatori, AUSSME_B1_146-4_152f, Archivio dell’Ufficio Storico dello Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito, Roma.

Progetto di difesa della sottozona Lavaredo-Toblinger, AUSSME_B1_110D_23A, Carteggio del 1° Corpo d’Armata, Archivio dell’Ufficio Storico dello Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito, Roma.

Depositi esplosivi e comunicazione coperta fra il M.Paterno e Toblinger Riedel, ISCAG_cart_014, Guerra Italo-Austriaca 1915-1918, Istituto Storico e di Cultura dell’Arma del Genio, Roma.

Vie e mezzi per trasporto di materiali alla posizione Toblinger-Sexten, Carteggio del 1° Corpo d’Armata, Genio, Sistemazione difensiva, AUSSME_B1_110D_34A, Archivio dell’Ufficio Storico dello Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito, Roma.

Schema della sistemazione difensiva M.Paterno – Sextenstein, Carteggio del 1° Corpo d’Armata, Genio, Sistemazione difensiva, AUSSME_B1_110D_34A, Archivio dell’Ufficio Storico dello Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito, Roma.

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