Biography Family Parth
Tradition is not the worship of ashes
but the passing on of fire.
(Jean Jaurès, French politician)
Katharina Parth
This passion probably began with Katharina Parth. It is rumored that she was the first emancipated woman in Paznaun. She was born as Katharina Mattle in Galtür in 1881. Her professional career has taken her from Ischgl via Meran to the Stüdlhütte at the Großglockner. After a while she was able to take over the hut as a tenant. A second hut should follow with the Payerhütte on the Ortler. Needless to say, a woman in the alpine region who is unmarried and is independently running a company was a sensation at the beginning of the 20th century. Her desire to settle down and start a family led her to open her first guesthouse in 1927 on the site of today’s Hotel Yscla. Back then it was the first guest house in the region, in which every room had running and warm water. Katharina Parth was 100 years old.
OSR Dir. Josef (Pepi) Parth
Her son, OSR Dir. Josef (Pepi) Parth saw the light of day in 1921. After the Second World War he trained as a teacher and worked for many years as the director of the elementary school in Ischgl. It is said that teaching knowledge, discipline and order were more important to him than his personal popularity. Like his mother, Peppone was never at a loss for a humorous comment. “I liked being a teacher, but I wouldn’t want to become one again,” he is said to have said, for example. His wife Ella, who grew up at Gasthof Zeinis, brought not only extensive experience in the hospitality industry, but also the strength required to succeed at the side of a busy and successful man. What is a real Parth is not satisfied with just one job. Among other things, Josef Parth was also active as organist, chairman of the band, game director, local council, board of directors and supervisory board of the Silvrettaseilbahn AG and tourist association manager and chairman. He also founded the community newspaper “Schnerfr”, which is being still published today. Ischgl thanked him for his great and varied commitment with the community ring of honor. He himself regarded his wife Ella as well as his two daughters and four sons as his greatest and most important achievements.
Alfons Parth
When it comes to his commitment to the tourism industry, Alfons Parth is in no way inferior to his father. After intensive and busy years abroad and in his parents’ business, he took over the Hotel Yscla in 1990 together with his wife Maria-Odile, who also came from a longstanding host family. In the past few decades he has transformed his business from an inn into a boutique hotel. Quality and service always came first for him. But Parth is not only characterized by the efforts to set up his own company, but also the professional development of Ischgl was and is very important to him. As chairman of the tourism association, he was responsible for the fortunes of his home town for more than three decades and contributed significantly to Ischgl’s development into an international brand. Several other bodies he led, such as the Association of Ischgl Tourism Companies and the Association of Tyrolean Tourism Boards, were able to benefit from his extensive know-how, strong political contacts and his persistence.
As part of the award of the honorary title of Kommerzialrat 2019, the Chamber of Commerce states that the upswing in Ischgl is inextricably linked with Alfons Parth.
Benjamin Parth
Speaking of upswing: The Yscla with its own gourmet restaurant Stüva has been one of Austria’s finest addresses for years. Alfons Parth’s son Benjamin is responsible for this. To list all of his awards would go beyond this framework. As once the youngest award-winning chef in Austria, he can look back on a number of career highlights despite his young years: Chef of the year 2019, member of the exclusive restaurant association “Les Grandes Tables du Monde”, “Young Chef Award 2020” from the French restaurant guide “La Liste”, and many more. Parth describes his own style as “French classic interpreted in a modern way, puristic and cosmopolitan”. The love for the job was literally put in the cradle. He fondly remembers his first attempts to cook cheese dumplings with Nona Ella, whom he describes as a phenomenal cook. Irma, the maternal grandmother, also left a lasting impression on the young celebrity chef with her baked goods. He even classifies their nut snails and Linz cakes as the best in the world. “My grandmothers always worked hard, but still found time for their grandchildren,” says Parth. Benjamin’s younger brother David, despite having completed his training at Villa Blanka, focused on business informatics.
Sarah
With Benjamin the Yscla is in good hands. Especially since he – like his father and grandfather before – is very lucky to find in Sarah a partner who not only understands his passion, but also shares it. After all, she is an award-winning host herself. Not only is she the only ASI sommelier in Austria, but now as Maître d’Hotel she is also primarily responsible for the well-being of the guests. Born in Pettneu, she shares her passion for skiing with her famous cousins, the Matt brothers, who are Olympic and world champions.
Clara, the daughter of Sarah and Benjamin, is the youngest member of the Parth family and the chances are good that she will continue the tradition of hosting.
