10 pupils died

The Easter Tragedy 1954

Search party with recovered body on a so-called death board.(Bild: zVg)

Ten pupils and three teachers from the German town of Heilbronn marched to their deaths 70 years ago during a mountain hike on the Krippenstein in a heavy snowstorm. A 91-year-old from Obertraun was involved in the week-long search operation at the time.

Before Easter 1954, pupils aged 14 to 16 and their teachers from a boys' secondary school in the German town of Heilbronn were looking forward to a varied and somewhat adventurous Holy Week in Obertraun in the Salzkammergut at the foot of the Dachstein mountains. The group was accommodated in the Obertraun Federal Sports School. However, 13 of them marched to their "white death" on Maundy Thursday during a tour of the Krippenstein after a snowstorm broke out.

Teacher Hans Seiler called the students he had selected the "elite of the class".(Bild: Hörmandinger Reinhard)