Constance and the Chrüz
The avalanche on Chrüz at St. Antönien from 27.02.1983 and other accidents
The brother of my then girlfriend wanted on 02/27/1983 announce at the summit of Chrüz Prättigau his engagement, and invited them to this end, the family of his fiancee and his own to take a ski trip. Both families were very connected to the mountains, even the older ones were experienced ski tourers. None of us could have anticipated what would bring the day.
The day was warm for the season, dark clouds hung low on the mountain tops, and dropped heavy, large snowflakes. We drove a piece of with the lift and left it before we reached the top station. Then we turned south, towards the woods. After a few meters, I got rid of my ascent sweater, but the wind was warm enough jacket. The wet snow left on the jacket of dark marks on the strap of my backpack, it was soon wet to the skin. The trees were loose in this forest, you could traverse it in both the rise in the exit problem. This was followed a few yards downhill, but it was worth it not to take the skins from the skis, we slipped the skins down into a valley and then climb again. The snowfall was more up here and it was blowing a strong wind. The higher we climbed, the lower was the heavy snow.
At Alp Valpun we met a cheerful group of German ski-tourists, we had previously observed from a distance as they marched in a column a trail through the forest. We sat in the lee of a mountain chalet and chatted with each other, made jokes and talked briefly about the route. Then rose the Germans, who had opted for the west ridge in heavy fog and snow fall further. We also broke shortly thereafter.
The avalanche
the route to let that we are either moving to area that is less than the critical 30 degrees for avalanches was steep, or a wind kept free of snow and the heat somewhat softened Eislamelle. Thus, no danger existed for us. The new snow was not connected to the base when a slope of 30 degrees was steep, he slipped away on the icy surface. When we had gone to the largely free-fallen northeast ridge about half way, saw our front-man, it was Andy Weber, who was engaged, through the fog tear open, that was fallen at the summit an avalanche. He walked a little closer to the Gratabbruch and I saw someone a red jacket, his legs in a huge avalanche stuck, call for help. By his comrades, we saw no trace. We immediately tried to drive down to him, but was not in the steep slopes, as they immediately started it sliding. They threatened to overwhelm us. We had to back a small distance forward and then climb again. It was valuable time lost. We sent two skiers to the valley to help organize. From our group, some were not able to care for the injured, they were very shocked and needed care themselves. When I came to the accident site, was the first who was able to free himself, even as far uncovered another comrade, that this could breathe and for a second he had begun to dig his head. Soon we found with the avalanche devices VSL further buried and dug them with the avalanche shovels, to any ski equipment gehört, aus. Nur die ersten hatten noch eine spontane Atmung, die nächsten hatten schon Herz- und Atemstillstand. Sie hatten den schweren Schnee in Nase und Mund gedrückt, so war ihnen kein einziger Atemzug möglich. Einen Mann, bei dem anfänglich keine Spontanatmung mehr festzustellen gewesen war, konnten wir ins Leben zurückbringen. Er fuhr am Abend sogar mit dem Auto heim nach Konstanz.
Beatmen bis zur Erschöpfung
Das Beatmen der Toten und der tief ohnmächtigen Personen gestaltete sich unvorstellbar schwierig, da ihre schlaffe Gesichtsmuskulatur dem Druck der haltenden Hände auswich und keinen Widerstand gab. Ich versuchte, ihnen den Kiefer vorzudrücken und die Lippen aufeinander zu pressen, so that the air could not escape through the mouth when I blew air through the nose into the body. But it was much harder than in the first aid course, where I had practiced on a doll. In addition, their bodies were pressed together by the weight of snow, so that air could hardly penetrate the chest before it was exposed. We could not Kneeling in the snow avalanche lumpy right, I got myself in a situation most twisted little air. In addition, it was constantly with the colleagues of the heart massage, made with the legs in their way. The victim had to be yes versorget with air, as if they were still being held deep in their holes down in the snow. We had to head down respiration, blood shot ourselves in the head and we had to be careful not to lose consciousness itself. When a colleague then vigorously for the heart massage three times pressed the chest of the casualty, the stomach contents splashed me in the face. After I recently had to defend myself against strong nausea, but I was able to hold all the time to me. We took turns as best I could, I even one casualty for the heart massage vigorously pressed the chest, it cracked in my hands, as if I had a broken collar sticks. I told him, the ribs have been broken. When I later told the ambulance, he said it was the least evil could happen to me and I should therefore do not worry.
The last burials
We had to feed four people, until someone called, someone still lacking. I got up and gave my seat to someone else. The respiration strained me much, I needed a break. With the VSL had already been searched, without success. The Germans had the VSL system beep, which was operating on a different frequency than the Swiss Barryvox. Only a few had the latest dual frequency device. Therefore we had to look in their devices. Beep was not as reliable as Barryvox. Since I snow in the avalanche could not walk properly and constantly broke and fell into holes, I have the earphones that belong to the beep, repeatedly torn from the ears. When I was back, I had lost the direction in which I had searched and the earphones were full of snow and gave no clear sign of her more. In recent decades, the systems have improved significantly.
I was sure that at one point was a person, and began purely by intuition controlled digging. Soon I came close to someone who, although still largely buried, but was breathing independently, even on a ski boot, I thought that would have to belong to him, then he would need to have very painful leg twisted. But it soon became apparent that there was still the person sought. She put her head down in the snow, the Head was safely buried two meters deep, filled the noses and mouths full of snow. With little hope of success, we tried to ventilate and the heart back into gear. The bride's brother, Matthias Greuter, stood at the beginning of his medical school and asked us to try everything possible, otherwise we might have come to terms quickly with the death of the victim, so we gave her all our remaining strength. Matthias Greuter crashed in July 2009 from the hole Susten Spitz climbing fatal.
The long wait for the helicopter
until two hours later, the helicopter slowly through the fog. Rega doctor immediately jumped in and out of the machine came to us. He saw that there was much more injured than he had expected, and frantically began with investigations. In two victims he saw any hope of rescue, since their pupils reacted nor the light of his flashlight. His attempts at resuscitation with a Defibillrator but showed no effect, although the patients reared under the current surge and the one after that suggested a spontaneous breath. The physician intubated the people who remained on the scene, so we were able to ventilate with a bellows, which represented a substantial improvement.
The two victims, for which there was still some hope of rescue, were loaded into the helicopter and the doctor flew with them to the hospital Schiers. There was later allerdings nur noch ihr Tod festgestellt.
Wir waren wieder allein auf der Unfallstelle und mussten versuchen die verblieben Opfer, soweit es unsere Kräfte erlauben, weiter zu beatmen. Matthias hatte uns gesagt, dass bei guter Beatmung und einer minimal durch Herzmassage aufrecht erhaltenen Blutzirkulation Personen auch nach mehreren Stunden gerettet werden könnten. Also setzten wir unsere letzten Kräfte frei. Ein weiterer Heli kam über die Krete geflogen und mit ihm ein Arzt aus dem Tal. Er war ruhig, was auch uns eine gewisse Sicherheit und Ruhe zurückgab. Er trug eine beige Manchesterhose, eine schwarze Leinenwindjacke und Militärschuhe. Er fragt auch, wie es uns gehe, dann wurden die Personen, die wir bis dahin unter Aufbietung unserer ganzen Kräfte beatmet hatten, auf Bahren in den Helikopter geladen. Der Heli vom Typ Alouette 3 hatte zwei Halterungen für Bahren, einige Mitglieder unserer Gruppe flogen noch mit hinunter, einige fuhren mit den Ski ins Tal. Dann kam der Heli ein drittes Mal, wir luden den letzten Toten ein. Inzwischen hatte der Arzt das Zeichen gegeben, mit Beatmen aufzuhören, da keine Aussicht mehr bestand, ihn zum Leben zurück zu holen. Ich stieg ein und kam zu meinem ersten Heliflug. Das Wetter hatte sich in der Zwischenzeit soweit gebessert, dass der Pilot normal auf Sicht fliegen konnte und sich nicht mehr wie beim ersten Anflug mit Hilfe eines Bauern aus der Gegend von Baum zu Baum tasten musste. Auf dem Parkplatz von St. Antönien landeten wir. Eine Menge People stood there and watched us from entering, as we unloaded the dead and the Hotel Weisses Kreuz took over. A fat man in a green hunting jacket Heli Hansen wanted to ask questions, but we were too exhausted to speak. The bride's father Marc Greuter summoned us and shielded us from questions. The Hotel Weisses Kreuz, we were treated, but the helicopter was flying on a police officer to the accident site. In the room next to the room where we were fed, the dead lay on the tables. Their faces looked completely relaxed and peacefully. I called my parents to inform them. Did you know that an avalanche had happened showed, but not alarmed because they trust our care. In the evening we went
home. With bus and train.
A service of the rescuers was not provided, we were left with our impressions of ourselves. I dreamed for years of the images of buried in the avalanche. Again and again appeared on the memories and let me sleep for two decades, many nights. Once, when I smelled in a railway compartment Kotze, I panicked. The smell reminded me of the stress to which we have been exposed to artificial respiration, the strain and the fading hope of revival.
newspaper reports - Obituaries -
allegations and denials - Avalanche report
The response of the avalanche in the press was enormous, but five climbers were from the same town killed, among them section, the first prosecutor of Konstanz and known members of the DAV. Information has been printed, but also backgrounds were illuminated. Every newspaper in the region of Constance brought detailed reports on the misfortune of the dead and their families. Of the FAZ to the tabloid acknowledged by major German newspapers to the accident place. In the prestigious Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung published a report, the climbers were gone up despite warning. They were higher in the snow for too long and had become unconscious. A spokesman for the Canton police had informed the newspaper that there is an avalanche warning a local resident had been. The unfortunate tendency is known as noted for its dangerousness, since in 1947 there died in an avalanche ever seven domestic climbers. Also the Upper Bavarian People's Journal, mentioned that there should have been a warning, as the tabloids. The German tabloid even knew the name of the alleged Warners and the headline in bold letters: Almbauer Jenni: "I warned." Constance
The newspaper quoted unnamed experts, however, that ".... the Constance group has moved in a fairly safe area that the avalanche conditions are, however, was rarely as dangerous as this winter. "
Zum Unfallzeitpunkt arbeitete an der oberen Skiliftstation ein Mann namens Christian Jenny. Er wurde in manchen Zeitungsberichten (Bild, FAZ) mit der Aussage zitiert, er habe die Gruppe gewarnt. Doch da die Gruppe gar nicht an der oberen Skiliftstation vorbeigekommen war, ist dies schon aus geografischen Gründen unmöglich. Wer auf die Idee gekommen ist, ihm diese Warnung in den Mund zu legen, lässt sich heute nicht mehr feststellen, ebenso wenig, welche Zeitung diese Meldung als erste verbreitet hat. Jedenfalls wurde sie dann vielfach abgeschrieben.
Der Artikel der Konstanzer Zeitung ging auch noch auf den Lawinenbericht ein. Zitat: „Der Schweizer Meteorologe und Lawinenforscher Paul Föhn nimmt an, dass unter der Pulverschneedecke die Old snowpack has broken off. This piece of the whole slope had lost his footing. So that the group did not have to expect consistency. "This statement reduces the avalanche service not only the injured party, but primarily to himself. The usual practice at the time of the avalanche report for the weekend was drafted on Friday. In this case, it had dramatic consequences, as a warm front devalued the avalanche report on waste. This radical change in the situation but was not mentioned in the statements of Paul hairdryer, although they all somewhat more experienced skiers, the terrain has become immediately visible. Hair Dryer stuck to his statement, which referred to the report on Friday. Even the statement that powder snow has fallen is false. There were time of the accident at 2000 m in the plane about 25 cm of heavy snow, The west wind had then led to major shipping and blown to the inclined trough full NO. At the demolition site, a snow height of 60 cm was measured.
The contemporary press reports are full of accusations, mention reckless and excessive carelessness, they make the casualty to mention the guilty and the suffering of the families.
A single image
A picture was made when we unloaded the people from the helicopter. It was the only picture of the accident and was taken to almost all the newspapers. In an article was someone defined by our group in the mouth, we have excavated the buried with bare hands. It all had their shovels it, which was completely normal at this time.
the tabloid made on 1 March 83 from the amateur tour manager Werner Schillinger a mountain guide who had survived in an air bubble. Schillinger actually had the good fortune to be in an upright position, when the avalanche came to a halt, and with one arm he could keep a cave in the snow-free. He also has been found thanks to the small burial as one of the first and was thus quickly breathe himself. In the same article even comes from an Andreas Flütsch which are alleged to rescuers geleitet hat. Ein Mitglied dieses Namens gab es in unserer Gruppe nicht, vielleicht arbeitete er auf der Basis der Rega, war aber nie auf dem Unfallort.
Die Konstanzer Zeitung titelte am Montag: 10 Kinder wurden zu Halbwaisen. Und der Untertitel lautete: Die fünf Lawinenopfer werden heute überführt – gemeinsame Trauerfeier. Im Text hiess es: „Das schreckliche Lawinenunglück in der Ostschweiz hat vier Kindern die Mutter und sechs Kindern die Väter genommen. Mit ihnen trauern die Ehefrauen und die übrigen Angehörigen. Niemand in Konstanz konnte gestern so richtig fassen, welches Verhängnis da über Mitmenschen hereingebrochen ist.“
Dann wurden in der Presse die einzelnen Personen beschrieben, in their professional and family situation. Only the youngest, the 26 year-old doctor Stefan Kluge had no children. This was particularly mentioned. On 12
March 83 appeared in the St. Galler Tagblatt a polemical commentary on
avalanche from the pen of Kurt Schoenenberger. He was a former member of the Section Constance
the banned after his discharge and his minor son to be in the section member. He laments the constant section, and especially the secretary of Raimund Stein, with an irresponsible
language of the last, of defiance, attacking, conquering and climb the mountain in the ground for the club writings careless Climbing set to have. He cites some examples from the association's publications, which play down the danger in his eyes and conjure up a kind of heroism that have the writer gives the impression, in this section is not a safe climbing possible. He quotes from corporate publications: "The weather we have badly played, but we braved it and captured them well-known peaks." He continued: "To see at a possible return of happy faces, get to a the ok of the family." Schoenberger accuses the club before the statement that the board itself had agreed that a reflection on guilt would be pointless and inappropriate. Raimund Stein said in a letter and described the scene as a common language denounced in many alpine and magazines to read.
mourning in ecumenism?
The newspapers were also considered whether there should be a joint funeral service - some of the dead were Catholic, other Protestant and ecumenical in 1983 have not so far advanced that an ecumenical ceremony was taken for granted. She found it but instead of together with a large participation of the population.
In November 1983, appeared in the newspaper patronage of the Swiss Air Rescue Service report a reminder of the helicopter pilots Gerald Heath man who flew the first helicopter to the accident site. He describes the rescue operation is considered excessively risky, as was the fog and snow of the way was hard to find, and it is only with the help of a knowledgeable local farmers, who knew exactly all the obstacles in the area could be flown. The pilots and doctors who were involved in this rescue operation, have given their all and worked in their lives.
The salvage costs were paid by the Alpine Club of Konstanz. Previously, there was a correspondence between the section of Konstanz and the DAV, as their distribution is handled, in particular, would come if in case of any conviction claims on the sentencing. Werner claims could Schillinger gegen den Anklage erhoben worden war, wirtschaftlich in den Ruin treiben. Die Sorge war insofern unbegründet, als dass die Sektion Konstanz für alle von der Sektion ausgeschriebenen Anlässe eine Haftpflichtversicherung hatte. Eine juristische Unschärfe ergibt sich dort, wo die Gruppe der Überlebenden sich einerseits als private Gruppe mit Solidarhaftung bezeichnete, um nicht jemanden als Tourenleiter zu belasten, und anderseits allfällige Regressforderungen auf die Vereinshaftpflichtversicherung abwälzen wollte, um niemanden wirtschaftlich zu gefährden. Ausserdem wollte der Verein sich auch hinter seine Mitglieder stellen, da das Vereinswesen weitgehend davon lebt, dass Mitglieder für Kameraden Verantwortung übernehmen und Touren organize the best of our knowledge and belief. Without volunteer tour guide Alpine Club activity is not feasible.
Raimund Stein went a week in after the disaster area. He spoke with the farmer Christian Jenny, who should have warned the group. Although he has seen rising from afar, but he has never spoken to them. Raymond asked the tabloid a correction. The denial took two lines to deliver. Raimund dug next to the avalanche slope a slip wedge into the snow to check the snowpack. The wedge slipped immediately spontaneously, showing the particularly poor snow cover at this point. On a Eislamelle was snowed Sahara sand and frost on the the snow was no support. Sun glided the snow cover at the first failure by the tour-goers. Had the sun soaks the snow, the connection between the different layers in the snow after a few days would have been fixed. But with the given slope and exposure, the sun shines on the hill in the winter before.
Two days after the accident, on a Tuesday, I went with friends on a ski tour in the Bernese Oberland. The week after that is me as a cold, but remained cloudy memories. We went out every day of the Lambs hut ski touring, and my interest was understandably the snowpack. In the Bernese Oberland, the fresh snow from the weekend was pretty fast and consistent with the surface. Only shady north to east facing slopes remained dangerous with a lot of driving snow. The tour was settled long ago and I thought the processor I could do nothing better than to go right back into the mountains and the bad experiences with good cover.
Gauenhütte - Raimund Stein - The broken loose stone
In gratitude for our rescue efforts were we of the DAV Constance, who had listened to the injured group, in their club hut Gauenhütte invited Montafon, where I met Raymond Steinhoff. Later we made some trips together. Pollux, Grand Combin and even smaller. For Summit photo, he always had a comb in his pocket, and also at -25 degrees and strong winds on the Grand Combin, where several of the tour participants had been frostbitten hands and face, he put his reddish-blond hair for the photo in an accurate head. Raimund Stein now has all 47 4000 he climbed the Swiss Alps. He was 34 years on the board of the DAV Constance, 10 years as 1st Chairman. He is now a sprightly 76-year-old. His wife Erika was in previous years with more to lighter tours, and later she accompanied her husband but also to major tours.
has made in September 1987 Raymond with his longtime tour guide Georg Bernhardt Schreckhorn a tour again. When Abseiling can dissolve a hook or rope sling broke, and George Bernhardt plunged 300 meters deep on the glacier. Raymond grew up insecure from his friend who lay dead near the bergschrund.
Some of the survivors were on the Gauenhütte it, I remember Angela Stadelhofer, who lost her husband Eugen Stadelhofer in the avalanche. She was a small woman with red curly hair, which impressed me in its grave nature.
an ad for manslaughter
Eugene Stadelhofer was this Sunday not responsible professional tour guide for the group, he had advertised a tour to the Chüenihorn. Already on the way to St. Antönien he hesitated twice and wanted to turn back. His tour participants convinced him to at least see the situation on the ground. In the parking lot in St. Antönien he gave up the leadership of the group because he planned the tour to the Chüenihorn considered unfeasible. Then he just went wrong with the group as a normal member of a group of climbers in joint liability. The court practice will normally be assumed that the one with the greatest alpine training or experience automatically the responsibility of a group that, under the joint and takes something. They are primarily guides, but also trained tour guide of the Alpine Associations, which are in an accident a group, der sie angehört haben schwerlich aus der Verantwortung nehmen können. In diesem Fall trug Eugen Stadelhofer die Verantwortung, doch er war in der Lawine ums Leben gekommen. So wurde gegen den nächsten Überlebenden in der möglicher Verantwortungshierarchie Anzeige wegen fahrlässiger Tötung in fünf Fällen erstattet. Es traf den Schreinermeister Werner Schillinger, der in der Lawine seine Ehefrau verloren hatte. Er wurde vom zuständigen Gericht unter den Überlebenden als der am besten ausgebildete Teilnehmer angesehen.
Die Vorstandsmitglieder waren sich einig, dass ein Nachsinnen über Schuld nicht nur zwecklos, sondern auch unangebracht gewesen wäre. Der Verein kümmerte sich mehr um die Hinterbliebenen as to the legal processing and tried to bring it about that the police investigation was terminated. On 29.12.83
let the prosecution case against the Grisons Werner Schillinger covered with a setting available. Is explained in detail in the document, which is why he could not be held liable for the accident. The fact that the avalanche bulletin
not far described the real-existing conditions had, but had mistakenly spoken of little danger of avalanches is interpreted in his favor. The cost for the set Fri investigation amounted to 2206.40. They were imposed according to a fifth, Fr 441.30 to the estate of the deceased. The survivors were not prosecuted. The bill is made up of interesting individual amounts, notice that with Ms. eliminates the 920th-largest item for the advice of the Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research Davos Weissfluhjoch. So much has been used around the time of the accident completely inaccurate avalanche bulletin explained. The bill gives the Public Prosecutor is an A. Flütsch, the 120th charged for its services Fri.
one or two summers after the avalanche, I went with my girlfriend to the accident site on Chrüz in the hope that the images that haunted me in nightmares again and again, would disappear like this. Doch das half nichts. Der Berg war im Sommer nicht der gleiche. Heidelbeersträucher überzogen den Hang. Im Sommer sah er lieblich und völlig harmlos aus. Die Bilder von den im Schnee Verschütteten erschienen weiterhin in meinen Träumen, das Gefühl von Stress, wie ich ihn beim Beatmen erlebt hatte, holte mich immer wieder ein. Richtig ruhig fühlte ich mich lange Zeit nur bei ganz konzentrierter Arbeit in meiner Töpferei oder wenn ich möglichst allein in den Bergen unterwegs war.
Nach 20 Jahren war die Tour aufs Chrüz bei unserer SAC Sektion als Skitour auf dem Tourenprogramm. Da ging ich mit. Ich erhoffte mir nicht viel, aber als ich den Stein sah, der zur Erinnerung an das Unglück errichtet wurde, er gleicht einer ganz kleinen Kappelle, und sah, dass im Giebelbereich bereits der Zahn der Zeit eine Steinplatte heraus gebrochen hatte, da fiel etwas von mir ab. Ich fühlte mich plötzlich ganz leicht. Der Ort verlor mit diesem Bild des langsam verfallenden Mahnmals seinen Schrecken. Dieser eine Stein, der aus einem Giebel heraus gebrochen ist, hat mich von den Albträumen erlöst. Seither habe ich nie mehr von dem Lawinenunglück geträumt.
27 Jahre später -
Ein Gespräch mit Erika und Raimund Steinhoff im August 2009
Das Ehepaar Steinhoff wohnt in einer kleinen Eigentumswohnung in einem Aussenquartier von Konstanz. Nahe am See, in einer ruhigen Wohngegend. Die Wohnung sieht so aus, als sei gerade das Möbelhaus driven up and the establishment did put accurate. Everything is neat, on the walls hang photos mountain. Some shows have become the son of Michael, the guide is the profession but can not exercise for health reasons. You do not have a daughter, Corinne, who lives with her husband and two children in the old town of Constance.
When I called to asked for an interview, they were ready, and so I met them a few days after my call in Konstanz.
We are on it for the interview at a table with corner bench and a hand crochet tablecloth.
Erika responded to my questions often faster than Raymond and complements much of what he says. Content but they are congruent in each point.
At the center of my interviews, the question: How do families with the news of Bergtod a member? But the conversation does not revolve around the many accidents in which the section of Constance with its approximately 6,000 members in recent years was involved. In addition, fresh memories of our joint mountaineering, and then compare our experiences, in terms of mountaineering in general and specifically against its dangers.
The message of death
Raimund had then assumed the task of notifying the families. He tells of the night with obvious excitement. Fritz Schaffheutle, the first chairman, was so shocked that he was not able to. "I then went to the people. The injured Eugene Stadelhofer worked as a carpenter in the same operation as me. He in the workshop, I have in the office, since we knew very well. Erika and I drove from one family to the next. "Raymond recalls that were very different reactions to the bad news. "Many people thought that something like that, because people were much more in the winter road. Others were shocked. "
Erika recalls that Christa Renkawitz was totally shocked. Her husband Hans Peter Renkawitz just had a long and serious illness survived and died barely recovered in the avalanche. This is one of Konstanz newspapers mentioned in an obituary.
Erika and Raimund are so that Sunday evening in the car up by the news of the injured mountaineers with their families to bear. A scary ride through the small town dominated by German Gemütlichkeit. Each family was informed of them personally. Raymond puts in an interview a long break. "Yes, how have responded to? Lore Schillinger is indeed perished in the snow. They have 3 children who were almost grown, so 15 to 19 They were all at home that evening. First, the time still. They said nothing, simply silent only. They could not believe all the first time that the mother has died, "Raymond added:". The father was also in the avalanche and the mother has died, "The Stone Hoffs. wanted on the day of Piz Medel, and seen as Raymond, that it was so warm, he has had to cancel the tour.
you question the meaning - One needs distance
I want from the two Steinhoff's to know if they are in such situations do not pose the question of the meaning of mountaineering activity.
Raymond shook his head and says something thoughtful, "There are already a concern and caution is always right. We have become much more careful since then. "He asserts that he has consulted since then without the avalanche and weather reports, no more tour goes. But the mountain climbing, he never questioned in this discussion of principle. "I have decided to only . Go at full speed on glaciers, avalanches can not come out, "Erika:" Yes, we face the question of the meaning? No, I think we go so much that we just go back "
Raymond added:". Yes, it goes away. But then I needed some time already. After the disaster at Schreckhorn I should have a week later do a tour because I was not able to. "
lie between sets usually a long pause, in which the long-ago events are evoked, but in which the idea to other roam mountain adventures.
Erika takes up the thread again: "Yes that was the Schreckhorn for you noch krasser.“ Denkpause. Ein anderer Freund der beiden, Heinz Kohler, der wie auch Georg Bernhardt mit dabei war auf der Tour am Grand Combin vom 1. Mai 1986, war am 27. Juli jenes Jahres am Westgrat der Kuchenspitze in relativ leichtem Klettergelände unangeseilt abgestürzt. Er hatte einen drogensüchtigen Sohn, den hatte er da rausgeholt, und der hat sich nach dem Tod des Vaters das Leben genommen.
Eine andere Frage, die mich interessierte, war wie der Tod von Bergsteigern in der Konstanzer Gesellschaft aufgenommen wurde. In der ersten Hälfte des 20. Jahrhunderts wurden deutsche Bergsteiger oft als nationale Helden gefeiert. So wurden die Erstdurchsteiger der Eigernordwand von Hitler persönlich empfangen und geehrt. Ich wollte wissen, whether because there had still something of a hero worship and whether they have noticed a change in public perception.
The response of Raymond was quick: "hero worship? I do not think that's over. "Erika said:" Today, one thinks more of the members "It was also said that it was once different..
With Werner Schillinger and Adolf Bäumle that had survived the disaster on Chrüz, Erika and Raymond have been in the episode a lot together. Long walks allowed the two to speak out. Erika is sure that the people that much and have talked openly about their loss, better and faster get over it came, as people who were locked in the sequence.
The survivors of the avalanche on Chrüz form something like a common destiny, which dissolves slowly, after a quarter of a century. Most of them meet together once in Advent, and usually go together to St. Gallen to the theater.
Raymond mentioned that last year again was a memorial service, but that since not all the survivors and the survivors have come. "The Lady from Dirk Feist grain did not come, and Christa Renkawitz not, it is not the time come to Gauenhütte she said even then, they wanted to not do that."
Erika recalls daran, dass Angelika Stadelhofer gleich nach der Benachrichtigung in die Schweiz fuhr. „Sie hat sich den Eugen noch vor Ort angesehen, bevor der Sarg zugemacht wurde. So ist Angelika. Die erzählt auch immer alles was sie fühlt und dann ist sie es los, das tut ihr gut und dann ist es fertig.“
Der Blick von aussen - Stört das Unverständnis?
Wir wissen ja, was wir tun
Die Frage nach der Wahrnehmung und der Beurteilung der alpinistischen Tätigkeit in der Bevölkerung und in der Presse beantwortet Raimund mit einem wegwerfenden Kopfnicken. „Viele betrachten das als Leichtsinn.“ Und Erika doppelt gleich nach: „Ja, vor allem nach dem Unfall von Georg. Warum geht der mit 60 yet again Schreckhorn? It was said in some places, even if the accident had nothing to do with age, nothing. "
Erika takes a lot of people already think it was like an addiction, and the mountains that make people careless. Raymond confirmed that he already has met incomprehension, but it seems not to disturb the two seasoned mountaineers. Together, they rehearsed the sentence as saying: "No, I would say that simply have no idea who can not decide. No, well actually not really that disturbs us, we know what we're doing. "
My guess is that might lie behind the alpinism a death wish, both back vehemently. "Death wish did not! We do not, there would have been a suicide. No, I can not imagine. No, we would not go. It prepares and has fun with it. "
is the idea of \u200b\u200ba world-weary of climbers come to them before. "You do it for his life and prepares himself and has fun with it."
The crash on Schreckhorn - An old hook
then Raymond told the story of the crash of George Bernhardt on Schreckhorn.
Erika had then no experience of climbing at this altitude. Moreover, the route over the south pillar very exposed. Therefore remained In the Schreckhorn hut, while the men climbed onto Schreckhorn. "So it repent me not really, I knew it was hard. The men have said that there are loud Guide 7 hours to the summit, which is already long and the height and so I just said to myself, then we have this I have sat outside the hut and read. "
Raymond takes over the Word: "The 4000-er Switzerland I've climbed them all, but except for the Schreckhorn I never had a problem ...... was the at the 3rd Abseiling. I was ready to climb even further and had a bad stand There was a snow field that I've crossed. Then George said: "You have to see for a hook," Then he used the rope and hung there. As he leaned into the rope, which had to have it solved, I do not know if the hook was not connected properly or a noose was not good. He rushed past me. The rope whirled far into the air. He still cried. When George was crashed, came to me in some uncertainty. And "(was he demonstrates how he crouched by the impression of the event and trembling)" Although a tremor when climbing. With slings I am always careful when the are not good, they can tear. If there before a rope was removed, it can scorch the loop and then keep the fast anymore. "After a pause, he moves to his story continues: ". There was still a mountain guide with two guests on the road, who then organized the rescue"
indulges While Raymond's thoughts, Erika leads the discussion thread continued: "I thought, why am I suddenly so nervous? And then it was not long before the clients came from the mountain guides and I could ask them why they come alone. They said it would watch the guide yet, what do the others up there. The guide had said that up there which is not true. Then came the helicopter like ... "
Raimund:" Yes, these were two helicopters, was the first move with guests, who flew the same get over it, and then the second was the rescue helicopter. "
Erika was glad when Raymond got out then from the helicopter. "But how! He could barely walk more ... wet and very bent "
Raymond." Yes, I was all wet, because I had to cross a waterfall and I have been waiting since then the top. I was ready to climb all the way up to George. The entire edge and then the ramp. For two hours it took me until I was with him. Since I've finally found out he was dead. The guide has observed that one descends from us. When you climb up, we had very little trouble. Normally I always try if the hooks are properly seated. - (Shows a picture of Schreckhorn) The Guide was also up, but they were in decline rapidly and he has then seen from below, that at us something was wrong, because only one was staying. "
Erika shows on a painted Raimund image the crash site and all the way, the George has crashed and the edge of the Raymond is ready to climb unsecured.
dynamics in the group?
I want to know how they assess the group dynamics, whether it is prudent when you're alone and if there is such thing as peer pressure is. The reaction is unexpected violent, first by Erika: "This is already happening when starting, then they will have all the fast, looks so bad, if you go last. And so it goes on. Everyone wants to go zuforderst. If I'm alone, I wonder whether I can or if things get too dangerous. "
Raymond says, no one wants to pinch, in the group feel it more comfortable and more men reported in a group never doubts, but do always go forward .
Raimund out smaller tours, he has osteoarthritis in the fingers and can not climb anymore. "So I can not go up the Matterhorn. Ski, and hike that will ever happen. "
Each week they meet with the Alpine Club. Once for walking and even cycling. Climbing she brought more than before.
evening
After visiting with their parents I still meet the daughter Corinna Steinhoff. When I ask her how her father once used on the accident at Schreckhorn, she calls out loudly: "Yes he was the first human in his life! In him was an accident triggered off a change to point to the maintenance of property less energy used and multiplied by, looking after the grandchildren dedicated and learned, sometimes a blind eye to leave. "
