Unter den Hohen Tauern: Ein Roman aus der Steiermark

A sweeping Alpine landscape opens the story, with the sun scorching the Enns valley before a sudden cloud bank rolls in, promising a storm over the towering “Haller Mauern” and the jagged peaks of Pyrgas and Scheiblingstein. The heat hangs heavy in the firwood, and the wind whips across the craggy ridges, setting the stage for a rugged trek through the high woods toward an isolated hunting hut.

The two forest officials who make the ascent could not be more different. Oberförster Hartlieb is a lean, stern man whose sharp eyes and disciplined bearing speak of authority, while his companion, the good‑natured Forstwart Gnugesser, waddles along with a round belly, rosy hair and a genial smile. Their conversation hints at recent changes in land ownership that weigh on Hartlieb’s mind, while Gnugesser hesitates to raise his concerns. As thunder rumbles overhead, the pair press on, their contrasting personalities and the looming storm foreshadowing the challenges that await in the mountain’s shadow.