Zurich University of the Arts
Master of Arts in Art Education
publish well and give
HS-09-10
Chapter 1
Constance and the Chrüz
The avalanche on Chrüz at St. Antönien
from 27/02/1983
and other accidents
The brother of my girlfriend wanted on 27/02/1983 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 peaks and dropped heavy, large snowflakes. We drove a piece of 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 behind dark marks on the jacket, under the strap of my backpack, it was soon wet to the skin. The trees were loose in this forest. You could cross 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 deeper 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 put us 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 dense fog and snow fall further. We also broke shortly thereafter.
The avalanche
the route to let that we are either on ground motion, which is less than the critical for avalanche 30 degrees was steep or a wind free of snow kept by the heat slightly 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 on dem weitgehend neuschneefreien Nordostgrat etwa die Hälfte des Weges zurückgelegt hatten, sah unser vorderster Mann, es war Andy, der sich verloben wollte, durch den aufreissenden Nebel, dass am Gipfel eine Lawine niedergegangen war. Er ging etwas näher an den Gratabbruch und sah jemanden mit einer roten Jacke, dessen Beine in einem riesigen Lawinenkegel steckten, um Hilfe rufen. Von seinen Kameraden sahen wir keine Spur. Sofort versuchten wir zu ihm hinunter zu fahren, was aber in den steilen Hängen nicht ging, da diese sofort anfingen wegzurutschen. Sie drohten auch uns zu verschütten. Wir mussten eine kleine Strecke zurück abfahren und dann wieder aufsteigen. Dabei ging wertvolle Zeit verloren. Wir schickten zwei gute Skifahrer ins Tal, to organize assistance. 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 shovels, which belongs to everyone from touring equipment. Only the first still had a spontaneous breathing, the next had been the heart and respiratory failure. They had pushed the heavy snow in the nose and mouth, so they had not a single breath possible. was a man with whom initially noted no spontaneous breathing was more we could bring back to life. He drove home in the evening even with the car to Constance.
respiration to exhaustion
The respiration of the dead and the deep unconscious person turned out to be incredibly difficult, because their facial muscles sagging evading the pressure of holding hands and gave no resistance. I tried them vorzudrücken the jaw and pressed his lips together 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. Ausserdem wurden ihre Körper von der Last des Schnees zusammengepresst, so dass kaum Luft in den Brustkorb eindringen konnte, bevor dieser freigelegt war. Wir konnten uns im klumpigen Lawinenschnee nicht richtig hinknien, ich bekam in einer meist verdrehten Lage selber kaum Luft. Ausserdem kam man sich ständig mit dem Kollegen, der Herzmassage machte, mit den Beinen in die Quere. Die Verschütteten mussten ja mit Luft versorget werden, als sie noch tief in ihren Löchern unten im Schnee festgehalten wurden. Wir mussten kopfunter beatmen, das Blut schoss uns in den Kopf und wir mussten acht geben, nicht selber ohnmächtig zu werden. Wenn ein Kollege dann für die Herzmassage dreimal nacheinander kräftig auf den Brustkorb des Verunfallten drückte, I squirted the contents of the stomach in the face. After I recently had to defend myself against violent nausea. 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 that could happen and I should therefore make me worry.
The last burials
We had to feed four people, until someone called, one still missing. I got up and gave my seat to a comrade. The respiration strained at 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 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.
I was sure to one spot, a person was caught and driven purely by intuition to dig. 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, Matthew, stood at the beginning of his medical school and asked us to everything possible to try, otherwise we might have come to terms quickly with the death of the victim, so we gave her all our remaining strength.
Matthias 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 defibrillator, 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 found, however, only her death.
us were trying only to the accident site and had the remaining victims as far as our resources allow, continue to ventilate. Matt had told us that with good ventilation and a minimum maintained by cardiac massage obtained blood circulation people could be saved even after several hours. So we set free our last strength. Another helicopter flew over the ridge, and with it, a doctor from the Valley. He was quiet, which also returned us some security and peace. He wore a beige corduroy trousers, a black windbreaker, and Military footwear line. He also asked how she was us, then, the people we had up to then ventilated with the mobilization of all our forces, loaded on stretchers in the helicopter. The helicopter Alouette 3 had two mounts for stretchers, some members of our group flew down with, some went with the ski valley. Then came the helicopter for a third time, we loaded the last Dead one. Meanwhile, the doctor had given the signal to stop respiration, since there was no hope, bring it on back to life. I got in and got my first helicopter flight. The weather had improved in the meantime so far that the pilot could fly to normal vision and no longer like the first approach using a farmer from the area of \u200b\u200btree to tree had to grope. In the parking lot of St. Antönien we landed. A lot of 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 was with us and schirmte uns von Fragen ab. Im Hotel Weisses Kreuz wurden wir versorgt, der Heli flog mit einem Polizisten zur Unfallstelle. Im Saal neben dem Raum, wo wir verpflegt wurden, lagen die Toten auf den Tischen. Ihre Gesichter sahen völlig entspannt und friedlich aus.
Ich rief meine Eltern an, um sie zu informieren. Sie wussten schon, dass ein Lawinenunglück passiert war, zeigten sich aber nicht beunruhigt, weil sie unserer Vorsicht vertrauten.
Am Abend fuhren wir heim. Mit Postauto und Bahn.
Zeitungsberichte – Todesanzeigen -
Behauptungen und Dementi - Lawinenbericht
Die Resonanz des Lawinenunglücks in der Presse war enorm, waren doch fünf Climbers from the same town killed, among them the first section, prosecutor of Konstanz and known members of the DAV. Information has been printed, but also illuminates the background. 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 was an avalanche warning of a local. The Unfortunate tendency to be mentioned as known for its dangers, 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. "
time of the accident was working on the upper lift station, a man named Christian Jenny. He was in some newspaper reports (image, FAZ) quoted as saying that he had warned the group. But since the group was not passed to the upper lift station, this is impossible even for geographical reasons. Who came up with the idea to put him to this warning in the mouth can be ascertained no longer, nor has spread this message which newspaper first. In any case, it was then written off many times. The article in the newspaper
Constance was also still on the avalanche report. Quote: "The Swiss avalanche forecaster and researcher Paul hairdryer assumes that broke off in the powder snow the old snowpack. This have the whole slope piece 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 fell sei, ist falsch. Es lagen zum Unfallzeitpunkt auf 2000 m.ü.M in der Ebene ca. 25 cm schwerer Neuschnee, Der Westwind hatte dann zu grossen Verfrachtungen geführt und die nach NO geneigte Mulde voll geweht. An der Abrissstelle wurde eine Schneehöhe von ca. 60 cm gemessen.
Die zeitgenössischen Presseberichte sind voller Anklagen, erwähnen Leichtfertigkeit und übertriebene Sorglosigkeit, sie machen die Verunfallten zu Schuldigen und erwähnen das Leid der Familien.
Ein einziges Bild
Ein Bild wurde gemacht, als wir die Leute aus dem Helikopter ausluden. Es war das einzige Bild vom Unfall und wurde in fast allen Zeitungen gebracht. In einem Artikel wurde jemandem von unserer Gruppe in den Mund down, we would have dug up 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, so he could keep up with one arm in the snow a cave freely. 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, who led rescue workers said. A Member gave it this name in our group, maybe he was working on the basis of the shelf, but was never on the scene of an accident.
The Constance newspaper headline on Monday: 10 children were half-orphans. And is the subtitle: The five avalanche victims are now converted - joint funeral service. The text was: "The terrible avalanche in eastern Switzerland, the four children, mother and six children has taken the fathers. mourn with them the wives and other relatives. No one in Konstanz was yesterday really comprehend it, which is fatal since befallen others. "
were then described in the press, the individuals in their professional and family Situation. Nur der jüngste von ihnen, der 26 jährige Arzt Stefan Kluge hatte keine Kinder. Dies wurde besonders erwähnt.
Am 12. März 1983 erschien im St. Galler Tagblatt ein polemischer Kommentar zum Lawinenunglück aus der Feder eines Kurt Schönenberger. Er war ein ehemaliges Mitglied der Sektion Konstanz, das nach seinem Austritt auch seinem minderjährigen Sohn verboten hat in der Sektion Mitglied zu werden. Er klagt die Sektion Konstanz und besonders den Schriftführer Raimund Steinhoff an, mit einer unverantwortlichen Sprache des Leistens, des Trotzens, Angreifens, Eroberns und Bezwingens des Berges in den Vereinsschriften den Boden für unvorsichtiges Bergsteigen gelegt zu haben. Er führt einige Beispiele aus Vereinspublikationen an, welche in seinen Augen die Gefahr verharmlosen und eine Art von Heldentum heraufbeschwören, die dem Schreiber das Gefühl vermittelt haben, in dieser Sektion sei ein sicheres Bergsteigen nicht möglich. Dabei zitiert er aus Vereinsschriften: „Das Wetter hat uns arg mitgespielt, aber wir haben ihm getrotzt und nahmhafte Gipfel erobert.“ Und weiter: „Um bei einer allfälligen Rückkehr fröhliche Gesichter zu sehen, hole man sich das OK der Familie ein.“ Schönenberger wirft dem Verein auch die Aussage vor, dass der Vorstand sich einig sei, dass ein Nachsinnen über Schuld zwecklos und unangebracht wäre. Raimund Steinhoff entgegnete in einem Leserbrief und bezeichnete die angeprangerte Sprache als szenenüblich and read in many alpine journals.
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 as disproportionate riskant, da im Nebel und Schneetreiben der Weg kaum zu finden gewesen war, und er nur mit Hilfe eines ortskundigen Bauern, der alle Hindernisse der Gegend genau kannte, geflogen werden konnte. Auch die Piloten und Ärzte, die an dieser Rettungsaktion beteiligt waren, haben ihr Letztes gegeben und unter Einsatz ihres Lebens gearbeitet.
Die Bergungskosten wurden vom Alpenverein Konstanz übernommen. Zuvor gab es noch einen Briefwechsel zwischen der Sektion Konstanz und dem DAV, wie ihre Verteilung zu handhaben sei, insbesondere, wenn bei einem allfälligen Schuldspruch Forderungen auf den Verurteilten zukommen würden. Schadenersatzforderungen könnten Werner Schillinger, gegen den Anklage erhoben worden war, wirtschaftlich in den Ruin . Drive The concern was unfounded so far as that section was constant for all of the advertised events section, a liability insurance. A legal uncertainty arises where the group of survivors on the one hand described as a private group with joint liability, so as not someone to charge as a tour leader, and wanted to pass on the other hand, any claims for compensation to the club liability insurance so as not to endanger economic. Also wanted to make the club even after its members, as the voluntary sector which largely lives that members take responsibility for PAL and organize tours to the best of my knowledge. Without voluntary Tourenleiter ist keine Alpenvereinstätigkeit denkbar.
Raimund Steinhoff ging eine Woche nach dem Unglück ins Gebiet. Er sprach mit dem Bauern Christian Jenny, der die Gruppe gewarnt haben sollte. Er hat sie zwar von weitem aufsteigen sehen, doch hat er nie mit ihnen gesprochen. Raimund verlangte von der Bildzeitung eine Richtigstellung. Das Dementi nahm zwei Zeilen in Anspruch. Raimund hat neben dem Lawinenhang einen Rutschkeil in den Schnee gegraben, um den Schneedeckenaufbau zu überprüfen. Der Keil rutschte sofort spontan ab, das zeigt den besonders ungünstigen Schneedeckenaufbau an dieser Stelle auf. Auf einer Eislamelle lag Saharasand und eingeschneiter Rauhreif, auf dem der Neuschnee keinen Halt fand. So glitt die Neuschneedecke bei the first failure by the tour-goers from. 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 remains blue in memory. 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 quick and consistent with the surface. Only shady north to east facing Steep slopes with plenty of driving snow remained dangerous. 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.
an ad for manslaughter
Eugene Stadelhofer was that Sunday is not responsible professional tour guide for the group, he had advertised a tour to the Chüenihorn. Already on the journey 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 was the lead from 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 have an accident in a group to which they belong can hardly take on the responsibility. In this case occurred Eugene Stadelhofer responsibility, but he was in the avalanche were killed. Thus, against the next Survivors in the hierarchy display of possible responsibility for negligent homicide report in five cases. It hit the master carpenter Werner Schillinger, who had lost his wife in the avalanche. He was considered by the court among the survivors as the best-trained participants.
The Board members agreed that would have been a meditation on guilt, not only useless but also inappropriate. The society cares more about the survivors 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 component amounts, where notice that with Ms. 920th-largest of the items for the advice of the Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research Davos Weissfluhjoch deleted. 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.
Gauenhütte - Raimund Stein - The broken loose stone
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 left me for two decades, many nights lang nicht schlafen. Als ich einmal in einem Eisenbahnabteil Kotze roch, geriet ich in Panik. Der Gestank erinnerte mich an den Stress, dem wir beim Beatmen ausgesetzt gewesen sind, die Anstrengung und die schwindende Hoffnung auf Wiederbelebung.
Zum Dank für unsere Rettungsbemühungen wurden wir von der DAV Sektion Konstanz, der die verunfallte Gruppe angehört hatte, in ihre Clubhütte Gauenhütte im Montafon eingeladen, wo ich Raimund Steinhoff kennen lernte. Auch einige der Hinterbliebenen waren auf der Gauenhütte dabei, ich erinnere mich an Angelika Stadelhofer, die ihren Mann Eugen Stadelhofer in der Lawine verloren hatte. Sie war eine kleine Frau mit rötlichem Kraushaar. Später habe ich mit Raimund einige gemeinsame Touren undertaken. Pollux, Grand Combin and even smaller. For the top photo he always had a comb in his pocket, and even at -25 degrees Celsius 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. His wife Erika was in previous years with more to lighter tours, and later she accompanied her husband but also to major tours.
In September 1987, Raymond was again with his long-time tour guide Georg Bernhardt a tour Schreckhorn made. Abseiling, a hook or rope sling can dissolve crack, and George Bernhardt fell 300 meters deep on the glacier. Raymond grew up insecure from his friend who lay dead near the bergschrund.
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. But that did not help. The mountain was in the summer is not the same. Blueberry bushes covered the slope. In the summer, he looked lovely and completely harmless. The pictures appeared in the snow still buried in my dreams, feelings of 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 Stone that has broken out of a Gable has redeemed me from the nightmares. Since then I've never dreamed more of the avalanche.
then 27 years -
An Interview with Erik and Raimund Stein in August 2009
The couple Steinhoff lives in a small condominium in a suburb of Konstanz. Near the lake, in a quiet residential area. The apartment looks like, just as was the furniture company moved forward and have placed the device accurately. Everything is neat, on the walls hang photos mountain. Some shows have become the son of Michael, the guide is the profession but for health reasons can no longer perform. 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 Konstanz mit ihren ca. 6000 Mitgliedern in den letzten Jahren verwickelt war. Daneben frischen wir Erinnerungen an gemeinsame Bergtouren auf und gleichen unsere Erfahrungen ab, in Bezug auf das Bergsteigen allgemein und speziell in Bezug auf dessen Gefahren.
Die Botschaft vom Tod
Raimund hatte damals die Aufgabe übernommen, die Angehörigen zu benachrichtigen. Er erzählt von dem Abend mit sichtlicher Erregung. Fritz Schaffheutle, der erster Vorsitzender, war so geschockt, dass er dazu nicht in der Lage war. „Ich bin dann zu den Leuten hingegangen. Der verunfallte Eugen Stadelhofer arbeitete als Schreinermeister im gleichen Betrieb wie ich. Er in der Werkstatt, ich im Büro, da haben wir uns 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 Raymond 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 coined by German Gemütlichkeit Small town. 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. . The was the first barrel times do not mean that the mother has died, "Raymond adds." The father was also in the avalanche and the mother was killed "
The Steinhoff's wanted on the day of Piz Medel, and as Raimund seen, that it was so warm, he has had to cancel the tour.
The question of the meaning
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, where no avalanches can occur." 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 crass for you yet." Period of reflection. Another friend of the two, Heinz Kohler, who was both George Bernhardt with it on the tour of the Grand Combin first May 1986 was on 27 July of that year on the west ridge of the cake top unangeseilt relatively easy climbing site crashed. He had a drug-addicted son, who was clean with his help for some time, and who has taken after the death of his father's life.
Another question that interests me is how the death of mountaineers in the Constance company was incorporated. In the first half of the 20th Century German mountaineers often celebrated as a national hero. Thus, the first by increasing the Eiger north face of Hitler personally received and honored, and the victims of the failed, fatal experiments were treated as national heroes alongside the fallen soldiers of Stalingrad. I will Know whether there were still taking place something of a hero worship and whether they have noticed a change in public perception.
The answer comes quickly from Raymond "hero worship? I do not think that's over. "Erika adds:" Today we think more of the members "It is also said that there was a difference..
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 the fact that Angela went Stadelhofer immediately after notification in Switzerland. "They are the Eugene has not seen the site before the coffin was closed."
The view from outside - Does the lack of understanding?
We know what we do
The question of the perception and evaluation of mountaineering activity in the population and in the press Raymond answered with a dismissive nod. "Many see this as carelessness." And Erika twice right after: "Yes, especially after the accident at George. Why does the 60 yet again Schreckhorn? It was said in some places, even if the accident has nothing to with age had to do. "
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 longing for death, have both vehemently. "Death wish did not! We do not, as would a schon Selbstmordabsichten haben. Nein, das kann ich mir nicht vorstellen. Nein, dann würden wir nicht gehen. Man bereitet sich vor und hat Spass daran.“
Der Gedanke an eine Lebensüberdrüssigkeit von Bergsteigern ist ihnen noch nie gekommen. „Man macht es für sein Leben und bereitet sich vor und hat Spass daran.“
Der Absturz am Schreckhorn - Ein alter Haken
Dann erzählt Raimund die Geschichte von vom Absturz von Georg Bernhardt am Schreckhorn.
Erika hatte damals keine Erfahrung mit Klettern in dieser Höhe. Ausserdem ist die Route über den Südpfeiler sehr ausgesetzt. Deshalb blieb sie in der Schreckhornhütte, während die Männer aufs Schreckhorn stiegen. „Also gereut hat es mich nicht wirklich, ich wusste, dass es schwer war. Die Männer haben gesagt, dass es laut Führer sieben Stunden sind bis zum Gipfel, das ist schon lang und in der Höhe und so sagte ich mir eben, dann lassen wir das. Ich habe vor der Hütte gesessen und gelesen.“
Raimund übernimmt das Wort: „Die 4000-er der Schweiz habe ich alle bestiegen, aber ausser beim Schreckhorn hatte ich nie Probleme. Das war bei der dritten Abseilstelle. Ich war schon weiter abgeklettert und hatte einen schlechten Stand. Da war ein Schneefeld, das habe ich gequert. Dann rief Georg: „Du hast ja einen Haken übersehen,“ den benützte er dann und hängte das Seil dort ein. 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 "(He was showing 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 the rope was pulled, the sear holds the noose, and then are no longer "After a short pause, he moves into his story continues:" There was a mountain guide . On the road with two guests, 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 that flew right over it, and the second was the rescue helicopter. "
Erika war heilfroh, als Raimund dann aus dem Helikopter ausstieg. „Aber wie! Der konnte kaum mehr gehen... nass und ganz gebückt.“
Raimund: „Ja, ich war ganz nass, ich musste da einen Wasserfall queren. Ich war die ganze Strecke bis zum George abgeklettert. Die ganze Kante und dann die Rampe. Zwei Stunden habe ich gebraucht, bis ich bei ihm war. Da habe ich ihn dann gefunden. Er war schon tot. Der Bergführer hatte beobachtet, dass nur einer von uns absteigt. Im Aufstieg hatten wir kaum Schwierigkeiten. Normalerweise probiere ich immer, ob die Haken richtig sitzen. - (Er zeigt ein Bild vom Schreckhorn) Der Bergführer war auch oben, die waren aber im Abstieg schneller und er hat dann von unten gesehen, dass bei uns something was wrong, because only one was staying. "
Erika shows on a painted picture of Raymond at the crash site and all the way that George has died 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 go alone, ask I myself whether I can or if things get too dangerous. "
Raymond says, no one wanted to pinch, in a group you feel more comfortable and more men report never in a group of concerns, but always want to only move forward.
Raimund out smaller tours, he has osteoarthritis in the fingers and can no longer climb well. "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 it brought in more than before.
evening
After visiting with her parents I meet her daughter Corinna Steinhoff. She is an art therapist and lives with her family in the old town of Constance. 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 it, the accident triggered 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. "
Today
As mentioned earlier, I went two days after the accident on Chrüz next to the ski tour. I would not have entered his mind to leave the mountain climbing. In the following years I was trained as a SAC tour guide and spent many winters while as much time as possible in the mountains. I thought, based on my experience and my caution, I would keep the risk low and considered myself as a safe climber. In January 1994 I was on a slope, which I had previously judged to be safe, carried away by a snow board and completely buried. I was lucky that I did with your right arm to push away snow from my head and was able to keep clear a cave. Also, I was standing up in the avalanche when it came to a halt. Before the guys were with me, I was able to liberate themselves from the snow. I had judged the hill to be safe because it only slightly above 30 degrees was steep, the snow had a crust because of the sun roof and the exposure was facing south. This tendency would, despite the security level "significant" must be safe for exposure to West to East.
was in May of that year, I rise to a friend about the deep glacier at the Galen floor. We were a little late start in Realp and my friend had a fully fit, which slowed our ascent. The May sun softened the snow so much that I decided to turn back before we reached the bergschrund the southern low saddle. On the descent, the snow suddenly gave me, and I fell about six feet in depth. There, jammed the snow block, on which I lay in a broad, narrowing down crevasses. When I tried using my ski poles to go up, they held only to a yawning black void. I was able to save a lot of luck with this situation.
am In the following years I rarely went into the mountains with climbing and I have almost stopped completely. My enthusiasm for the mountains and mountain climbing but still.
first The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is comparable to the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober. The happiness of credulity is a cheap and dangerous goods. - George Bernard Shaw 
Beweis behauptet werden kann, kann auch ohne Beweis abgelehnt werden. – Christopher Hitchens 
55th They thought that science could have a corrosive effect on religious faith and were worried about it. Damn it, I think they were right! Science corrode religious belief and that's a good thing! - Steven Weinberg 
90th Animals have no gods, but they are too smart. - Ronnie Snow 
