Testimonial von Ernst Löschner für Baum 7
How wonderful that Paul Rieder’s tree is the # 7, this lucky number in many cultures, which also became symbolic for the Grove of Flight with its 7x7 = 49 trees as a message of hope for those, who had to leave their “Heimat”. So Paul, to whom fortune itself was not at last happy, is a lucky charm. Writing this testimonial for him is just as important as it is painful. Behind these lines I conduct an intimate dialogue with you, dear Pauli, while water shoots into my eyes.
In the summer of 1947, the legendary Viktor Knopf had guided 3,000 people of all together 5,000 safely over the Krimml Tauern. 60 years later, at the end of June 2007, Paul Rieder (1950-2010) was the mountain guide who, in the very first Alpine Peace Crossing in the spirit of Viktor Knopf, 155 people, carefully and sensitively took care of the first APC Peace Hike. He had previously researched the way with his wife Greti and other friends, and convinced a doctor and his son Wolfgang as a paramedic for the common march. The contemporary witnesses from Israel went right behind him and so it remained the entire 8-9 hours of the walk, which was fully respected by all participants. Before the pass, the dramatic moment came when Yakoov Shwartz slowed down and only then confessed that he was on the way with an artificial knee. But he wanted to join the hike, because he was worn as a 6-year-old on the shoulders of his father and was also at night on the pass, 60 years ago. Paul Rieder took an exemplary care of Yakoov, gave him an extra rest, so that the then 66-year-old made the entire crossing on his own.
However, Paul Rieder's greatest asset to APC was triggering my curiosity in the summer of 2003, when he invited my son Lukas, my nephew Leonhard and me to climb with him the Dreiherrenspitze (3.500m). During the thunderstorm on the descent, he told about the Jews’ escape across the Pass and caused me to further research, which ultimately led in 2007 to the founding of Alpine Peace Crossing. Without Paul, APC would never have arisen and the exodus from the Jews would probably still be repressed today and almost forgotten.
I climbed a lot with Paul, first in the Steinerne Meer, later in the Swiss mountains. For years, he was also the ski-hiker for me and my family and friends. My mountaineering highlights with him are certainly the Sommerstein S-W, Watzmann-Ostwand and the Weißhorn in Valais. A wonderful friendship soon became connected with him and his whole family, not only in the mountains. He was popular with all who got to know him better, also because of his infectious humor. His big heart keeps beating, that's what I feel.
