VICTIMS OF "WHITE DEATH"

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 98, 27 April 1935, Page 25

VICTIMS OF "WHITE DEATH"

Nine Viennese—^four girls and five, young men—were killed recently by the, third most serious avalanche of the' last• ten years in the .Austrian Alps. All were between 19 and 26 years of age.' Six. of the bodies have been recovered. From the-' peaceful, and even laughing expression on the faces of most' of the victims, it was 'seen that the "white death"—as the Austrians speak of 'it—cams to them swiftly. '■' ' , '.'■'. v '-, ■ The young skiers'were members of a Ski-ing course of 25 persons formed" by the "Young Vienna" branch of the German Sudmark School- Club, which comprises 10,000. members. They were all experienced,' and their skill had been tested before they started on the fatal expedition. ■. - As the party, headed by the experi : enced ski-teacher, Mcdl, who is well known in Davos, was returning from a tour across the JJrspruhg,Alps, one of the skiers stepped on a so-called "snow ridge."' Enormous masses of lfcht frozen snow were released and tfwept the majority of the skiers to the bottom of a steep slope into a hollow. There they were buried under the heavy weight of fallen snow. Three of the remainder made off on their skis to Schladming to summon a rescue party; others remained to mark the spot where, their comrades had disappeared. Immediately a rescue party of 20 from. the Schladming Alpine Rescue Society set out, accompanied by gendarmes, and work-

Ed by torchlight during- the night to dig 6ut r the bodies. . ', . .]' i It was found that two of the victims liad been flung head first into the snow and crushed to death by ; the weight of the avalanche. / - The surviving' members worked with the rescuing party all day, saying they .would not leave the mountain until the bodies of their missing comrades had ..been recovered. '•-"."/ Among the dead are a married couple, Hedwig and Franz Sarrer, who had postponed opening their first ; undertaking: in order' jo joip this ski-ing class! ; A tragjc case is that of the 18-year-old'Erica yon Littrow, a brilliant but penniless orphan student, who, by taking on. all, kinds of odd jobs, had managed to work her way through rier university course. She had not yet been-able'to take her. degree, because she could not Save enough money to pay her , final ; examination fees —she was at the same time paying for the education of her younger brother, Franz. Franz was standing close to her, as the > avalanche' swept her to instant death and left him untouched. A warning was issued,in Vienna of the present danger of avalanches. It is urged that no skiers should venture to cross any steep' slope without attaching the so-called "avalanche cords" —a long trailer of coloured cord. It is hoped that these cords, should a' skier be buried, will lie on the surface of the snow and guide/rescuers.