The Austrian Speleological Association (Verband Österreichischer Höhlenforschung, VÖH) is a national caving organization was founded as an umbrella organization of Austrian caving clubs and show caves in 1949.[1]
Activities
The Association coordinates the activities of 25 speleological associations; 24 in Austria and one in Germany.[2] Membership in these associations automatically grants membership in the umbrella organization. Individual memberships are not accepted. The Association maintains:
a website featuring the 32 show caves found throughout the country.
a list of Austria's longest and deepest caves.
a library of 2,800 books and other materials (in the Karst and Speleology Working Group Library, Natural History Museum in Vienna).
Awards
The Golden Cave Bear is "a badge of honor for special services to Austrian caving." It was first awarded in 2014.
The Poldi Fuhrich Award, named in honor of the Austrian woman who was a caving and karst pioneer[3]Leopoldine Fuhrich (1898-1926), is presented to young speleologists for "outstanding work in the field of caving, cave documentation and public relations." It was first awarded in 2010.
Sabine Zimmerebner (1970-2015) Quoted in the July 3, 2018 New York Times article,[7] Ms. Zimmerebner was one of 728 rescuers who collaborated to free an injured spelunker in the history-making 2014 Riesending cave rescue.