Hans was born in San Candido (Bolzano) in 1933. Hans Glauber passed away on April 24, 2008 in Bolzano. He spent his childhood in Dobbiaco. In 1940 his family moved to Como, where he attended middle and high school. He then studied business economics at Bocconi University in Milan (1952-1957), where he graduated summa cum laude discussing a thesis on sociology. He continued his sociology studies at the “Frankfurter School” at the Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany. His professors included Adorno, Horkheimer and Marcuse.
His artistic activity (1965-1972) resulted in many exhibits in important museums at home and abroad, such as the Kunstgewerbemuseum Zuerich, Kunsthalle Basel, Kaiser Wilhelm Museum Krefeld, Joanneum Museum Graz, Museo de Bellas Artes Santiago de Chile.
His teaching activity (1975-1982) at the Giessen University dealt with visual communication, with seminars on “The machine and the mechanized world as visual arts’ subject” and “Art and Utopia”.
His professional activity took place at Frankfurt-based Olivetti’s Research and Strategies Division from 1958 to 1994, working mostly abroad to develop sales strategies for international markets. Olivetti, at the time, was a leading Company in Italy, with great achievements in the fields of sociology, design, architecture, city planning, as well as art and literature.
Environmental work
Hans Glauber now lives and works in Bolzano. His interest in environmental matters dates back to the mid-seventies.
In 1985 he established the “Toblacher Gespraeche”, an annual international seminar dealing with environmental issues, which has become one of the most important study groups in the world. The first cycle went from 1985 to 1999. The second cycle started again in 2005. The academy of those seminars offers courses for professionals to “build in the solar age” and for architects and artisans to design and build energy efficient housing.
Over 1,500 professionals attended the courses so far.
In 1989, Hans Glauber co-founded the Ecology Institute in South Tyrol, Bolzano (Oeko-Institute Suedtirol/Alto Adige), the first of its kind in Italy, of which he is President. This Institute deals with environment-friendly urban mobility, climate-friendly energy sources, lectures in schools, and promotes cultural and awareness activities through conferences, shows, study travels. The institute is expanding its activities more and more beyond Alto Adige, and collaborates on international projects with similar European institutes.
Hans oversees several local, national and international environmental studies and projects dealing with alternative energy sources, environment protection and mobility; in addition he is engaged in intense teaching and conference activity.
In 1988 he received the VDRJ Award of the German Reisejournalisten and in 1996 the “Environment Arge-Alp” award.
He served on numerous panels: the Arge-Alp (1997-1999), the Industrieforum Design for the Hannover 2000 Expo (1999), the Forma Forum–Industrial Design Award (1999) and the Environment Award for the autonomous Province of Bolzano (2003-2005), the Clima-House Competition (2003-2007). He is on the scientific board of directors of AESS (Agenzia per l’Energia e lo Sviluppo Sostenibile di Modena), of the Pioneer Investment Ethical Committee, Milano (2005-2007), of the Coordinamento Alleanza per il Clima – Alto Adige, which has created the “Clima-House” project (2005-2007). In addition he co-founded and serves on the board of the BZ Car Sharing co-op, which provides car-sharing services in Bolzano.
Publications
Glauber, H. (Hrsg): An alternative Tourism, Fischer Verlag, Frankfurt/M 1988
Glauber, H. (Hrsg): Ecological Economy, Fischer Verlag, Frankfurt/M, 1992
Glauber, H. (Hrsg): Slower, Less, Better, more Beautiful, Oekom Verlag, München, 2006
Many articles in books and magazines
Catalogues for Museum and Gallery exhibits.
Publications of the Toblacher Gespräche:
1985: Für einen anderen Tourismus, am Beispiel des Bergtourismus
1986: Mobilität und Verkehr – Auswirkungen und Alternativen, besonders für Alpenraum und Tourismus
1987: Zukunft der Landwirtschaft – Landwirtschaft der Zukunft
1988: Bauen mit der Natur – Bauen in der Kultur
1989: Die ökologische Wende – Für eine Zukunft mit Zukunft
1990: Ökologisch wirtschaften – die Herausforderung der neunziger Jahre
1991: Energie – Kernfrage der Zukunft
1992: Gesundheit und ökologischer Wohlstand
1993: Arbeit und ökologischer Wohlstand
1994: Ökologischer Wohlstand statt Wachstumsträume
1995: Heimat – Ökologischer Wohlstand in der Region
1996: Mobilität und ökologischer Wohlstand
1997: Handeln – Ökologische Innovation, Antwort auf die Krise
1998: Schönheit – Zukunftsfähig leben
1999: Neueinstieg ins 21. Jahrhundert – Visionen, Erfahrungen, Südtirol
2005: Umbauen für die Zukunft – Wie bringen wir das bebaute Erbe in das Solare Zeitalter
2006: Eine neue Kultur der Mobilität – Von der Automobilität zur Multimodalität ins Solare Zeitalter
* Since 2005 the publications can be found only on the of Toblacher Gespraeche homepage www.toblacher-gespraeche.it
More information on environmental activities can be found at www.oekoinstitut.it
