Dangerous winter

Mountain guides teach alpine safety in schools

Mountain guide Franz Holzer shows the students how to find avalanche victims.(Bild: Hannes Wallner)

There are cycling and swimming courses, but winter is the greatest danger for children in Austria's alpine regions. That's why alpine safety is on the timetable in East Tyrol.

"An alpine policeman came to me completely crestfallen and sadly told me that another child had died while doing winter sports," recalls mountain guide Franz Holzer from Matrei in East Tyrol. And it was immediately clear to him: "We have to do something!"

Together with mountain guide Toni Riepler, Franz now tours all third grade classes at secondary schools and grammar schools in the district of Lienz every winter to teach young people about alpine safety.

The "Bergkrone" was allowed to spend a day with the boys and girls of MS Sillian.