Beskidenverein

[12] Before World War I, they were opened in the following locations: At Klimczok [pl], in the years 1894–1895, at the initiative of the association, the existing wooden hut from 1872, which mainly served hunters (called Klementinenhütte after the name of the owner of these lands – Klementyna von Primavesi), was expanded.

[10] In addition to organizing summer camps, Beskidenverein initiated charitable actions towards local poor German or highlander children at the end of the 19th century.

They started their route in Jeleśnia, braving difficult weather conditions, then headed to Jałowiecka pass [pl], and after conquering the "Queen of the Beskids", they spent the night in the hut under Babia Góra (which was normally closed in winter at that time).

However, in 1904/1905, the conflict escalated when the Tatra Association decided to establish a branch covering the Beskids and to build a mountain hut at Markowe Szczawiny [pl].

[10] The Polish state made attempts to force the Beskidenverein to merge with the Tatra Association in order to limit its influence in the Beskids (which was not done in relation to other tourist organizations).

German facilities were meticulously controlled, Tatra cards for crossing the mountain border with Czechoslovakia were not issued,[e] and sabotage occurred (not only trail repainting, which both sides engaged in, but also arson).

Beskidenverein appeared as the Beskidy Associations in Poland, representing existing branches from Bielsko and Biała, Cieszyn, Pszczyna, Nowy Bytom, Królewska Huta, and other allied organizations.

Beskidenverein did not accept Polish Tatra Association's authority to decide on the location of new huts and, as a legal purchaser of the appropriate land, commenced construction after obtaining the necessary administrative permits.

It was officially opened in August of the following year (during World War II, it operated under the name Dr. Stonawski-Schutzhaus); after numerous renovations, it continues to serve its purpose to this day.

At a meeting of one of the subcommittees, it was also decided, among other things, to demarcate the areas previously allocated to Beskidenverein between its own branches and to request the relevant county offices not to issue building permits without Polish Tatra Association's consent.

[g] In a less official manner, the Poles also intended to draw the authorities' attention to what they considered suspicious political activities by Beskidenverein, and the Border Guard was to carefully monitor tourists of German nationality moving along the trails without mountain passes (which were issued only by Polish Tatra Association).

[38] The escalation of the international situation cast a shadow on mountain tourism – in 1937, Hala Lipowska was included in the border zone, which resulted in restrictions on tourist traffic; the reason was suspicions of the shelter owners' anti-Polish activities.

[17] According to the last pre-war registry in August 1939, the Polish Beskidenverein had 1882 members – mainly from Upper Silesia, but also from distant cities, including Chojnice, Grudziądz, Gdańsk, Leszno, Poznań, Stanisławów, Toruń, and Warsaw.

Czechoslovak sections of the Beskidenverein joined the union in 1923 – members were entitled to discounts on railway journeys, various benefits in different places in Czechoslovakia, facilitations in border traffic with Germany, accident insurance, and the possibility of receiving state subsidies (which, however, were rarely granted and were small).

[44] It was agreed that mutual discounts in tourist facilities would take the form of supplementary stamps affixed to the membership cards of their respective organizations (Polish Beskidenverein and Karpathenverein joined this system in 1931).

Additionally, the shelter under Babia Góra was handed over to the Slovak Border Guard, which was a severe loss for the association, as they had hoped for its return to German management or at least its transfer to the Karpathenverein, an organization operating in Slovakia.

Firstly, in September 1939, the former Czechoslovak Beskidenverein was subordinated to the all-German association of mountain and hiking clubs (Reichsverband der Deutschen Gebirgs- und Wandervereine) based in Ústí nad Labem.

The following branches became part of the merged association: Bielsko, Fryštát, Frýdek, Karviná, Bohumin, Cieszyn,[o] and Pszczyna from Silesia, Morawska Ostrawa, Mistek, and Vítkovice from the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, as well as Kopřivnice, Fulnek, Bílovec, Nový Jičín, and Opava from the Sudetenland.

[12] The division of shelters was decided by the president of Katowice in agreement with the Eastern Commissioner, as authorized to take action in the areas newly annexed to the Reich.

Due to its poor technical condition, lack of water, and its location in a heavily forested area, it did not accept tourists, and the previous caretaker, Jan Targosz, only ensured it was not completely destroyed.

Rysianka was officially a hut operating under the auspices of the Polish Tatra Skiing Association from Kraków, but the land and building remained the property of a private individual, Gustaw Pustelnik.

He provided many services to the Third Reich (probably spying for the Germans before the war), so during the occupation, he retained control of the hut, turning it into a rest house for soldiers and organizing military skiing courses.

For example, Hitler Youth members were stationed at Biały Krzyż, theoretically to assist in protecting the facilities from potential partisans, but towards the end of the war, when there was a threat, they quickly evacuated from the hut.

[40] The benefits that the Beskidenverein derived from the mountain huts were purely prestigious (Polish owners who remained in their positions were supposed to take care of their technical condition and submit monthly reports on their activities – they were not entitled to compensation).

Dr. Stonawski himself admitted several times in his letters that in the face of the difficult situation, the Beskidenverein was helpless – there were few tourists, restrictive regulations hindered movement, and many facilities were actually requisitioned for the needs of the German military and remained in the organization's records only on paper.

Many organizations ceased to exist due to the decline in tourist traffic, lack of funds, or were forcibly incorporated into a larger association that was easier for the authorities to control.

Additionally, the former system of discount exchange was greatly restricted – the Beskidenverein had a relevant agreement only with the Moravian-Silesian Sudeten Mountain Association [pl], concluded in 1941.

The state took over the facilities on Biały Krzyż, as well as the nearby Baron hotel (now on the Slovak side of the border under the name Kysuca), because its owner collaborated with the Germans during World War II.

The first mountain hut built by Beskidenverein on Javorový [pl] (which also operated during World War II under the name Schutzhaus Ahornberg[r]) is very popular, especially in winter (there is also a ski resort nearby).

Hadaszczok-Hütte no longer exists – it burned down during World War II (it is known that it still hosted tourists in 1942), or, according to other sources, the building was dismantled only in 1949 due to significant damage and attack by wood pests.