Below the Ponce Mountains
from the photographic collections of the National Museum of Contemporary History
21. December 2015 – 4. February 2016
Ski jumping is one of the most popular sports disciplines among Slovenes. Even when Slovenia was still part of the former Yugoslavia, the national team consisted only of Slovene jumpers. Planica, of which the Slovenes are proud, is certainly a synonym for ski jumping and we are also proud of the many successful Slovene ski jumpers.
In 1934, a giant jumping hill was built in Planica to the plans and common endeavours of engineers Ivan Rožman and Stanko Bloudek, Joso Gorec and others, and the first international competition was organised there. The Norwegian ski jumper Birger Ruud achieved a new world record of 92 m there. In 1936 in Planica, a young Austrian jumper Sepp Bradl was the first man in the world to fly over the magic boundary of one hundred metres (101 m). Since then, jumps have grown into ski flights and world records were being improved in Planica until 1948. The Planica giant hill was then outgrown by other hills throughout the world, until 1969, when an unforgettable international ski jumping event took place on the renovated and enlarged big hill, to the plans of the engineer brothers, Janez and Vlado Gorišek, who had succeeded the late Stanko Bloudek; as many as five world records were recorded there. Since then, world records have been beaten every few years in Planica. It was in Planica, too, in 1994, when the boundary of two hundred metres was first surpassed by the Finn Toni Nieminen, with 203 m.
The jumpers' style and body positions in the air changed radically over the course of time – from the initial upright posture, a more aerodynamic style and position with both arms forward, a style that persisted up to the first half of the 1960s, to the more elegant body position with arms backwards towards the hips, a technique that began to be introduced at the end of the 1950s and beginning of the 1960s and, in recent years, to a distinctive forward leaning of the body and the skis in a "V" form. This position of the jumpers, which replaced the classical style, together with new, improved equipment, has also enabled jumpers to fly unimaginably far. Ordinary mortals can only admire these extremely brave young men who fly so very, very far, and wonder how much further is still possible.
The photographs selected from the photographic collection of the National Museum of Contemporary History which are intended to present the historical pulse of life in Planica over the period between 1934 and 1991, were taken by various well-known Slovene photographers, including Svetozar Busić, Edi Šelhaus, Nace Bizilj, Miloš Švabić, Marjan Ciglič, Vlastja Simončič, Marijan Pfeifer, Bogo Primožič, Leon Jere, Dragan Arrigler, Rudi Paškulin, Milan Pogačar, Miha Dariš, Lado Čuk, Joco Čermak and others. Additionally, some caricatures on the theme of ski jumping by the artist Bine Rogelj, also a former successful jumper, will add a humorous touch to the exhibition.
Jožica Šparovec
National Museum of Contemporary History
Planica World Records and Record Holders
| 92 m Birger Ruud (NOR), 25.3.1934 | 191 m Matti Nykänen (FIN), 15.3.1985 |
| 93 m Reidar Andersen (NOR), 14.3.1935 | 194 m Piotr Fijas (POL), 14.3.1987 |
| 95 m Stanisław Maruszarz (POL), 15.3.1935 | 196 m Martin Höllwarth (AUT), 17.3.1994 |
| 98 m Reidar Andersen (NOR), 15.3.1935 | 203 m Toni Nieminen (FIN), 17.3.1994 |
| 99 m Reidar Andersen (NOR), 15.3.1935 | 209 m Espen Bredesen (NOR), 18.3.1994 |
| 101.5 m Sepp Bradl (AUT), 15.3.1936 | 210 m Espen Bredesen (NOR), 22.3.1997 |
| 107 m Sepp Bradl (AUT), 15.3.1938 | 212 m Lasse Ottesen (NOR), 22.3.1997 |
| 108 m Rudi Gehring (GER), 2.3.1941 | 214.5 m Martin Schmitt (GER), 19.3.1999 |
| 118 m Rudi Gehring (GER), 2.3.1941 | 219.5 m Tommy Ingebrigtsen (NOR), 20.3.1999 |
| 120 m Fritz Tschannen (SUI), 15.3.1948 | 224.5 m Thomas Hörl (AUT), 16.3.2000 |
| 156 m Bjørn Wirkola (NOR), 21.3.1969 | 225 m Andreas Goldberger (AUT), 18.3.2000 |
| 156 m Jiři Raška (ČSSR), 21.3.1969 | 225 m Adam Małysz (POL), 20.3.2003 |
| 160 m Bjørn Wirkola (NOR), 21.3.1969 | 227.5 m Matti Hautamäki (FIN), 20.3.2003 |
| 164 m Jiři Raška (ČSSR), 22.3.1969 | 228.5 m Matti Hautamäki (FIN), 22.3.2003 |
| 165 m Manfred Wolf (GDR), 23.3.1969 | 231 m Matti Hautamäki (FIN), 23.3.2003 |
| 169 m Walter Steiner (SUI), 15.3.1974 | 231 m Tommy Ingebrigtsen (NOR), 20.3.2005 |
| 176 m Klaus Ostwald (GDR), 16.3.1979 | 234.5 m Bjørn E. Romøren (NOR), 20.3.2005 |
| 186 m Mike Holland (USA), 15.3.1985 | 235.5 m Matti Hautamäki (FIN), 20.3.2005 |
| 187 m Matti Nykänen (FIN), 15.3.1985 | 239 m Bjørn E. Romøren (NOR), 20.3.2005 |
Author of the exhibition: Jožica Šparovec, Ivo Vraničar.
NLB GALLERY AVLA
Trg republike 2, SI-1520 Ljubljana