The former “Kurhaus Fidaz” is set in a landscape that was formed about 15,000 years ago by the enormous Flims landslide. The Rhine glacier, which was about 200m thick,was starting to recede. As a result, the rock masses between Piz Grisch and Flimserstein lost their foothold, and tumbled over a distance of 16km into the Upper Rhine valley, covering it with a layer of rock about 500m deep. Untilnow, the Rhine has washed out a deep gully, creating the unique “Ruin aulta”, the Rheinschlucht gorge.
The Flims-Laax-Falera region developed on the terrace overlooking this gorge. The photo shows the village of Flims in around 1900. The oldest documents have been dated to the year 765. The neighbouring settlement of Fidaz grew on the sunny slope above the village of Flims. It was inhabited by the Germanic Walser people in the late Middle Ages. During the Napoleonic wars, towards the end of the 18th century, many armies travelled through the valley, bringing poverty, misery and disease to the population for a period that lasted well into the 19th century.
(Source: 50 Jahre Bergbahnen Flims, by Heinz Baumberger)
The “Waldhaus Air, Whey and Lake Resort Institution” was founded in 1875, with the “Kurhaus”, now known as Parkhotel Waldhaus opening in 1877. KURORT Flims was thus established as a spa location. Guests flocked here because the climate soon became famous for being particularly wholesome and therapeutic. Development continued at a rapid pace: new hotels sprang up, electric light was generated by the area’s first power station in 1890, telephones arrived in 1901, the Flims spa and tourism association was set up in 1904 and a casino opened in 1905. The photo on the left was taken in 1912.
(Source: 50 Jahre Bergbahnen Flims,, by Heinz Baumberger)
The first detachable chairlift was constructed after the Second World War. Due to the lack of cement and iron, the masts were made from larch trees. This lift stretched from Flims to Foppa and laid the foundation for the construction of later lifts. The Foppa - Naraus section was opened on 9th February 1947. Flims was now well equipped for tourism throughout the year. Tourist numbers became higher in winter than in summer for the first time in 1970.
(Source: 50 Jahre Bergbahnen Flims, by Heinz Baumberger)
Throughout all these years, Kurhaus Fidaz was also developing continuously, enabling it to offer its guests the very best service – and the guests were grateful to their hosts, as contemporary hotelier M. Baiter described in the “fidelen Fidazer Revue” in 1934:
Impressions
From Baiter's “fidelen Fidazer Revue”
Nun ist vorbei des Sommers Hitze,
(Im Tiefland schmolz man fast zu Brei,)
Weiss leuchtet jede Bergspitze,
S' ist halt Oktober, nicht mehr Mai!
Es dreht sich stets das Rad der Zeiten,
Ein göttliches Perpetuum,
Mit ihm muss alles vorwärts schreiten,
Und keiner kommt drum herum.
Des Menschen Geist nur, wie im Spiele,
"Dreht rückwärts" oftmals und mit Schwung,
Gedanken sammeln sich im Ziele,
Das einfach heisst: "Erinnerung".
Wenn's herbstelt, nebst des Alltags Plage,
Wenn drohen, Frohgefahr,
Wie gerne denkt man an die Tage,
Wo' s fast zu heiss, doch lieblich war.
Auch wir, an warmer Ofenplatte,
Wir denken still jetzt im Salon,
Wie man doch liebe Gäste hatte
In der verflossenen Saison!
Da wird kein einziges vergessen
Von all den vielen Arrivées,
Ob kurz, ob lang sie dagewesen,….
Auch Sie sind mit dabei, persé!
Indem wir uns an Sie erinnern,
Kommt drum von unsrer Ofenbank
Für Sie, aus unserm tiefsten Innern
Ein kleiner Gruss… und nochmals Dank.
Kurhaus fidaz, Oktober 1944
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