Switzerland Eiger Salvage, 1957 (b/w photo)

Stephano Longhi, lower centre slightly to the right, waits in vain in August 1957 in the so-called “spider” of the Eiger north face, Switzerland. The two Italian climbers Stephano Longhi and Claudio Corti entered the north face of the Eiger on August 3, 1957, first on the wrong route and thus in extreme difficulty. They had to abseile a piece and met the German climbers Guenther Nothdurft and Franz Mayer on the original route. The four climbers decided to continue climbing together, but only progressed slowly. Despite the weaknesses, the two Germans climbed towards the summit on 8 August 1957, but were caught up again by Corti. When Longhi wanted to climb down, he stopped and could not be pulled up. Corti left him on a stand and continued climbing with the Germans. When Corti was injured in a rockfall, Nothdurft and Mayer left him. They reached the summit with last strength, but died during the descent of the descent of the land. Their bodies were not discovered and recovered until September 1961. Corti was rescued on 11 August 1957 in one of the largest rescue operations with mountain guides from five nations and the first successful rescue on the north face. Longhi died shortly before his rescue and could not be recovered. His body was on the wall until July 1959.