Gerfried Göschl (1972-2012) was exceptional among Austrian high-altitude climbers - not only for his achievements like a new route, climbed alpine-style, on Nanga Parbat or an ascent of Mount Everest and six more 8000-metre-peaks without supplementary oxygen, but for his personality and creativity. His leadership qualities set a pattern that reached far beyond mountaineering.

Spuren für die Ewigkeit pays hommage to the multi-facetted life of Gerfried Göschl. It also provokes thoughts about the often-propagated goal of "living for a passion", the image and role of "climbing heroes", and professional climbing, where currents and laws of the market are sometimes as threatening as rockfall, avalanches and storms.

In 1970 a German-Austrian-Italian team succeeded in climbing the Rupal Face of Nanga Parbat, a climb which heralded a new era in mountaineering on the world's highest peaks. But with success came controversy as the first climbers to reach the summit, two young South Tyrolean brothers, did not return to the top camp but descended the other side of the mountain. Only one survived the ordeal: Reinhold Messner, who became the greatest, and best known, high-altitude climber in the world. His brother Günther was lost on the mountain. The decision to descend the other side of the mountain and the circumstances of Günther Messner's death were to lead to controversy, claim and counter-claim, and court cases.

This book explores the events of 1970, drawing on contemporary diaries and other records, on later interviews given by, and books written by, the team members, and on private conversations with some of the survivors. It draws heavily on the writings of Reinhold Messner - accounts which have varied over the years, variations that suggest a story behind the story.

Germany 1934: National Socialism is on the rise. The persecution of Jews and political opponents has started. Even climbing doesn't remain unaffected. At the same time on Nanga Parbat one of the greatest disasters in alpine history unfolds, which will forever mark the peak as the "German mountain of destiny". Against the backdrop of a climbing and a personal tragedy, two remarkable persons meet: Kate Schmid and Hermann Hoerlin, one of the best mountaineers of the time. They will be facing fateful challenges... (NB: This is the German edition of Bettina Hoerlin's Steps of Courage)

The icy world of the 8000-metre peaks - between myth, commercialism, and international top-level alpinism.

While some of the world's highest mountains have now become accessible for the amateur climber, a handful of alpinists still find new ground on them for pioneering feats at the absolute limit. This book is a gripping account of the climbing history of the 14 8000-metre-peaks and documents for the first time the highlights and developments during the first decade of the 21st century - to this day.

The book is the expanded and updated German edition of Richard Sale's groundbreaking work On Top of the World: The New Millennium - the unique and new standard history of the world's highest peaks.

• Historically well-founded: Overview of the complete history of all the 8000-metre peaks and the true stories of the first ascents
• Up-to-date and rich in detail: The international climbing highlights of the 21st century - all new routes and variations, all first winter ascents and attempts
• Investigative and controversial: The most famous controversies and debates of high-altitude climbing - from the mystery of Mallory & Irvine to the issue of doping
• Lavishly illustrated: Vistas of all the 8000-metre peaks from every side, and the best pictures from international climbs and expeditions

When it came to climbing the highest summits of the world, Austrian climbers had been at the forefront from the beginning. After the Second World War they made five first ascents of 8000-metre peaks - as many as no other nation: Nanga Parbat, Cho Oyu, Gasherbrum II, Broad Peak und Dhaulagiri. Hermann Buhl became the first person to make first ascents of two of the world's highest mountains. Austrians were also among the leading new pioneers of the 1970s and 1980s: Peter Habeler set two milestones of high-altitude climbing with the first alpine-style ascent of an Eight-thousander and the first ascent of Mount Everest without supplementary oxygen. Up until now Austrian alpinists leave their marks on the highest peaks: In 2011, Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner became the first woman to climb all fourteen Eight-thousanders without bottled oxygen.

In 28 stories "Austria 8000" paints a comprehensive and multi-facetted picture of the Austrian accomplishments on the world's highest mountains through compelling stories, insightful portraits and personal interviews. Includes a table of all Austrian summitteers of 8000-metre peaks compiled by renowned mountaineering statistician Eberhard Jurgalski.

(Nanga Parbat, The Drama 1970 and Controversy – How the Messner Tragedy became the biggest Row in Mountaineering History)

It is the most frequently told and most fiercely debated mountaineering tragedy: the story of Reinhold Messner and the death of his brother, Guenther, on Nanga Parbat in 1970. A life-changing trauma for the survivor, a drama full of contradictions, accompanied by controversies, accusations, and apportioning of blame – emotionally debated to this day. What truly happened near the summit of Nanga Parbat 40 years ago? And: Why does this story never come to an end?

Jochen Hemmleb explores these questions with the mind of a detective, sifting all facts, analysing Messner’s continuing revision and rewriting of his own story, and fort he first time including the voices of all participants. This way, new contexts are revealed, which put events and protagonists in a new and different light. It is the first comprehensive and neutral coverage of how and why the Messner tragedy became the biggest row in mountaineering history. Meticulously researched like a textbook, grippingly told like a crime story.

(Crime Scene Mount Everest: The Mallory Case – New Facts and Background Stories)

What happened on Mount Everest on June 8, 1924? The story of a quest – captivating like a detective tale

They wanted to be the first to climb the world’s highest mountain: George Mallory and Andrew Irvine. They never came back. Did the two Britons reach the summit before they died, or did they fail?

Only in 1999 an expedition succeeds in discovering Mallory’s body. But where are Irvine and his camera that could prove a summit success? Mountaineering historian, Jochen Hemmleb, describes the adventurous search for the missing climbers, reviews all facts and theories relating to Mallory and Irvine’s final climb, and through the discoveries on Everest and experiences of other expeditions reconstructs the last days of the two men.

• With exclusive interviews regarding the alleged finding of Andrew Irvine’s body in 1960
• All findings of the Mallory & Irvine Research Expeditions 1999, 2001, and 2004
• The most comprehensive German-language history of the British and Chinese expeditions to the North Side of Mount Everest 1921-1979
• More than 100 illustrations and documents, many of them published for the first time
• With a preface by Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner and Ralf Dujmovits

(Broad Peak, Dream and Nightmare - On the Trails of Hermann Buhl's last expedition)

On June 9, 1957, four Austrians - Hermann Buhl, Kurt Diemberger, Marcus Schmuck, and Fritz Wintersteller - make the sensational first ascent of Broad Peak, 8047 m. Three weeks later, Hermann Buhl is killed on a nearby 7000 m-peak, Chogolisa. In summer, 2006, an Austrian-German expedition sets off to follow the traces of Hermann Buhls last expedition. One of their members doesn't return...

Jochen Hemmleb interweaves the story of the 1957 first ascent with the dramatic events of 2006 - a compelling, honest and deeply personal account of Himalayan expeditions then and now, about climbers, their motivations - and the death of a close friend...

Tyrolia-Verlag, 2007
c. 200 pp., many colour and b/w images
15x22,5 cm, hardcover with DJ
ISBN-Nr. 978-3-7022-2811-8
EUR 24,90/CHF 43,70
www.tyrolia.at

(Adventure & Science: Mount Everest - A detective search in icy heights)

Adventure & Science: thrilling like an novel, informative as non-fiction book!

Mount Everest, early morning of June 8, 1924. The two British mountaineers, George Mallory and Andrew Irvine, set off for a last desperate attempt to make the first ascent of the world's highest mountain - and never come back. For more than 70 years their disappearance becomes the greatest mystery of Mount Everest. What happened to Mallory and Irvine? Were they the first to climb Everest, 29 years before Hillary and Tenzing? With the helpf of German geology student, Jochen Hemmleb, some answers to the mystery are finally found. In this book, he tells author Maja Nielsen about the adventurous search for the two pioneers.

Gerstenberg-Verlag, 2006 62 pp., many color and b/w images
26 x 19,8 cm, hardcover
ISBN-Nr. 978-3-8067-4834-S
EUR 12,90
www.gerstenberg-verlag.de

1924 nimmt der Engländer Mallory zum dritten Mal Anlauf, den höchsten Berg der Welt zu besteigen. Er verschwindet im Nebel und wird nie wieder gesehen. Was ist passiert? Hat er den Gipfel tatsächlich erreicht? Ist er abgestürzt, und wenn ja, wo?

Mit Spannung vermittelt die Autorin Maja Nielsen das Wissen um die großen Abenteuer der Erde. Unterhaltung für die ganze Familie garantiert die aufregende Aufbereitung der Themen mit Hilfe von Forschern und Abenteurern unserer Zeit. Hier erzählt der Geologe und Alpinhistoriker Jochen Hemmleb, wie aufregend die Spurensuche in den eisigen Höhen des Mount Everest war.

1 CD inkl. 12-seitigem Begleitheft mit historischen Fakten.

Sprecher: Bodo Primus, Matthias Haase, Philipp Schepmann, Karlheinz Tafel u.a.

Hörproben:
MP3-Format
RealAudio-Format

Abenteuer & Wissen Neue Serie für Neugierige von 8 bis 88!
Die Reihe Abenteuer und Wissen ist für den Deutschen Hörbuchpreis nominiert.

Head-Room Verlag
ISBN 3-93488-73-5 (CD)
EUR 12,50
www.head-room.de

Himalaya - breathtaking summits, fascinating people, exotic cultures. A magical goal for millions of mountaineers and trekkers. The book is a "must" for everybody interested in the multi-facetted background of the famous travel destination Himalaya.

Contents: The regional setting, the natural environment, society, resources and conservation, exploration and travel.

In German

AS-Verlag, 2007
256 pp., 291 illustrations and maps, colour
24 x 30 cm, hardcover
ISBN 978-3-909111-39-8
CHF 98.- / EUR 59,80 / EUR (A) 61,50
www.as-verlag.ch

For the 50th anniversary of Mount Everest's first ascent, acknowledged Everest historian Jochen Hemmleb presents his monograph of the world's highest mountain. Contrary to the countless personal, subjective Everest accounts of the past years, this is an unbiased history, an all-encompassing tribute to the mountain. Jochen Hemmleb observes the mountain from different perspectives, presenting such wide-ranged topics as Everest geology, literature and filmography - all to the pleasure of the reader who wants to get the full picture of Everest.

AS-Verlag, 2002
336 pp., 218 illus., colour
17 x 24 cm, hardcover with dustjacket
ISBN 3-905111-82-9
CHF 66,-/EUR 39,80
www.as-verlag.ch

Im Mai 1999 wurde die Leiche des Bergsteigers George Mallory am Nordhang des Mount Everest gefunden. Fünfundsiebzig Jahre lang hatte sie dort überdauert, festgefroren im Geröll und von Kälte und Höhenstrahlung mumifiziert. Am 8. Juni 1924 war Mallory mit seinem Gefährten Andrew Irvine zum letzten Mal gesichtet worden, dem Gipfel nah, aber immer noch durch gefährliche Steilhänge vom ersehnten Ziel - vielleicht ein Leben weit - getrennt. Seither ist dieser "letzte Anstieg" zur größten Legende der Bergsteigerwelt geworden. War es den beiden trotz ihrer unzureichenden Ausrüstung vor ihrem Tod gelungen, den höchsten Berg der Erde als erste zu bezwingen? Was war ihnen zugestoßen? "Die Geister des Mount Everest" ist der authentische Bericht der Suchexpedition, die den Leichnam entdeckte, und zugleich die Geschichte der letzten Expedition Mallorys, die Hemmleb, Johnson und Simonson aufgrund der sensationellen Funde ihres Teams neu rekonstruieren. Die Autoren haben die spektakuläre Suchaktion ins Leben gerufen und von der ersten bis zur letzten Minute miterlebt. In dem Augenzeugenbericht von atemberaubender Dichte, erzählen die Autoren eine Detektivgeschichte, die in einer Frankfurter Studentenbude beginnt und in achttausend Metern Höhe in den ungeheuren Weiten des Himalajas endet. Sie führt den Leser in eine abenteuerliche Welt, in der Triumph und Scheitern dicht beieinander liegen.

Hoffmann und Campe Verlag, 1999
214 Seiten, 113 Abbildungen, farbig
21 x 25 cm, laminierter Pappband mit Schutzumschlag
ISBN 3-455-11273-0
EUR 22,95

Hörbuch (2 Kassetten, ca. 180 min), gelesen von Wolf Schneider
ISBN: 3-455-30197-5
EUR 19,95
www.hoca.de

Goldmann Verlag/Sierra Frederking & Thaler, 2001
286 Seiten, 29 s/w + 23 farbige Abbildungen,
12,1 x 18,1 cm, Taschenbuch
ISBN-Nr. 3-442-71108-8
EUR 10,00
www.randomhouse.de

• This is the continuing story of Ghosts of Everest, a best-selling book of Eric Simonson's expedition that found George Mallory's body in 1999.
• A breath-holding account of Simonson's team rescuing two groups of climbers others had left for dead and giving up their attempt to find Irvine in the meantime
• Remarkable discoveries at almost every turn

It is also the story of an exciting rescue, one that led the climbers to make some important discoveries about their own values. As Dave Hahn, Andy Politz, Tap Richards, and Jason Tanguay, accompanied by Phu Nuru and Fu Dorji, were preparing for their own summit attempt, they discovered that five climbers from two other expeditions were in dire straits on the mountain. Abandoning their ascent plans, the team pulled off one of the highest, most technically difficult rescues in history even as other climbers passed them by, refusing to help. Although the rescue effectively ended the expedition, it renewed the team's respect for the mountain and its history. It also earned four of the team members and two of the Sherpas the David A. Sowles Memorial Award, which the American Alpine Club bestows upon mountaineers who have distinguished themselves, with unselfish devotion at personal risk or sacrifice of a major objective, in going to the assistance of fellow climbers imperiled in the mountains.

But the story does not end there. Surprisingly, the most tantalizing clue to the mystery of Mallory and Irvine was uncovered not on the mountain-but in Beijing. Shortly after the expedition ended, Hemmleb and Simonson traveled to China to interview climbers from the 1960 and 1975 Chinese expeditions. What they were told might hold the key for future detectives on Everest.

The Mountaineers Books, 2002
208 pp., 140 b/w + 13 color images
21,6 x 24,1 cm, paperback
ISBN-Nr. 0-89886-871-8
US$ 19.95
www.mountaineersbooks.org

• Written by members of the team who found Mallory's body
• The inside story of the research expedition's findings and their new theories
• Includes exclusive photos

The disappearance of George Leigh Mallory and Andrew Comyn Irvine high on Mt. Everest in 1924 has been one of the most puzzling unsolved mysteries of the twentieth century. On May 1, 1999, the Mallory and Irvine Research Expedition found George Mallory's body-astonishingly well preserved-high on the wind swept North Face of Everest. But that is not all they found. In Mallory's pockets, and elsewhere on the mountain, the researchers found answers to the question that has plagued historians and mountaineers alike: Did they make it? And if they did, what happened to them?

Ghosts of Everest is the exclusive inside story of what they found and, for the first time, what this new evidence tells us about Mallory and Irvine's momentous last day.

The Mountaineers Books, 1999
208 pp., 112 color images,
22,3 x 24,8 cm, hardcover
ISBN-Nr. 0-89886-871-8
US$ 29.95

208 + vii pp., 121 color images,
21,6 x 24,1 cm, paperback
ISBN-Nr. 0-89886-850-5
US$ 24.95
www.mountaineersbooks.org

(Where the Snow-Lions dance - Maurice Wilson's forgotten Everest climb)

"I will climb Mount Everest alone". The British press loves Maurice Wilson for these words as much as the Royal Geographical Society hates him. The eccentic from the 1930s will believe in these words - right to his last hours in the merciless eternal snows.

He came alone - not with two hundred yaks, not with three hundred sherpas, not with four thousand pounds of expedition budget. Didn't everybody in London laugh when he proclaimed in 1933 he would follow the footsteps of the legendary George Mallory? He, Maurice Wilson, who the doctors had given up after the war. He, who was torn, desperately in love. He, just a merchant's son from Yorkshire.After a daring biplane flight Wilson lands in India and travels illegally across the border into Tibet. Und now he stood there, face to face with Everest...

Through Wilson's diaries and letters, and through new insights emerging from archives in England and India, Peter Meier-Hüsing tells the unbelievable, true story of the loneliest Everest attempt in 1934 - an adventure from the past, when the Himalayas still belonged to the Tibetans.

In German

Malik/Piper, 2003
272 Seiten, 10 s/w Abbildungen
14,5 x 22 cm, gebunden
ISBN-Nr. 3-89029-249-6
EUR 19,90/CHF 33,60
www.piper.de