Everest ’78

It was one of the greatest sensations in Alpine history: on 8 May 1978, Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler became the first people ever to climb Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen. The legendary Himalayan expedition was captured on film by Tyrolean cameraman Horst Bergmann. Bergmann's estate with the original film material is now kept in the Filmarchiv Austria. With the DVD edited by Florian Wrobel, this little-known material is now being published for the first time - newly digitised and edited.

In 1978, an expedition from the Austrian Alpine Club led by Wolfgang Nairz set off for Mount Everest in the Himalayas. Among the 11 participants were Reinhold Messner, Peter Habeler and the Innsbruck alpinist Horst Bergmann, who documented the journey on film. The expedition was a success, with nine of the eleven making it to the summit and Messner and Habeler making history with their first ascent without artificial oxygen ("by fair means") - contrary to all expectations and warnings. After his return, Bergmann used the footage shot on 16mm and Super 8 to produce the documentary EVEREST '78, which portrays the adventure with all its hardships and dangers in impressive images.

The film is now being released on DVD for the first time as part of Bergmann's legacy. Also included on the DVD is the documentary DIE WEISSE WAND AM MAKALU, which follows an expedition under Nairz to the fifth highest mountain in the world. (red)