Original subtitles

July 1968 Heiligkreuzkofel, Dolomites

Reinhold!

Only five metres of rope left! Be careful!

No more rope!

I'll make it. Just a few metres to go.

No more rope, Reinhold! All gone!

Reinhold!

At the belay!

Damn it!

No intermediate belay.

On this wall.

You're crazy!

You're such an idiot!

One day you'll kill yourself, and me.

I couldn't go down, only up.

- If you'd fallen, I'd have gone too. - I didn't fall.

Should I have jumped? I couldn't go back.

- You hate bolts. - Free climbing is great.

But you risk your life.

You don't have to climb with me.

You rush off and leave me here. At least admit it was close.

Pretty close.

What's next?

Something no one has done yet.

The Sigi L�w Memorial Expedition to Nanga Parbat.

the Germans' 'Killer Mountain'

ended on June 27 this year with a conquest of the summit.

This was the first conquest of the Rupal Face.

a vertical wall 4500 metres high,

the world's highest mountain face.

Under my leadership.

The magnificent team...

Sadly, the magnificent team success was overshadowed

by the high-handed behaviour of a person

who did not obey the instructions from Base Camp.

This led to a disaster

resulting from one of those alpinist pranks

that don't remain unpunished in the Himalayas.

Was the reckless crossing of the mountain

planned from the start?

Did ambition and self-interest destroy the camaraderie?

Did one brother, weakened, remain near the summit.

while the stronger one made it down to the valley...

- That's not true! - Thus saving his own life?

We'll never know.

It is not my task to investigate how much guilt...

how much guilt Reinhold Messner has taken on himself.

He will bear this burden to the end of his life.

Dr. Karl Maria Herrligkoffer's claims are not true!

What's it like to sacrifice your brother?

Do you feel guilty?

G�nther!

G�nther!

G�nther!

May 1957 Villnessdalen, South Tyrol

The hardest bit is the top.

Starting off is hard too.

But someone might see us at the top

and then we've got a problem.

- Be careful. - Hello, Father.

Reinhold?

G�nther... The teacher's sons, of all people.

What do you think you're doing here?

It was the wall's fault. It was in the way.

- What do you say, G�nther? - I don't know.

�L don't know...�

If you don't have a mind of your own, don't just tag along.

A cemetery is not a playground.

If you've no respect for the dead at least think of the living.

Imagine how your parents would suffer

if you were lying down there dashed to pieces.

Now off you go.

We'll talk after school.

You can climb if you want to.

But on weekends and on easy routes.

To help you learn that, no more climbing until I permit it.

It's only because I'm a better climber than you.

G�nther...

Wait for me in the yard.

They never do as they're told.

They have minds of their own.

It won't harm them.

Am I my brother's keeper?

Thus Cain rebels against God.

The Bible,

Genesis 4, gives us the answer.

Yes, you are your brother's keeper.

And Jesus, too, constantly telling his disciples

�You cannot be saved with your backs to the others."

I was a stranger.

And you?

Did you take me in? I was sick.

And you?

Did you visit me?

I was a captive.

Hungry'-

Thirsty.

Naked.

And you?

Were you there for me?

These are the questions Jesus will ask...

I'd be up there in eight moves.

Where?

You're mad.

Here's what I'd do.

I'd put my foot in that niche, then...

You shall be a restless wanderer.

This is what God says to Cain.

Thou shalt lose thy homeland

and the sanctuary of thy family.

A step to the right...

Let us pray.

Our Father, who art in Heaven,

hallowed be Thy name.

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven...

The belfry, later?

You can't catch me!

- I'm almost there. - Forget it!

The loser cleans the winner's shoes for a week.

I won!

So?

Next year I'm climbing the Grosse Fermeda North face.

Solo.

I'm coming too.

- You're too young. - I am not.

We'll see.

I'm going to be a mountain guide.

No, a mountaineer.

Like Bonatti.

- Or Buhl. - Me too.

I'll climb the north face of the Three Peaks.

- I'll do the Marmolada south face. - Civetta north-west face.

- Matterhorn north face. - Eiger north face.

Nanga Parbat!

Nanga Parbat...

The Rupal Face...

The Himalayas...

That would be great!

We just wanted to get away.

From the narrowness, from the valley.

Away from home.

We dreamt of Hermann Buhl's climbing expeditions.

Of living on the vertical, of Nanga Parbat.

We climbed as if on a distant star, following our own rules.

We were brothers, friends, partners...

A steadfast rope team.

The mountaineering scene was small.

Only those who climbed the toughest routes were recognised.

It wasn't about the summit...

It was about danger, abysses and risk.

About taking new routes with as little equipment as possible.

And it was about happiness

About the moment of the last big step.

About the second when nothing seems impossible.

Savings Bank

Beckenbauer will take the free kick.

The referee points out that the distance...

Lunch time!

Fantastic.

An invitation from Herrligkoffer.

The Nanga Parbat south face, the Himalayas! The Rupal Face.

Forget the Himalayas. Endless trudging through snow lugging gear.

- But the Rupal Face... - 4500 metres. Steep.

Very steep.

- The world's highest rock face. - And never climbed.

- You know Herrligkoffer's reputation. - Yes.

But I'd go to Nanga with the devil.

- How much will it cost you? - 3000 marks.

- What about uni? - It's a pain.

The Nanga expedition is my chance. Maybe I can make a living climbing.

Not even famous climbers can. Only dead climbers are famous.

- Nanga, the Rupal Face. - Yes...

What about me?

He's almost at the top.

I can't look.

So high up-

At least Nanga Parbat will be high enough for him.

I just hope he comes back down safely.

Reinhold is a good climber.

But it's not right for him to go alone.

G�nther should have the chance too.

I'd rather neither of them went.

Just a moment.

- Could you wait a moment? - Thanks.

- A drink? - Water, please.

Fine.

Good bye...

- Reinhold Messner? - Yes. Hello.

Pleased to meet you.

Willy Merkl, my half-brother.

We used to climb the Kampenwand south flank.

Fate tore the crown of Nanga from his hand just before the summit.

I wish he could see us continuing his fight.

This time the Rupal Face must fall.

We owe that to the memory of those who lost their lives there.

How many expeditions so far?

Seven. It's the seventh.

The fourth to the Rupal Face. We got the summit twice.

With Buhl in '53 and with Sigi Liiwvia the Diamirflank in '62.

Last year we made it to 7100 metres on the Rupal Face.

then the weather put a stop to it.

- Hermann Buhl? - Yes, Buhl.

Fantastic solo climb.

Without the efforts of the whole team

and the preparation he'd never have got to the top.

The Himalayas are not for loners, Mr. Messner.

Those mountains start where ours stop.

Only a strong, powerful team can conquer Nanga.

No need to conquer it. Climbing it is enough for me.

CHRISTMAS 1969

For G�nther

Open it.

I wasn't expecting you.

The others have gone to Midnight Mass.

- You're off soon. - Open it.

- The letter. - Oh.

�I agree to bring G�nther. Karl."

From Herrligkoffer?

Sepp dropped out. Karl needed a replacement.

I told him to take the best man. Can you get leave?

If not, I'll resign.

I wanted to anyway.

Happy Christmas, G�nther.

Happy Christmas, Reinhold.

Well, then...

I'm happy for you.

- G�nther, stay close to Reinhold, okay? - Yes, Mum.

Yes.

- Be careful. - Sure.

You too.

Reinhold...

Bring G�nther back home safely.

- Do you promise? - I promise.

Reinhold...

Dr Herrligkoffer, will you conquer Nanga Parbat this time?

Of course.

Mr Messner, how high is Nanga Parbat?

Pretty high.

- Do you want to get to the top? - Where else?

- We all want to. - Your name, please.

Our Austrian star sees himself at the top.

Do you see yourselves as comrades or as rivals?

Climbers need a good rope team and ambition.

- So comrades and rivals? - If I might add a few words...

Of course every individual matters, but the team is paramount.

Everyone in our expedition

is eager to follow in the footsteps of the heroes of '34, '53 and '62,

who risked their lives at Nanga Parbat.

A few more details about the expedition...

It's costing 130,000 marks.

Nine tonnes of equipment and material

are being taken to Pakistan overland.

The summit assault will be on the summer solstice on 21 June.

- Good luck. - Thanks.

Karl?

What are you doing in our room?

Our ?ight to the north is cancelled.

The hotel, the storage... it all costs more than we planned.

And we're running out of money.

So we're stuck?

Senator Burda is here. Here in Rawalpindi.

Burda. The publisher of *Bunte* magazine.

He paid for the pre-printing rights to our expedition.

He's invited us all to dinner tonight. The whole team.

Great. I'm delighted.

Perhaps it would be a good opportunity

to remind him how important our expedition...

I'm to ask him for money.

Talk to him. Make him enthusiastic.

I can't do it. I'm a bit awkward with these things.

By the way, his cook is Swabian.

We're having sp�tzle and Black Forest cake.

Great!

To the many good men who lost their lives at Nanga Parbat.

Here's to them.

Great mountains demand great sacrifices. True?

And no mountain has claimed more lives than the German Killer Mountain.

What a joy when the German ?ag finally flew on Nanga Parbat in 1953!

It was a little Tyrolean pennant.

- Oh? - Yes.

The first man at the summit was Hermann Buhl, an Austrian.

Sorry.

I see.

I've always counted the Austrians as Germans.

Otherwise it was a German expedition.

This mountain has claimed so many of our nation's lives.

It could only be climbed with a German leader.

Just as many Sherpas, Gurkhas and Hunzas died at Nanga

as Germans, Austrians and South Tyroleans.

Remember, the first to try was a Brit, Mummery. He paid with his life.

All the big expeditions in the 30s and 40s were doomed to failure.

Too unwieldy. They were military operations.

Colonialist gestures, too many materials.

The complex logistics made it hard to respond quickly.

To climb an 8000-metre-high mountain you need a chain of high camps.

- Materials, discipline... - That, too.

So organisation, teamwork and planning

are not what you see as essential for a Himalaya expedition?

You need both preparation and instinct. A mountain is chaotic.

Cold, heat, snow, thin air, avalanches...

Just one of those factors is enough to wreck every plan.

Mummery was poorly equipped in 1895, but his instinct was right.

Buhl's, too.

Hermann Buhl disobeyed the leader and went to the summit alone.

He knew it was the only way to make it.

He was half frozen when he came back 41 hours later.

But he did something no one had thought possible.

He also said it's impossible to reach the summit via the Rupal Face.

That's the challenge.

What makes the Rupal Face so difficult?

Have you seen the Eiger north face? With your own eyes?

The Rupal Face is three times as high.

So far, no expedition has got closer than 1000 metres to the top.

The Rupal Face has the worst weather of all the ?anks.

The porters only go halfway up, so you carry your own gear.

But the real problems start at the top, in the death zone,

where there's less oxygen in the air and your body weakens.

The Merkl Couloir is the crux of the face.

If you climb through it you can reach the top.

But we won't know if it's possible till we get there.

Tell me, young man..

What makes you climb one of the world's highest peaks

when you don't know if you'll come back?

Love of your country?

Fame? Honour?

Please. I'd like to hear the young man beside me first.

Why does a painter paint?

Are you saying a climber is an artist?

And is he as selfish as an artist?

And as selfish as his patron. If the picture is good, everyone benefits.

9 May 1970 Flight to Gilgit, Pakistan

It's obvious that Karl hates you.

He should be grateful. Burda wrote him a blank cheque.

- The evening amused him. - Now Karl thinks he owes you.

Nanga!

Just as I imagined.

To be the first one up there...

Keep together.

Keep moving, boys.

Come on.

I hate marching in formation.

Don't you dare. If we quit now Herrligkoffer will have a heart attack.

Everything okay?

Base Camp, 3650 m

6 June 1970 Weizenbach-Channel, 6600 m

High Camps I, II and III are occupied.

I'll make it this time.

The weather report. It's changing. They should turn back.

Damn!

G�nther!

Watch out! The slope!

Reinhold! Quick! Go back!

Reinhold!

Can you hear me?

Come in, please.

Can you hear me?

Vacate all camps!

I repeat, vacate all camps.

Are you okay?

Come in, please.

To everyone at home.

We've been on the mountain for almost a month.

Three high camps have been set up and critical areas secured.

We've had continuous storms for a few days now.

We're snowed in, but we're fine.

We have enough food for three days.

Our leader has ordered us to descend to Base Camp,

but we've decided to stay up here.

It's often above 20 degrees during the day

and it goes down to -30 at night.

We climb from midnight until the early morning.

There are constant avalanches from noon on.

The days are a blur, everything slows down.

Things that seemed important a month ago don't matter now.

But we feel safe. We hope for better weather

and that we'll make the summit.

Our thoughts are always with you. G�nther and Reinhold.

We grew closer than ever up there. It was as if we were one.

We understood one another without words or explanations.

- They're staying up there? - So they said.

Why, in that weather?

To keep the camp intact and acclimatise.

They have to obey my orders, damn it!

What I say goes!

Maybe it's good to keep the camp intact.

What? That's not for the Messners to decide.

The success of an expedition depends on unquestioning obedience.

The Messners want special treatment.

They're bad enough individually, and unbearable together.

I should have separated them and the other teams earlier.

Hey, look who's coming.

Felix, the brown-noser.

It will be cosy now.

Well?

From Karl. The assault plan.

A plan? That's a change. What's in it?

Have a look.

- There's something dogged about him. - Nice way of putting it.

I'm to secure the Merkl Couloir with Werner and Hans for three days

so you and Felix can go to the top?

- Calm down. - Calm down?

Three days in the death zone is harder than climbing to the top.

Exactly. A clueless person can't expect obedience.

He just wants to split us up.

- What now? - We descend. The weather won't hold.

Damned gypsies!

When I order them to come down they stay up there.

When I say to keep the camp intact they come down. It's anarchy.

We're running out of time.

It will be six weeks tomorrow and we'll have to start over.

The endless waiting.

Darling... you're doing the right thing.

The summits have been climbed.

Now it's about taking the hardest routes. Then what?

Traversing. In the future it will be about traversing.

Maybe, but not on Nanga.

Karl would never allow a traverse. Never.

And if you go down on the Diamar flank...

it means certain death.

One day someone will traverse Nanga.

We're crazy. We're stuck in Base Camp, the weather is crap

and you argue about traversing.

We can't even get up the Rupal Face.

Well, lads! How's it going?

Any beer left?

- Good. - How's the weather report?

- No change, unfortunately. - Great.

Damn!

Back in 1953 it was touch and go too.

Buhl...

I can still see him

breaking trail and clearing the way.

So vigorous and determined, as if nothing could stop him.

It's getting late.

Right. I'm going for a walk.

Karl sure is the life of the party.

For Karl, independent thinking is betrayal. With Buhl too.

Buhl climbed to the top against his orders.

Karl will never forgive him because it wasn't a team victory.

Karl needs that so it's his victory too.

None of you would be here without Karl.

I didn't go to uni, but I know expeditions need leaders.

And orders have to be obeyed.

Why is he so loyal to Karl?

Felix is a soldier.

He wants to reach the summit. First. He needs Karl for that.

We all want that. Who remembers the person who came second?

All we do is wait.

We're stuck here and nothing is happening.

You're right. We've been sitting here far too long.

Reinhold?

- Have a seat. - Thanks.

This is the last letter from my brother.

He wrote it shortly before he died.

Back then, I vowed

to lead an expedition to Nanga Parbat one day.

This is the seventh.

How long have we got?

On...

The approval expires on 7 July.

I'd like to climb up to the face with G�nther. One last time.

We'll go up to Camp Three.

If the weather's good, we'll climb.

If not, we'll pack up and come down. That's it.

When?

Tonight.

Okay.

Is he listening to you at last?

He wants success. Time's running out.

Felix won't like it.

Felix and Peter will follow us up tomorrow.

Karl always has two irons in the fire.

Look at me. Smile.

It's burning.

G�nther...

We're in luck. The weather's changing.

At last.

We're in for some fine weather.

We're working hard

to rebuild one camp after another.

Reinhold!

It's Felix and Peter.

They're in a real hurry.

The race is on.

Bit by bit, we're fighting our way up the face...

Should I lead?

...for the final assault.

23 June 1970 Welzenbach Ice Field, 6300 m

The time has come.

All the camps are occupied.

The supplies are organised.

My assault plan has been finalised.

- Reinh... - One moment, Karl.

- Did you get that? - Right.

Reinhold and Peter...

or Felix...

will climb through the Merkl Couloir to the summit.

G�nther and Gerhard, who will be staying up there,

have the task

of securing the gully with fixed ropes for the descent.

We'll never make it if we wait any longer.

The monsoon starts in a few days. That's it.

Hermann, Hans and the others have to bring up more supplies.

- We don't have enough rope. - So?

It's Camp IV. Base Camp, come in, please.

It's Karl. Come in, please.

The clouds are getting closer by the hour.

I know.

It won't last much longer. Over.

G�nther, Gerhard and I want to climb up to Camp V tonight.

If the forecast is good we'll secure the bottom of the gully tomorrow.

If not, I want to try to go up alone.

As far as I can go. Maybe to the summit.

No, no, no! We're sticking to our plan.

My plan...

If the weather gets worse we'll have no chance. Over.

Come in, please.

Come in.

That's exactly what I think.

We won't have walkie-talkies up there.

Can you send up a flare to tell us the forecast?

Red for bad weather and blue for good. Over.

Understood.

Blue for good, red for bad.

I'll risk the summit solo if it's red. Over.

Good luck!

I'm with you in spirit.

Over and out.

That wasn't your plan.

Victory is all that counts in the end.

Red. Bad.

That's it, then.

We are shocked to see a red flare going up into the sky.

The symbol for bad weather.

21:30 Camp 5, 7350 m

I'll leave at midnight and go as far as I can.

I'll be back by evening.

You secure the bottom of the gully and wait until I get back.

- No matter what. - We only have 200 metres of rope.

Then cut it up and hang it in the worst places.

A quick check reveals

that the flare was wrongly marked.

Go on, type!

...Wrongly marked.

My whole throat is inflamed.

If it doesn't get better I'll have to go back to Base Camp.

Everyone has a different plan.

Maybe we've come up too high, like with the Tower of Babel.

We are unable

to get a message to the high camps until tomorrow morning.

3:00 Saturday 27 June 1970

5:00 Merkle Channel, 7500 m

In this weather Reinhold will get to the top.

And we're securing the descent.

I don't believe this. This is crap!

We're working our guts off for nothing. Let's go after Reinhold.

Are you mad? He's hours ahead of us.

We can do it. He broke trail.

We have to hang the fixed rope. Reinhold is counting on it.

Besides, my throat is so bad I can barely breathe.

- Are you coming or not? - It's too dangerous.

We have no sleeping bags or food. Nothing.

G�nther!

This is crazy.

G�nther!

Willy...

We'll make it this time.

Four hours.

600 metres in four hours... at this height!

Are you crazy?

It wasn't bad. You broke trail.

Have you got the rope?

- Did you secure the route? - We started.

- And Gerhard? - He went back. Sore throat.

- What now? - I'm here.

Are you out of your mind?

The plan was...

I'd go up if the flare was red and the weather bad. Solo.

Up, down, fast. We're running out of time.

That was your plan.

- You go solo and I... - It's not about that.

It is. You get your way again and I'm left out.

If we climb up now we have to bivouac.

Without equipment, without anything.

And you didn't secure the route. We have no ropes for the descent.

Okay, I stuffed up. Happy?

There are no ropes whether we descend now or later.

We might as well go to the summit. It's not far.

You're too exhausted, G�nther!

I'm fine. I'll make it.

Okay.

We belong together.

Have you forgotten?

Yes.

Come on.

It's not far now.

Nanga Parbat Summit

We've run out of time. We have to go down.

Let's go.

Today, many years later,

it seems as if all of us were pursued

were by curse of the gods.

As vengeance for daring to leave the lowlands

and climb to the pure heights in distant Kashmir.

Reinhold, wait!

Are you okay?

Tired. Can't go on.

Come on, get up!

We have to get down. It will be dark soon.

Can't we go down there? It looks easier.

We have to go back the same way. Come on!

We can cross into the gully further down.

I'll check.

Peter and Felix set off for the summit tonight.

The rearguard has begun securing the Merkl Couloir.

Meanwhile we are concerned about the fate of the Messners.

G�nther apparently followed Reinhold without equipment.

No one is in contact with them.

It's still working.

But at night...

without equipment...

their chances of survival are nil.

- Blanket! - There is no blanket.

Give it to me!

There is no blanket!

Blanket! Blanket!

Stop that, will you?

You're crazy!

Can you still feel your fingers?

I don't know.

Move them! You must move your fingers!

Can't feel anything. We're going to die.

Can you hear me? We're not going to die!

We are so.

Just a few hours till dawn.

Don't worry.

They know what they're doing.

G�nther?

G�nther...

I'll try to get to the gully and find a way down.

G�nther! They're coming!

Peter! Someone's calling.

You're mad.

Hello!

Hello!

Felix! Up here!

Did you... get to... the summit?

Yes!

We can't...

get,

down!

Need... rope!

Too hard!

Impossible!

Can't do it!

We were lost.

Felix couldn't get up and we couldn't get down.

The wall was unclimbable. It would have been suicide.

I had to make a decision.

Messner, are you okay?

Yes!

Everything's fine!

What do?

We'll try

to climb down... the back way.

We have to descend without help.

I'm tired.

No...

No.

I'm so cold.

I can't keep going till tonight.

We'll make it, G�nther!

I'll go ahead

and try to find the best route.

Reinhold...

Don't leave me alone.

I'm not leaving you alone.

After two days in the death zone and a terrible night,

they climbed down into the Diamir Flank

on an unknown route and without equipment.

There were no fixed ropes,

no camps,

and they could expect no help.

The only thing they could reasonably expect was death.

We'll make it!

Follow me!

The summit is ours.

Look. The Messners left it.

The Messners are dead.

Down there somewhere.

They've always done their own thing

and kept apart from the group.

Peter...

We've conquered the summit!

We've conquered the summit!

Coming down was confusing.

We kept on losing our way.

Abysses everywhere.

In the death zone.

We were well and truly trapped.

By deciding to climb up together without a rope

we'd signed our own death warrant.

But we still battled to survive.

We were overcome by terrible fear.

We have to go back.

Shit!

I can't see anything.

No news for days. What's going on?

No news for days. What's going on?

This mountain never sleeps.

G�nther, come on!

Hurry, or he'll run away. Come on!

Who?

We can't lose him!

Water.

How are you going?

What's with your glove?

Drink.

There's someone who knows the way.

Sometimes ahead of me, sometimes behind me.

He's guiding us.

Who?

I don't know.

You're mad.

No. I saw him.

Can't we...

Can't we stay here?

I need a rest.

3:00, Monday, June 29, 1970 Mummery Spur, 6500 m

G�nther...

G�nther, avalanches!

We're going to...

We'll be crushed.

We must get down before the sun comes out.

That way!

Keep going!

Oh, there you are.

Ice avalanche, G�nther!

Come on!

Are you okay?

- No... no. - Are you injured?

Get up.

I can't... go on.

G�nther...

Come on!

Come on.

Down to the left.

Why isn't he coming?

G�nther...

Reinhold? G�nther?

Hello!

Well? Reinhold? G�nther?

No.

They stayed down there.

News at last.

Peter and Felix, after conquering the summit,

have arrived safely at High Camp Four.

Our joy at the summit conquest is marred by the news

that the Messner brothers left the secured route

and are missing.

The relevant authorities will be informed as soon as possible.

To avoid any further risk

I will allow no more ascents to the summit.

The expedition's goal has been achieved.

The team is ordered to return to Base Camp immediately.

Damn!

Tuesday 30 June 1970 Upper Diamirdalen

They're back!

Right!

It's wound up. Go back there.

The Messners couldn't have got to the top after bivouacking.

And after you sighted them?

Couldn't you have climbed up to them?

The top part of the gully is unclimbable. Impossible.

125 over 75.

Good. Everything's fine.

Have a rest.

We've won, but yet we lost.

We're leaving.

We can't leave without them.

There's nothing left for us to do here.

I...

I have to do the blood tests.

I take no responsibility for those who disobey my orders.

Wednesday 1 July 1970

Diamir...

Rupal. Base Camp.

Here. Nanga Parbat.

I'm not going to die. I don't want to die.

Eternal rest and eternal life...

No, I'm not going to die. I'm not allowed to die.

I must find my brother.

Will you bring G�nther back safely?

THURSDAY 2 JULY 1970

- Karl... - What is it?

Karl, Reinhold and G�nther

may have descended via the Diamir flank.

What?

- No way. What make you think that? - Reinhold mentioned it.

When?

At Base Camp.

Pipe dreams. Nothing more.

But... leaving without them...

Thank you.

FRIDAY 3 JULY 1970

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you. All the best.

Thank you. All the best.

Thank you. All the best.

Come on. Come closer, Alice.

Everybody say... Nanga!

Tell me, brother, how can I assist you?

Take you to the hospital?

What else can I do for you?

What else can I do for you?

What else can I do for you?

What else can I do for you?

Stop!

Reinhold.

Stop! Stop!

Stop the car!

Reinhold!

Reinhold?

Thank God you're here.

Calm down. It's me.

- Where were you? - Calm down.

That doesn't matter right now. You must think of yourself.

Get the first-aid kit.

I can't go home without him.

Calm down. Everything will be fine.

Calm down.

Dear listeners,

we interrupt our program with a newsflash.

We learned today

that the German expedition to Nanga Parbat led by Dr Herrligkoffer

was successful.

According to initial reports

the summit of the 8125 metre mountain

was reached on 27 June.

The conquest of the mountain was evidently overshadowed

by the death of one climber.

We do not yet know who the dead man was.

G�nther...

More news as soon as we have more information.

There!

There. The Moor's Head.

That's where my brother died.

If I'd been with him, I'd have...

A younger brother is destined to be in his older brother's shadow.

Not my feet!

INNSBRUCK UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

You're quite a celebrity. Here. Look at this.

Many paths lead to God.

One may lead over the mountains.

For those who return

and for those who remain there forever.

Wherever we go

and whatever we do

we bear responsibility.

Responsibility for ourselves and for others.

But anyone who takes responsibility

often burdens himself with suffering.

And guilt.

And with guilt

comes fear.

But when fear becomes overpowering

there will be salvation.

Neither Karl nor Felix came to the funeral service.

For Karl, Nanga will always be the Killer Mountain.

But it's just a mountain. A geological formation.

We take our feelings to the mountains ourselves.

Reinhold Messner can't get free from Nanga Parbat.

He has to look for his brother many times.

In 1978 he climbs Nanga Parbat for the second time.

No expedition. No equipment. All alone.

Karl Herrligkoffer continued to lead expeditions in the Himalayas.

When he died in 1991, there was still no reconciliation with Reinhold.

Peter Scholz, one of Germany's best climbers

fell to his death on Mont Blanc.

Felix Kuen committed suicide a few years later.

In 2005 the ice released G�nther's remains

at 4300 m, on the Diamir Glacier.