Eugenie Goldstern

Alpine ethnology and Bessans

by Louis-Jean Gachet

Abstract

The rediscovery by the scientific community of the research conducted by Eugenie (Jenja) Goldstern (1884-1942) in Alpine ethnology between 1910 and 1925 on rural communities in Swiss, French, and Italian valleys has been a laborious process. Among her many fields of study, her survey in Bessans (Haute-Maurienne, Savoie, France) in 1913-1914 stands out as an exemplary monograph that, retrospectively, marks a milestone in the disciplinary history of European ethnology. The thesis she derived from this research and defended at the University of Fribourg (Switzerland) in 1920 only began to gain recognition in academic circles in the 1960s, notably thanks to a native of Bessans, Francis Tracq, who initiated its first French translation. A victim of Austrian National Socialist antisemitism, like her entire family, Eugenie Goldstern was murdered in 1942 at the Sobibor camp. However, her personal history was only revealed much later, in the late 1990s, thanks to the work of Munich-based Albert Ottenbacher. It was only in the early 2000s that, under the initiative of anthropologist Isac Chiva, a genuine movement to publicly acknowledge her work finally emerged in France. The major exhibition organized by the Musée Savoisien in Chambéry and the Musée Dauphinois in Grenoble in 2007-2008 stands as clear evidence of this.

Goldstern's monograph on Bessans has inspired several generations of researchers, further establishing the village as a "major site of European ethnology." The association Bessans Jadis et Aujourd'hui, founded in 1978, has also significantly enhanced the patrimonial value of Bessans over the decades. Yet, despite this vast documentary wealth, there is still no physical space dedicated to showcasing this heritage, accessible to visitors, tourists, and locals alike. The narrative of Bessans remains to be fully brought to life. Returning to Goldstern's studies on traditional architecture, particularly on the logis-étable (house-barn), one might hope that a final, authentically preserved Bessanese house could be permanently saved and transformed into the "Heritage House of Bessans." This would not only serve as a historical monument but also as a place of remembrance for the ethnologist who had chosen Bessans as an exemplary research site. The Finette House appears to meet all these conditions.

A - The Complex Path to Recognition

In 2003, renowned French anthropologist Isac Chiva published a now-famous article, "The Eugenie Goldstern Affair: The Story of a Non-Story," denouncing the near-century-long erasure of this pioneering Austrian Jewish ethnologist from history. He called for a resurgence of institutional recognition in her favor.

In fact, the official French response to Chiva's appeal had already begun to take shape in 2002 during a colloquium at the Musée Dauphinois in Grenoble, where Goldstern's status as a founding figure in Alpine ethnology was widely acknowledged.

From the outset, her research into Alpine civilization, which began in 1912, assumed a European dimension. Over nearly fifteen years, she traveled extensively across Switzerland (Valais, Grisons), Italy (Aosta Valley), France (Savoie, Bauges, Maurienne, Tarentaise), and Austria (Vorarlberg, Allgäu), studying over 80 communities through comparative observation and documentation of mountain populations.

B - The Pioneering Experiment of the Monographic Fieldwork: Bessans, 1913-1914

However, her research in Bessans (1913-1914) stands as a unique scientific event. Following the advice of Arnold Van Gennep, then a professor at the University of Neuchâtel and director of its Ethnography Museum, she embarked on a complete monographic study of a high-altitude agro-pastoral community—a method not yet widely practiced in Europe. Although the outbreak of World War I abruptly ended her fieldwork, she was able to use her findings to complete her thesis, which she defended in 1920 under the supervision of Professor Paul Girardin.

A century later, her study remains a remarkable anthropological and historical document, serving as a pioneering methodological reference for ethnology and the social sciences. Furthermore, her innovative ethno-museographical approach resulted in a significant collection of authentic artifacts from Bessans (agricultural tools, domestic equipment, clothing, religious objects, folk art) and an exceptional photographic collection, all preserved at the Österreichisches Museum für Volkskunde in Vienna.

Even today, Goldstern's vast research, both in its geographic scope and thematic diversity, remains largely underappreciated. Nevertheless, retracing the steps through which her work gradually gained recognition sheds light on her legacy. The initial dissemination of her thesis (albeit limited to the German-speaking world) was carried out by Klaus Beitl, curator at the Österreichisches Museum für Volkskunde from 1960 and later its director (1978-1994). Thanks to Beitl, Arnold Niederer, a professor of European ethnology at the University of Zurich, discovered her monograph and decided to organize a seminar in Bessans for his students. Conducted over three visits from fall 1967 to fall 1968, this was the first scientific attempt to revisit and verify Goldstern's descriptions 50 years after her initial research.

C - Bessans and the Revelation of Goldstern's Thesis

The decisive initiative to reveal Goldstern's monograph to the general public emerged from within Bessans itself. While the ethnologist left a positive impression on the local population due to her remarkable ability to integrate and communicate, her sudden departure in August 1914 and subsequent absence led to her being forgotten. Who could have imagined that "the Austrian lady" had continued her research in Alpine valleys, defended a thesis based on her Bessans study, published it, and later suffered a tragic fate in the Holocaust?

Another historical catastrophe contributed to this amnesia - the 1944 Nazi retreat, which resulted in the burning of Bessans, destroying much of its traditional built heritage and erasing physical traces of the past.

Despite these obstacles, Francis Tracq, born in Bessans in 1936, took an interest in the village's history. Intrigued by the elders' recollections of Goldstern's visit, he began to reconstruct the forgotten story. Meeting Arnold Van Gennep in 1953 and traveling to Vienna to examine the collections gathered by Goldstern, he obtained her thesis and initiated its translation with Mlle Schaeffer. In 1987, Goldstern's thesis was published in French for the first time.

This was part of a broader movement to preserve the village's history, culminating in the foundation of Bessans Jadis et Aujourd'hui in 1978. While Goldstern's research was not the focal point of the association's work, the recognition she had given to Bessans as a subject of ethnographic study provided a strong legitimization for their efforts.

D - The Cruel Unveiling of a Shattered Life

When Isac Chiva spoke of a "non-history," he was not only referring to the concealment of a scientific trajectory but also to the erasure of a tragic human and family history that only began to be revealed in the 1990s. In this regard, tribute must be paid to a man who took it upon himself to investigate the fate of several Jewish ethnologists who worked for the Österreichisches Museum für Volkskunde in Vienna between 1910 and 1920, notably Rudolf Trebisch, who conducted research in Brittany, and, of course, Eugenie Goldstern.

Albert Ottenbacher, a professor of fine arts in Munich, intrigued by the work carried out by these researchers despite not belonging to the ethnological community himself, traveled to Vienna to the museum where they had worked and began tracing the thread of these buried destinies. Through extensive archival research, he managed to reconstruct the broad outlines of Eugénie's biography, which he published in 1999. His work starkly highlighted the murky historical backdrop of Vienna, where the leading figures of anthropology at the time had aligned themselves with Nazi racial ideology.

Abandoned by the mentors who had once supported her, the Jewish ethnologist could no longer escape her harrowing fate—her deportation to the death camps, coinciding with the disintegration of her entire family.

E - The Gradual Reversal of Fate

One day in 1995, Martin Karplus, Eugénie's great-nephew and a world-renowned chemist, stumbled upon his great-aunt's thesis, translated by Francis Tracq, in the window of a bookstore in Annecy. Completely unaware of her remarkable career as a researcher, he became determined to uncover her story, traveling to Bessans to piece together her trajectory. His quest gradually drew in the entire family, initiating a process of reclaiming this forgotten chapter of their history. His stunning discovery coincided with the research that Albert Ottenbacher was conducting at the time.

However, as painful truths emerged, bringing full public recognition to Eugenie Goldstern's scientific work remained a challenge. The underlying tensions and distrust among the various parties involved in what Isac Chiva called "the affair" had to be considered before her contributions to Alpine ethnology could finally be brought to light.

Since 2002, the Musée Dauphinois in Grenoble and the Musée Savoisien in Chambéry have been working together on a major French exhibition to showcase her research, fieldwork, and collected artifacts. However, securing agreements from all parties required a complex and delicate negotiation.

A closed-door historical seminar was held in April 2006 at the Mucem (formerly MNATP) in the Bois de Boulogne. Presided over by Michel Colardelle, the director of Mucem, the meeting brought together Isac Chiva, the Goldstern family, the Österreichisches Museum für Volkskunde (which held most of the relevant collections and archives), the Musée Savoisien and Musée Dauphinois, interested ethnologists (including François Portet, then Advisor for Ethnology at the DRAC Rhône-Alpes, and Valentina Zingari, project manager for the exhibition), and representatives from Bessans, including Francis Tracq and a delegation from the association Bessans Jadis et Aujourd'hui.

After two days of tense discussions, an agreement was finally reached, the loan requests were accepted, and preparations for the exhibition moved forward.

F - "Being an Ethnologist and Jewish in Alpine Europe Between the Two Wars"

This was the title of the exhibition, finally inaugurated at the Musée Savoisien in Chambéry on May 31, 2007. It presented the complete scientific trajectory of Eugenie Goldstern, her various field studies, and the rich and diverse collections she assembled. The exhibition naturally focused on her discovery of the Bessans community and her immersion in the village before exploring her other research trips in Bauges, Valais, Grisons, and the Aosta Valley.

A special section was dedicated to her exceptional research on toy animals - an extraordinarily original and innovative study, supported by a remarkable collection of three-dimensional specimens.

In addition to the studies featured in the exhibition catalog, the Musée Dauphinois took the opportunity to publish the full French translation of Eugenie Goldstern's writings.

Meanwhile, Valentina Zingari, the ethnologist commissioned by the Musée Savoisien, conducted interviews with the people of Bessans to prepare for the event and to gather any surviving traces of Eugénie's stay in the village nearly a century earlier. She discovered an extraordinary level of local engagement with history and heritage, led by the Bessans Jadis et Aujourd'hui association. For nearly thirty years, this organization had carried out meticulous research, including documentary studies, archival work, genealogical inquiries, linguistic analysis, and extensive photographic, video, and audio recordings.

As a result, the Musée Savoisien dedicated a special section of the exhibition to showcase complementary elements, including a few precious relics - such as small symbolic gifts that Eugénie had given to the Cimaz family, who owned the hotel where she stayed.

A third exhibition on Eugenie Goldstern, adapted to the more modest means of local associations, was presented in Bessans itself during the summer of 2008. To mark the occasion and celebrate this rekindling of memory, the town of Bessans unveiled an official plaque in her honor.

G - A Fruitful Scientific Legacy

Eugenie Goldstern did not "discover" Bessans. The village had gained renown as early as the second half of the 19th century, thanks to its exceptional religious heritage (partly due to Bessans' families of sculptors and painters from the 17th and 18th centuries, such as the Clappiers), its appeal to emerging cultural tourism, and its renowned mountain guides, who helped affluent urban climbers, particularly from Lyon, explore the surrounding peaks. The production of small, hand-carved and painted wooden figurines - characters, devils, and other figures sold to tourists - also contributed to the village's charm.

Van Gennep, an expert on rural traditions, likely advised Goldstern to focus her research on this community because he recognized its rich cultural and social potential. Many researchers after her would experience a similar fascination with Bessans.

Among them was Paul Dufournet, an architect and urban planner passionate about folk art. Working alongside Van Gennep in the 1930s, he conducted an extensive professional photographic survey of Bessans that closely complemented Goldstern's earlier work.

Alpine geographers also contributed studies on Bessans, particularly concerning agropastoralism and tourism. Notably, Marcel Jail devoted his research to a territorial monograph on Haute-Maurienne, incorporating the mischievous "devil" emblem of Bessans into the title of his book, Haute-Maurienne, pays du diable ?.

In 1967-68, a seminar organized by Arnold Niederer led one of his students, Françoise O'Kane, to embark on a new ethnological thesis about the Bessans community. Her study examined a longstanding Alpine tradition: the seasonal migration of men to urban centers during winter to ease demographic pressures and conserve family resources. In the late 19th century, many Bessans men took up jobs as cab drivers in Paris, particularly in Levallois-Perret.

The research continued into the 1990s, when sociologist Bernard Poche conducted a 370-page study on the socio-economic evolution of Bessans amid debates on its tourism potential.

The 2000s saw a revival of Goldstern's legacy, especially with the 2007 exhibition in Chambéry-Grenoble. Ethnologist Valentina Zingari's fieldwork in Bessans highlighted previously overlooked aspects of local memory, including the importance of the nearby border, the scars left by war (such as the 1944 fire that devastated the village), and the catastrophic Arc River flood of 1957.

The Bessans Jadis et Aujourd'hui association also produced its own in-depth research, such as Annie Chazal's decade-long project to create an exhaustive toponymic survey of the commune, covering even its steepest alpine pastures.

Finally, in 2018, Martine Sadion, then chief curator and director of the Musée de l'Image in Épinal, conducted a study on 17th-century religious images found on wooden panels from a Bessans home—further enriching the ethnographic research initiated by Eugénie Goldstern a century earlier.

H - A Renewed Perspective: François Portet

Former advisor on ethnology, first at the DRAC Bourgogne and later at the DRAC Rhône-Alpes, François Portet arrived in Bessans in the autumn of 2015. Struck by the exceptional configuration of the site, which has attracted numerous researchers over the past century, and equally impressed by the quality of the heritage work carried out by the association Bessans Jadis et Aujourd'hui for over forty years, he believed the time had come to renew approaches and methodologies. He described Bessans as a "Historic Landmark of European Ethnology," deserving of a new, in-depth, and long-term examination.

Indeed, the commune has undergone significant socio-economic and cultural transformations since the late 1950s, including the development of expertise in Nordic skiing, the establishment of a carefully managed tourism economy, the preservation of a limited yet real agro-pastoral activity, and a remarkable heritage and memory investment—though still focused on traditional interests. Over nearly seven years of dedicated research and observation of the Bessanese community, including interviews with a hundred interlocutors, François Portet reshaped the ethnological perspective on Bessans, earning the same recognition once granted to Eugénie Goldstern by Professor Girardin: "She skillfully integrated into the daily lives of the locals, gaining their trust despite the inherent wariness of mountain people."

Suddenly struck by illness in October 2022, François Portet left Bessans with a new analytical framework in ethnology, encapsulated in four major themes:

• How Nordic Skiing Renews the Heritage Perspective

• Agro-pastoralism: A Heritage and a Challenge

• Hospitality and Tourism: A Collective Adventure Turned Shared Heritage

• Housing and Living: The Memory of Places

His work was published in full in the journal Bessans Jadis et Aujourd'hui, and later in a condensed version in La Rubrique des Patrimoines de Savoie to ensure broader regional visibility.

I - The Urgency of Making This Data Capital Visible

It is worth recalling that Bessans has benefited from over a century of remarkable and continuous scientific investment, particularly in the field of ethnology. Additionally, for the past fifty years, an autonomous and original heritage and memory initiative has been in place within the community, embodied by the association Bessans Jadis et Aujourd'hui. It is difficult to determine which of these two investments holds greater significance in terms of performance. On both sides, bibliographies are extensive, archives exist in impressive volumes across all media, academic theses and substantial books have been published, hundreds of articles written, films produced, and collections assembled.

Yet, despite this vast capital of knowledge, there is still no single, simple, and accessible physical space where visitors, tourists, passing athletes, or even adopted Bessanese residents can engage with it. Even more critically, the younger generations of Bessanese families, whose lineage stretches back centuries, lack a clear reference point for their collective history.

In 1947, Paul Dufournet, witnessing the devastation of the 1944 fire and involved as a state architect in the urban planning of the "reconstruction," had already warned of the urgent need to safeguard Bessans' heritage, potentially through the creation of a museum. He emphasized that the "traditional house" was at the core of this preservation effort and that, following Bessans' destruction, at least one such house should be saved to serve as both a witness and a showcase. Today, nearly 80 years later, this problem remains unresolved.

Of course, no one would suggest establishing a museum in Bessans today. From any perspective, a museum solution does not seem viable. The heritage collections of Bessans are primarily found in its religious monuments, which remain well-preserved across the commune (Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church, 15 chapels including the Saint-Antoine Chapel, a Historic Monument, around thirty oratories, crosses, etc.). Additionally, important pieces collected by Eugénie Goldstern in 1913-1914 are housed at the Palais Schönborn in Vienna, with smaller portions in Chambéry's Musée Savoisien and Marseille's Mucem (formerly MNATP). Accessing these collections is not straightforward.

However, as Paul Dufournet once observed, the most essential and comprehensive Bessanese ethnographic "object"—the traditional house in its entirety—has never been relocated by any institution. Unfortunately, this "object" has become nearly impossible to find, particularly in its original, unaltered state.

J - A Return to Eugénie Goldstern: The Mythical Model of the Logis-étable (house-barn)

Bessans' architectural reputation is built upon distinct characteristics, among which cohabitation has been a defining feature, persisting until the late 20th century. Goldstern's fascination with Bessans stemmed from its unique housing, where all activities took place under a single roof, including the semi-subterranean logis-étable, an exceptional example of human-animal cohabitation. Her thesis provides a precise analysis, including typologies and scale plans of the main house models she studied during her 1913-1914 stay.

She also acknowledges the inevitable evolution of traditional buildings. Her study begins with plans of the oldest house type, dating back to the 16th-17th centuries, followed by a restored house, and finally a newly constructed home from the 20 years preceding her stay.

K - The Bessanese House as a Symbol of Identity Convergence

The semi-subterranean logis-étable model continues to shape the memories and imagination of both native Bessanese and newer residents, as well as occasional tourists. This ancient form of habitation has become a cultural marker of deep-rooted identity specific to this site, further reinforced by the iconic image of cohabitation documented by Goldstern.

Unfortunately, historical events have not allowed Bessans to retain a built heritage capable of earning an exceptional attractiveness label. The architectural fabric that Goldstern meticulously studied in 1913-1914, shaped by gradual growth and adaptation over time, has been largely lost due to two successive catastrophes: the devastating fire of September 13, 1944, and the massive Arc River flood of June 13, 1957.

Thus, the convergence of Bessans Jadis et Aujourd'hui seeking a space to showcase Bessanese heritage and Sophie and Marc Samuel, owners of Maison Finette - the probable last traditional house preserved in its original state - borders on miraculous.

L - Eugenie Goldstern in Maison Finette

This exceptionally well-preserved traditional house provides Bessans with an unprecedented opportunity to establish a multifunctional heritage space, in collaboration with the Tourist Office, offering:

• A visitable exhibit showcasing a fully preserved agro-pastoral family farm, reflecting the civilization of Bessans as first documented by Eugénie Goldstern.

• A dedicated space for Bessanese heritage and Goldstern's work, accessible through various formats (audiovisual, archival documents, temporary exhibitions, etc.).

• An information hub for exploring Bessanese heritage in situ (neighborhoods, hamlets, religious and natural heritage, etc.).

• A scientific research space dedicated to Eugenie Goldstern's memory, available to scholars in conjunction with the documentation and archive center of Bessans Jadis et Aujourd'hui.

After years of research by the Bessanese community on their unique history, families, and exceptional memory, and after countless studies by inspired researchers authenticating this irreducibly original mountain community, the time has come for restitution, visibility, and transmission - perhaps even an homage to the pioneering Eugenie Goldstern.

Louis-Jean Gachet, Honorary General Curator of Heritage

March 2025

Works by Eugenie Goldstern

1922. Bessans. Ethnographic Monographic Study of a High Mountain Community in Savoy. Inaugural dissertation for the attainment of the title of Doctor of Natural Philosophy at the Faculty of Science of the University of Fribourg. Vienna, Verlag des Vereines für Volkskunde. 68 pages, with 13 photogravure plates and 3 text illustrations. (Thesis defended by Eugénie Goldstern in 1920.)

1922. High Mountain People in Savoy and Graubünden: A Contribution to Romance Ethnography. Vienna, Verlag des Vereines für Volkskunde. 124 pages, with 28 photogravure plates and 6 text illustrations. (The first part of this publication includes the text of the thesis.)

1987. Bessans, Life in a Village of Haute Maurienne (translation of the thesis by Mme Schaeffer and Francis Tracq). Challes-les-Eaux, Curandera. 157 pages.

2007. Eugénie Goldstern, Ethnologist of the Alpine Arc, 1884-1942. Complete Works. Critical scientific edition (translated from German by Mireille Gansel).

• Twardowski, the Polish Faust
• Lammertal
• People from Up There in Savoy and Graubünden
• Aosta Valley
• Toy Animals of the Alpine Regions, Grenoble, Le Monde Alpin et Rhodanien. 293 pages

2007. Bessans, Life in a Village of Maurienne (translated by Mme Schaeffer and Francis Tracq); Life in the Villages of Val Müstair (translated by Dominique Péronnet); An Ethnographic Research Journey in the Aosta Valley (translated by Paul Guichonnet), in Memory and Oblivion. Montmélian, Éditions La Fontaine de Siloé. 372 pages.

Works on Eugénie Goldstern

OTTENBACHER, Albert. 1999. Eugenie Goldstern, a Biography. Vienna, Mandelbaum Editions. 144 pages.

OTTENBACHER, Albert. 2007. Eugénie Goldstern, a Biography (translated by Dominique Péronnet), in: Eugénie Goldstern. Memory and Oblivion. Montmélian, Éditions La Fontaine de Siloé: pp. 1-86.

Conferences

2003. Founders and Actors of Alpine Ethnography. International Conference. (Grenoble: Musée Dauphinois, November 14-16, 2002). GUIBAL, Jean & JOUTARD, Philippe (eds.), Le Monde Alpin et Rhodanien. Grenoble: Alpine and Rhodanian Center for Ethnology. 296 pages.

2005. Eugénie Goldstern and Her Role in Ethnography. International Symposium. (March 2-3, 2005, Vienna). Contributions from the closing symposium of the exhibition "Ur-Ethnography. Searching for the Elementary in Culture. The Eugenie Goldstern Collection." GRIESHOFER, Franz. (ed.), BEITL, Klaus, BELLWALD, Werner, BURCKHARDT-SEEBASS, Christine, CULLIN, Michel, FEEST, Christian-F, GYR, Ueli, JOHLER, Reinhard, KÖSTLIN, Konrad, KUTI, Klara, NIKITSCH, Herbert, TSCHOFEN, Bernhard, WARNEKEN, Bernd Jürgen. Vienna: Austrian Museum of Folklore. pp. 110-309.

Exhibition Catalogs

Ur-Ethnography. Searching for the Elementary in Culture. The Eugenie Goldstern Collection. Exhibition catalog. GRIESHOFER, Franz (ed.). Austrian Museum of Folklore. Vienna. August 29, 2004 - February 13, 2005.

Eugénie Goldstern 1884-1942: Being an Ethnologist and Jewish in Alpine Europe During the Two Wars. Exhibition catalog. Musée Savoisien, Musée Dauphinois. 2007. DUCLOS, Jean-Claude (ed.), ABRY, Christian, ANDERREG, Jean-Pierre, BEITL, Klaus, CHIVA, Isac, COLARDELLE, Michel, DEUBER-ZIEGLER, Erica, FORRAY, François, GACHET, Louis-Jean, GANSEL, Mireille, GROS, Christophe, KARPLUS, Martin, LYON-CAEN, Jean-François, TIKHONOV, Natalia, SCHINDLER, Margot, TRACQ, Francis, ZINGARI, Valentina.

Articles

ABRY, Christian. 2003. A Physicist Mule at the Foot of the Summit of Alpine Ethnography… From Heirs to Heritages, in: Founders and Actors of Alpine Ethnography. Proceedings of the November 14, 2002 conference. Musée Dauphinois. Grenoble, Alpine and Rhodanian Center for Ethnology: pp. 269-281.

BEITL, Klaus. 1997. The Word, the Thing, the Comparison. Austrian Contributions to French Ethnography, in: Beitl, Klaus, Bromberger, Christian & Chiva, Isac. (eds.). Words and Things of French Ethnography. German and Austrian Views on Rural France in the 1930s. Paris, Maison des Sciences de l'Homme: pp. 131-142.

2001. Eugenie Goldstern (1884-1942) - Engagement, Wedding, and Burial Customs in Maurienne (Savoy), Spring/Summer 1914. Posthumous Writings Edited and Restored, in: Raphaël, Freddy (ed.), "...the Whisper of a Soft Breeze..." Contributions to the Culture and Life of European Jews. Festschrift for Utz Jeggle. Konstanz: UVK Verlagsgesellschaft mbH: pp. 171-197.

2003. Previously Unpublished Ethnotexts by Eugénie Goldstern. Notes on the Customs of Seven Maurienne (Savoy) Villages Dated 1914, in: Founders and Actors of Alpine Ethnography. Proceedings of the November 14, 2002 conference. Musée Dauphinois. Grenoble, Alpine and Rhodanian Center for Ethnology: pp. 49-56.

2006. "Border Crossings" Eugenie Goldstern: The House Forms of Aosta Valley. Unpublished Handwritten Notes from 1922, Austrian Journal of Folklore, Vol. LX/109, Vienna 2006: pp. 245-292.

CHIVA, Isac. 2003. The Eugénie Goldstern Affair. The Story of a Non-Story, Revue des Sciences Sociales, No. 31, Tribute to Freddy Raphaël: pp. 150-157.

DUCLOS, Jean-Claude. 2007. Foreword, in: Eugénie Goldstern. Ethnologist of the Alpine Arc 1884-1942. Complete Works (translated from German by Mireille Gansel). Grenoble, Le Monde Alpin et Rhodanien: pp. 9-15.

DONINELLI, Christian. 2021. The Tragic Fate of Eugénie Goldstern. University of Fribourg, Universitas.
(https://www.unifr.ch/universitas/fr/editions/2021-2022/la-verite/le-tragique-destin-dEugéniegoldstern.html)

ZINGARI, Valentina. 2006. Bessans and Eugénie Goldstern, at the Borders of the 20th Century. An Austrian Ethnologist in Maurienne, A Memory Encounter, L'Alpe, No. 31, Special Issue on Maurienne. Grenoble, Glénat: pp. 56-66.

2007. Bessans 1913, From One World to Another, The Heritage Column of Savoie, No. 19: pp. 25-27.