Heinrich Riethmüller

Friedrich Schiller, a respected baker in Einbeck, enjoys a seemingly idyllic life with his wife and nine children. As he approaches his silver wedding anniversary, he nearly succumbs to a fleeting liaison with a spirited woman named Lollo. Though the episode ends harmlessly, it awakens a crisis of conscience in Friedrich, threatening the harmony of his devoted family.

The young engineer Peter and his best friend, the mountain guide Anderl, are passionate mountaineers. When Peter falls in love with Clarissa, the girlfriend of his student friend Marius, it leads to a fatal chain of dramatic events. Peter tells Clarissa that he is planning an ascent with Anderl on the dangerous Eiger north face. She does not want him to go, so finally Anderl decides to overcome the mountain alone. Halfway up Anderl has difficulties and Peters come out to help him and to finish the climb together. During the ascent, a storm brings the two men in mortal danger. Marius joins the rescue team, but he is still full of resentment and jealousy towards Peter.