In Gimmelwald most of the houses have preserved their original character in spite of conversions and renovations that have taken place over the years. A few houses have managed to survive the passing of time practically unchanged. One of these is the typical Gimmelwald house, the 'Blatten' house, where 84-year old 'Blattenrosa', Frau Rosa Brunner, lives. The house is built on solid foundation walls around the cellar. The natural floor of the cellar is made of stamped earth, which keeps the room damp and prevents the vegetables and potatoes that are stored here from drying out. The rest of the house is made of wood, most of which came from the shady side of the 'Busen', an alp one hour's walk away from Gimmelwald. Because trees grow more slowly in the shade the annual rings are much closer together. This makes the wood more solid than that from trees which have grown quickly and which could have been felled in the wood above the village. Under difficult circumstances the trees had to be taken to the Sefinen valley, where there is still today a water-powered sawmill. Here the tree trunks were sawn into planks and beams and the men then carried this building timber up steep paths to the village or transported it by mule. It often took several years for all the building materials to be ready at the building site. The village carpenters then helped the future owner to build his house. The 'Blatten' house must have been built in 1872. A sandstone next to the tiled stove bears this date. Frau Brunner was born here and has lived here all her life.
The entrance is covered; and, sheltered by the eaves, there is a chopping block for chopping the firewood. Frau Brunner still chops her own firewood to light the fire. The wood for heating the house is stored in an entrance lobby. The old cooker, which also heated the tiled stove, takes pride of place in the kitchen. A container built into the cooker used to heat the water and the hot water could then be taken out with a jug and used to wash the dishes.
The outer part of the cooker is made of iron and inside there is a hollow space filled with stones and pebbles. This meant that the mules only had to transport the iron from Stechelberg to Gimmelwald, as enough stones to fill it could be found in Gimmelwald. Today there is also an electric cooker and a fridge in the kitchen. If we took them out we would be left with a kitchen that could be found in any house at the turn of the century. A door leads from the kitchen into the living-room. In the left-hand corner is the tiled stove. It is just about in the centre of the house so that it could heat the living-room and the rooms above. The stove was always painted and the house-owners' initials have been chiselled into sandstone for posterity. The date 1872 tells us when the stove and the house were built. The stone slab must have needed repairing once, as we can see where it has been professionally repaired by a stove-fitter. In the summer Frau Brunner dries her herbs for tea or fruit for the winter on the stove. In a cavity in the stove food can be kept warm or hot water bottles warmed. In the winter the weather can be cold. There is nothing cosier than getting warm on a tiled stove, where you will soon be joined by cats who also appreciate this warm seat. Next to the old tiled stove is a new wood stove. This gives off heat more quickly than the old stove and so Frau Brunner often heats with this stove nowadays.

Of note is also the low ceiling. The room is only 1.85m high. It's not that the people of a hundred years ago were dwarves, but quite simply that it takes less energy to heat a smaller room. Opposite the stove is, as in most farmhouses, the religious corner. At the top is a shelf with a bible and prayer book, both of which are from the year 1851. On the wall are the confirmation certificates of Frau Brunner's grandparents from 1861. The old-fashioned radio takes up an important position. It provided entertainment and welcome diversion for the family for decades. From the living room one goes into the bedroom. Unlike the living room this room is not heated. You sleep under thick bedcovers to protect yourself from very cool temperatures. To avoid freezing to death you must place a hot water bottle under the covers before you go to bed. It is easy to understand why some people wore nightcaps. Frau Brunner says that she can only sleep well when the air is really cold. She even opens the window as well. The beds are higher than normal. Because she is no longer so mobile Frau Brunner now sleeps in a lower bed in the living room. I found the temperature in the house to be chilly. Whereas most elderly people complain about the cold, Frau Brunner just puts on warm clothes. Her body is toughened against the cold. Frau Brunner's husband made the cupboard in the bedroom himself. In the cellar are the few stores that Frau Brunner needs. Cheese, potatoes, leeks, carrots and kohlrabi used to be carefully stored in a cupboard with wire netting across it to keep the mice out. Potatoes are still stored in a wooden pannier. So that the mice don't get any ideas Rosa has set three mouse-traps, none of which has ever caught a mouse. It seems that mice are cleverer than one thinks. On the same level as the cellar is the workshop. This is where the men used to make furniture and repair their tools. Next to the house is the cattle-shed where the Brunners kept three cows, a few calves, goats and a pig. These, as well as gardens of varying sizes, were their livelihood. The garden next to the house provided the family with fresh vegetables. The potato field was of utmost importance. The potato was and is the most important agricultural crop. Every family had several potato fields. Nowadays only a fraction of the potato fields are planted. In front of the house, under the eaves, the washing is hung up to dry. No one got rich living like this. Soon they realised that tourism could offer a welcome supplementary income. Many families moved into the cellar during the summer months and rented their flat to strangers. The Brunners converted the top floor of their house into a flat and began to accommodate the first tourists in the 1930's.
The potato field was of utmost importance. The potato was and is the most important agricultural crop. Every family had several potato fields. Nowadays only a fraction of the potato fields are planted. In front of the house, under the eaves, the washing is hung up to dry. No one got rich living like this. Soon they realised that tourism could offer a welcome supplementary income. Many families moved into the cellar during the summer months and rented their flat to strangers. The Brunners converted the top floor of their house into a flat and began to accommodate the first tourists in the 1930's.