Birger Ruud visited Planica in 1954 at the invitation of the Organizing Committee. As a fore-runner on the new 125m hill, he jumped over 80m twice wearing the traditional Norwegian ski jumper outfit of a pullover, white shirt, and tie. The Organizing Committee of Planica in 1954 included Tone Dečman, Danilo Dougan, and Ante Gnidovec-Boter, important figures in Slovenian and Yugoslavian skiing. Young skiers looked up to jumper Janez Polda and announced their own jumps in imitation of him on the small, snow-built hill in Planica.

1. Birger Ruud (43 let) je na povabilo Organizacijskega komiteja Planica leta 1954
obiskal Planico. Kot predskakalec na novi 125 m letalnici dvakrat skočil preko 80
m. Skakal je v puloverju, pod katerim je imel belo srajco in kravato po tradiciji
norveških skakalcev pred drugo vojno.
Birger Ruud (43 years old) was invited by the Organizing Committe Planica to
visit Planica in 1954. He jumped over 270 feet twice as fore-runner. He was
jumping in pullover and under it, white shirt with a neck-tie as it was the
Norwegians' tradition before the 2nd
World War.

2. Člani Organizacijskega komiteja Planica (z leve): dr. Tone Dečman,
olimpijec leta 1936 v Garmisch-Partenkirchen in trener skakalcev okoli
1960, dr. Danilo Dougan, študentski reprezentant v smučanju in enkrat v
bobu pred drugo vojno, kasneje predsednik Slovenska smučarska zveza
od leta 1948 do 1965 ter član predsedstva FIS in Ante Gnidovec-Boter,
prvi slovenski FIS sodnik za skoke pred drugo vojno, vodja olimpijske
reprezentance Jugoslavije leta 1936 v Garmisch-Partenkirchnu ter
predsednik Smučarskega kluba Ljubljana od leta 1928 do 1941.

3. Members of the Organization Committee Planica (from left): Tone
Dečman, member of the Olympic Team in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in
1936 and coach of Yugoslav ski jumpers about 1960, Danilo Dougan,
member of the Students Ski Team and once in bobleigh before the 2nd
World War and president of the Ski Association of Slovenia from 1948
to 1972 and member of the FIS Presidium, Ante Gnidovec-Boter, the first
Slovenian FIS referee for ski-jumping and chief of the Olympic Team in
Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 1936 and president of Ski Club Ljubljana
from 1928 to 1940.

4. Mladi smučarji so imeli za vzor skakalca Janeza Poldo in skoraj vsak
mladec je napovedal svoj skok na mali skakalnici iz snega kot uradni
napovedovalec v Planici na mali, iz snega zgrajeni, skakalnici: «Naslednji
skače Janez Polda!«. Aleš Guček na sliki, 1952.
Janez Polda was the idol of young skiers and everyone of them announced
his own jump on little ski-jumps like the official speaker in Planica: «Janez
Polda will jump next!« Aleš Guček on the picture, 1952.

5. Bine Rogelj, udeleženec zimskih olimpijksih
iger leta 1956 in dolga leta najboljši Slovenec
na Novoletni turneji z 8. mestom, se je leta
1954 peljal s »pendlom« (tirno vzpenjačo) inž.
Stanka Bloudka v Planici. Enako je načrtoval
in postavil za alpske smučarje že leta 1939 na
plazu na Domom Ilirijo v bližini skakalnic v
Planici. To je bila prva žičnica v Sloveniji.
Politiki so po 2. svetovni vojni dali nalog in jo
prestavili v železarno na Koroškem. Bloudek je
na istem mestu postavil po letu 1950 vlečnico.

6. Slovenian competitor at the New Year Meet with 8th
place, was taken up by Stanko Bloudek's »pendel«
(skimobile) in Planica in 1954. Bloudek designed
and constructed a similar skimobile for alpine skiers
above Lodge Ilirija in the vicinity of ski-jumping hill
in Planica in 1939. This was the first uphill ski
conveyence in Slovenia. After the 2nd
World War
politicians ordered the removal of the skimobile
from Planica to an iron-works in Carinthia. Bloudek
built a T-bar in the same place after 1950.

7. Joso Gorec, ki je dal leta 1933 pobudo za gradnjo letalnice v Planici, je bil po letu
1948 s strani socialistične oblasti neupravičeno zaprt in suspendiran iz Slovenske
smučarske zveze in prepoved delovanja v vseh športih. Njegove »uradne« napake
so bile: prijatelji v tujini in da je bil lastnik male športne trgovine pred 2. svetovne
vojne in da je po vojni bil z njo »vojni dobičkar« v socialistični državi, ki so jo
vodili komunisti. Svetozar Guček sprožil postopek rehabilitacije in Gorec je bil
očiščen »krivde« in je leta 1954 obiskal Planico kot uradni gost Organizacijskega
komiteja Planica. Gorec in avtor te knjige sta na fotografiji v Planici leta 1954.

8. Joso Gorec who gave the initiative to build the ski-flying hill in Planica in
1933, was arrested without any reason 1948 by the socialist authorities and
suspended as the president of Slovenian Ski Association and disqualified from
all sports. His »official« faults were as follows: he had friends abroad and that
he was owner of a small sport shop before the 2nd
World War« with which he
made »war profits« after the war in the socialist country ruled by communists.
Svetozar Guček proposed the rehabilitation of Joso Gorec and he was »cleared
of any guilt« during the rehabilitation process. Gorec visited Planica in 1954
again as official guest of the Organizing Committee Planica. Gorec and the
author of this book are in the photograph taken in Planica in 1954.

9. Pogled na Planico leta 1954: levo 90 m skakalnica, zraven nova 120 m,
desno mala zgradba Doma Ilirije (zgrajena 1931) in leta 1935 s sobami
dograjena depandansa.
View of Planica in 1954: the 300 feet ski-jumping hill on the left and
the new 400 foot one besides it. The small Lodge Ilirija (built in 1931)
and was enlarged with additional rooms in 1935.

10. Skakalec Janez Saksida leta 1954 s številko z
reklamo Cockta, slovensko patentirano
pijačo po receptu Emerika Zelinke, podobno
ameriški Coca Coli, ki so jo tega leta delili v
času poletov v Planici.
In 1954 Ski jumper Janez Saksida with
advertising Cockta, the Slovenian soft drink
with the recipe of Emerik Zelinka. Cockta
was similar to Coca-Cola and was distributed
in Planica in 1954.

11. Smučarski klub Enotnost (SKE) je leta 1954 z lastnimi
sredstvi in udarniškim delom zgradil 60 m skakalnico
ob Galetovem gradu v Ljubljani. Številne tekme, tudi
tekmo za pokal Kongsberg si je ogledalo tudi do 20.000
gledalcev. Tedanji politiki in po njihovi odločitvi je
župan občine Šiška poskrbel, da so skakalnico vzeli
smučarskemu klubu brez odškodnine in tedaj je začela
propadati, tako da je bila nevarna za sprehajalce v
bližini. Nek brezdomec se je celo naselil v zidani stolp
zaleta, ker ni dobil stanovanja na občini Šiška. Vso
sramoto in nevarnost naj bi rešil po nalogu občine SKE,
ki pa ni bil lastnik niti upravljavec objekta v
razpadanju. Na isti način je propadlo tudi smučišče in
slalomišče desno od skakalnice. Mestne oblasti so tudi
prepovedale smučanje na griču Rožnik zaradi varstva
okolja, s čimer so naredile veliko škodo razvoju
smučanja v Ljubljani, predvsem manj premožnim
meščanom, ki so radi zahajali pozimi na to bližnjo
smučišče blizu središča mesta.

12. Ski Club Enotnost (SKE) built a 200 foot ski-jumping hill at
Gale's Castle in Ljubljana with their own money and labor in
1954. Many competitons drew up to 20.000 spectators,
specially for the Kongsberg Cup. The politicians of that time
(communists) decided to confiscate the ski-jumping hill
from SKE without any reimbursement. The reason was that
a sport club could not be the owner of sports buildings, but
only communities could. The Mayor of the community
Ljubljana-Šiška, followed orders and from that time on, the
ski-jumping hill began to fall into ruin, becoming dangerous
for walkers in the neighbourhood. A homeless citizien
settled in the brick tower, because he did not get a place to
live. The SKE was ordered to make everything safe; but how
could they since were no longer owners? The same story
happened to the ski slope and slalom terrain in the vicinity.
The town authorities forbade skiing round the Rožnik Hill in
order to protect the environment. This put a stop to the
development of skiing in Ljubljana. Poorer citiziens and
young skiers could not ski in the vicinity of downtown
Podrtija stolpa leta
2015.
Ruins of the tower
in 2015.

13. Stolp zaleta 60 m skakalnice v Ljubljani blizu
Galetovega gradu (1960).
Tower of the in-run of the 200 foot ski-jumping
hill near Gale's Castle in Ljubljana (1960).

14. 60 m skakalnica blizu Galetovega gradu v Ljubljani (1960).
200 foot ski-jumping hill near Gale's Castle in Ljubljana (1960).

15. Zastavonoša na Galetovem, Kongsberg pokal, Ljubljana, Slovenija, 9. 1. 1965.
„Flag bearer“ at Galetovo, Kongsberg Cup, Ljubljana, Slovenia, January 9, 1965.

16. Kratek travnik pod skakalnico ni bil primeren za iztek, zato so gradili lesen
visok in strm iztek z nasprotno strmino nad Vodnikovo cesto v Ljubljani.
Marsikateri skakalci, ki so bili večinoma slabo izurjeni smučarji v alpskem
smučanju, so pred ograjo izteka raje namerno padli, kot da bi se vanjo zaleteli.
The short meadow was not suitable for the out-run area of the ski-jumping
hill, therefore a high and steep out-run was built above Vodnikova Road.
Many of the ski jumpers were very weak in skiing, so they fell down near the
fence by their own will instead of bumping into it.

17. Skakalci so morali peš do vrha zaleta 60 m skakalnice blizu Galetovega
gradu 9. januarja 1964 na tekmi pokala Kongsberg v Ljubljani (skakalci
Smučarskega kluba Enotnosti z leve): Miro Oman (državni
reprezentant), Janez Brilej in Peter Eržen (državni reprezentant).
Ski jumpers walked to the in-run of the 200 foot ski-jumping hill at
Gale's Castle on January 9th
, 1964 in the Kongsberg Cup Competiton in
Ljubljana (ski jumpers of Ski Club Enotnost from left): Miro Oman,
member of the National Team, Janez Brilej, and Peter Eržen, member of
the National Team.

18. FIS Kongsberg pokal tekma v skokih na 60 m
skakalnici 9. januarja 1964 v Ljubljani blizu
Galetovega gradu.
FIS Kongsberg Cup in Ljubljana in January 9,
1964 on 200 feet ski-jumping hill near the
Gale's Castle.

19. FIS Kongsberg pokal v skokih si je 9. januarja 1964 ogledalo blizu
Galetovega travnika v Ljubljani 20.000 gledalcev.
Ski jumping FIS Kongsberg Cup near Gale's Castle in Ljubljana on
January, 1964 watched by 20.000 spectators.

20. Miro Oman je skočil daleč v dno skakalnice
blizu Galetovega gradu v Ljubljani in je
varno ležeč na smučeh smučal naprej (FIS
Kongsberg pokal, 9. januar 1964).
Miro Oman jumped far to the bottom of the
ski-jumping hill near Gale's Castle in
Ljubljana, but landed and skied laying on
skis (FIS Kongsberg Cup, January 9, 1964).

21. Veliko število gledalcev se je zbralo med nalivom, da si je ogledalo tekme v
skokih na smučeh blizu Galetovega gradu v Ljubljani v petdesetih in šestdesetih.
Many specators came to watch the ski-jumping competition even if it was
raining hard near Gale's Castle in Ljubljana.

22. Inž. Stanko Bloudek je leta 1956 izumil skoke brez snega. Na
skakalnici z lesenima koritoma na zaletu, po katerih je tekla voda, se
je skakalec spustil z lesenima rolkama (na sliki) in v počepu kot na
skakalnici iz snega odskočil na mostičku. Prvi del skoka je bil kot na
skakalnici pozimi, nato pa je skočil na glavo v reko Ljubljanico.
Stanko Bloudek invented ski-jumping without snow in 1956. In two
water channels built of timber the ski jumper skied in the in-run. In
crouch position as on the ski-jumping hill covered with snow, he
then took off. The first part of the ski-jump was like one in winter,
but to land in the river Ljubljanica, he has to dive head first.

23. Avstrijska skakalna reprezentanca je septembra 1957 obiskala Bloudkovo
»mokro« skakalnico v Ljubljani. Na sliki Franc Pribošek-Šiki, olimpijec leta
1936 v Garmisch-Partenkirchen, ki je bil najboljši Slovenec v skokih z 39.
mestom.
The Austrian Ski Jumping Team visietd Bloudek's »wet« ski-jumping hill in
Ljubljana in September 1957. Franc Pribošek-Šiki (in the photograph) was a
member of the Olympic Team in 1936 and was the best Yugoslav
(Slovenain) ski-jumper at the Winter Olympic Games in ski-jumping with
39th
place.

24. Dolžine poletov so vstavljali leta 1954 na sodniški tribuni v Planici ročno
na oglasno desko za gledalce, čeprav so dolžine slišali tudi preko
zvočnikov.
Length of the ski-flies were hand-set on the offical board on the tower for
referees for the specatotors to see besides all lengths were announced over
loudspeakers.

25. Mostec pod Rožnikom v Ljubljani je imel dve mali skakalnici. Predsednik
kluba Smučarskega kluba Enotnost Maks Završnik je uspel dobiti 1964
brezplačno plastične metle iz Demokratične republike Nemčije, ki so bile
izločene zaradi slabe kakovosti. Te so povezali v Ljubljani v primerno
tanke sloje, ki so jih položili na 40 m prvo plastično skakalnico v
Jugoslaviji, ki je omogočala poletne treninge ne samo skakalcem iz
Ljubljane, temveč tudi poletni trening državne reprezentance (z leve):
Marjan Pečar, na zaletišču Božo Jemc in desno Peter Eržen.

26. Two small ski-jumping hills were built in Mostec below Rožnik in
Ljubljana in 1964. Maks Završnik, president of Ski Club Enotnost
succeded in getting from the German Democratic Republic plastic brushes
free of charge which ejected from production. The brushes were tied
together in convenient thin layers and laid on the 130 feet ski-jumping hill
in Mostec. This was the first plastic ski-jumping hill in Yugoslavia, where
not only the ski jumpers from Ljubljana but the members of the National
Team could train in summer (from left): Marjan Pečar, on in-run, Božo
Jemc on the right Peter Eržen.

27. Vzdrževanje plastike na skakalnici v Mostecu v
Ljubljani.
Maintenance of the plastic ski-jumping hill in
Mostec in Ljubljana.

28. Poleti so bili po letu 1954 vsako tretje leto v
Planici na 120 m letalnici. Zato so v Planici
organizirali mednarodno tekmovanje za
Poldov pokal (memorial) na 90 m skakalnici,
prvič leta 1965. Na sliki skakalnica v
petdesetih letih.
Ski-flying competition was every third year
after 1954 in Planica on the 400 feet ski-
flying hill. Competition for the Poldov Cup
was therefore organized in the years between
on the 300 foot ski-jumping hill, the first time
in 1965. Here the ski-jumping hill in 1950s
.

29. Združenje Kulm-Oberstdorf-Planica (KOP) je bilo ustanovljeno 27. 10.
1962 v Hotelu Slon v Ljubljani. Predstavniki letalnic, Kulm, Oberstdorf in
Planica na prvem sestanku v Ljubljani (z leve): dr. Franjo Pavlin (Planica,
prvi tajnik KOP), Gustl Seeweng, Hasi Lacher (Oberstdorf), arh. Heini
Klopfer (Oberstdorf), dr. France Zupan (Planica), Milan Fajdiga (Planica),
Alois Neuper (Kulm), dr. Tone Dečman (Planica), Robert Kanzler (Kulm),
Ante Gnidovec-Boter (Planica) in dr. Danilo Dougan (Planica, prvi
predsednik KOP). KOP je sprejel kasneje v članstvo še Harrachov
(Češkoslovaška), Ironwood (ZDA) in Vikersund Norveška). Sedež KOP se
je selil vsaki dve leti v kraj, odkoder je bil predsednik KOP.

30. Association Kulm-Oberstdorf-Planica (KOP) was established in Hotel Slon (Hotel
Elephant) in Ljubljana on October 27, 1962. The representatives of the ski-flying
hills at Kulm, Oberstdorf and Planica at the first meeting in Ljubljana (from left):
Franjo Pavlin (Planica, first secretary of KOP), Gustl Seeweng, Hasi Lacher
(Oberstdorf), Heini Klopfer (Oberstdorf), France Zupan (Planica), Milan Fajdiga
(Planica), Alois Neuper (Kulm), Tone Dečman (Planica), Robert Kanzler (Kulm),
Ante Gnidovec-Boter (Planica) and Danilo Dougan (Planica, first president of
KOP). It was agred upon that each third year by turn Planica, Oberstdorf and Kulm
would be organized the ski-flying competition per 1954 rules meaning. The seat of
the KOP was each two years other place where the president of KOP was elected by
turn from Planica (Slovenia), Oberstdorf (Germany) and Kulm (Austria). KOP later
invited Harrachov (Czecho-Slovakia), Ironwood (U.S.A.) and Vikersund (Norway)
to join the Association but the name KOP remained.