Plot summary

In 1925, the newlyweds Dr. Johannes Krafft and Maria spend their honeymoon in a mountaineering vacation. On October 6, while climbing the Piz Palü mountain near the Swiss borders with Italy, Johannnes ignores danger warnings. Shortly after, an avalanche traps Maria within a glacier. Johannes is unable to recover her body, but becomes obsessed with doing so. He spends the following four years wandering the mountain alone, in search of Maria's corpse. In 1929, the young couple of Hans Brandt and Maria Maioni plan to climb Piz Palü. They learn of Maria's death and get acquainted with Johaness. Hans offers to join Johaness in his next climb of the mountain. Maria is annoyed to be left behind, and follows them on her own. Another avalanche injures Hans, and Johanness rescues him at the cost of breaking his own leg. The trio spends the night in an ice cave. The mountain guide Christian organizes a rescue party, which locates the trio but fails in recovering them. Hans is in a suicidal mood, and Johanness is further injured while preventing Hans' suicide attempt. Erns Udet the aviator attempts to parachute supplies to the trapped trio, but fails. He manages, however, to record their exact location, Meanwhile, Johaness uses his jacket to cover Hans, willing to freeze to death to save the younger man. Christian eventually manages to rescue Hans and Maria, and has them nursed back to health. Johaness is considered deceased, with his corpse lost on the mountain.—Dimos I