Tobis-Melofilm

Epic documentary about the german expeditions to Nanga Parbat up to 1937. After a first unsuccessful attempt in 1932 and the tragical second expedition led by Willy Merkl in 1934, in 1937 Karl Wien led another expedition to the mountain following the same route as Merkl's expeditions. Progress was made, but more slowly than before due to heavy snowfall. About 14 June seven Germans and nine Sherpas, almost the entire team, were at Camp IV below Rakhiot Peak when it was overrun by an avalanche. All sixteen men died. The film was assembled in 1938 with rescued 16mm material shot during the 1937 attempt and footage from the previous expeditions.

Documentary film material was produced during the 1938 expedition to Nanga Parbat, led by Paul Bauer. The German Himalaya Foundation had planned a feature-length film with the title Berg im Monsun (Mountain in the Monsoon), once again, edited by Frank Leberecht. The outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 as well as extended contract negotiations between Tobis and the foundation during 1940 delayed post-production of the film, and it was only in spring 1945 that Tobis could report to the foundation that the film was about to be finished. The impending collapse of the Third Reich that very spring, made impossible its release in theaters.