Reinhold Zwerger 1924 – 2009
In blogs 1176 and 1119 I already payed attention to a remarkable person, mr Reinhold Zwerger. Most Athos pilgrims know him because of the excellent map he published in 1982, where all roads and paths were accurately recorded for the first time (order it here or here -NL). Many pilgrims owe him a lot, because by my own experience I know how difficult it sometimes is to find the right path and how often pilgrims got totally lost.
Because of the excellent quality of the Zwerger-map (originally a military map from 1960), many desperate pilgrims were saved and maneged to get to a monastery, before the gates closed at nightfall.
Dionysiou, the frontpage of his book “Wege am Athos”
Secondly, Mr Zwerger is responsible for the existence of ancient paths, who, without his endurance, would have been rapidly overgrown by the wild vegetation of Athos.
It is because of his efforts – with the help of many enthousiastic volunteers and monks -, that today we still have the possibility to wander over Athos foothpaths and enjoy the beauty of its nature.
Bei Karyes – 1991, in 21 colors, a real piece of art!
But it is not only because mr Zwerger was a great cartographer that we pay tribute to him, but he also wrote a magnificant book “Wege am Athos” (only in German!) and, last but not least, he made fabulous linocuts. I think these linocuts have been highly undervalued, because of the superb quality.
Dionysiou 1977 – in 19 colors
He even teached many monks, of f.e. Simonospetras and Chilandariou, how to make linolcuts.
Chilandariou at night – 1978: a Rembrandt like image!
Chilandariou 1978
Simonospetras 1975
Simonospetras 1976
Simonospetras 1984
Docheiariou 1977
Kafsokalivia 1992
Lavra 1975
Skiti Andreou 1975
Abbot Aimilianos of Simonospetras
Every now and then we see examples of his teachings showing up, (have a look on the Keliotis-blog), and this linocut can be found the restaurant in Karyes:
Karyes
Wim, 26/2
