The Hike That Killed Five Schoolboys

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 19 มิ.ย. 2024
  • In April 1936, the bodies of five English schoolboys were found half-buried in the snow in the German Black Forest. The truth about what happened would remain buried for 80 years. But the truth has a funny way of getting out eventually.
    patreon.com/realhorror - thank you 🙏
    ✦ With special thanks ✦
    Bernd Hainmüller
    This video is based on research by Bernd, and this documentary has been created with his kind permission and support. He has personally gathered and verified all primary and secondary sources, which you can find in his excellent book about this tragedy, ‘Tod Am Schauinsland’: amzn.to/3T2Wh4y. (It’s in German, obviously.)
    Also, a huge thank you to Lost Footage Found (bit.ly/3QFMhMO) who granted copyright permission.
    ✦ Corrections ✦
    20:34 This should say ‘Nationalist Socialist’ publication, not socialist publication.
    32:12 'Englanderunglück' is more accurately translated as the 'the English disaster'. I was going to make a broader point here about the irony of 'unglück' (which does literally mean 'un-luck' in German) being used, given what we now know, but it got cut, as so now it just reads as bad translation.
    ✦ Track list ✦
    Dark Documentary - Rafael Krux
    Post-apocalyptic - CO AG
    A Person That They Will All Fear - CO AG
    Drifting Through Time - CO AG
    Time - CO AG
    There is Something You Should Know - CO AG
    Gently Dawning - Jay Varton
    Bionic - Ethan Sloane
    Dark Melancholic - Rafael Krux
    ✦ Chapters ✦
    00:00 Intro
    02:03 'Just a Springtime Hike'
    04:36 The First Warning
    07:45 The Second Warning
    11:08 The Final Ascent
    14:47 A Sound in the Darkness
    17:48 A Media Storm
    21:33 Germany, 1936
    23:21 Wait, is this... a cover up?
    27:22 This is definitely a cover up
    30:30 A Tragedy Forgotten

ความคิดเห็น • 4.7K

  • @ribunny123
    @ribunny123 ปีที่แล้ว +13183

    If any kids are reading this, please remember that just because someone is an adult in charge doesn't mean they know everything. If it feels wrong, defy them, stay back. Defend yourself if you know something is wrong. Better in some trouble than dead.

    • @StarryInkArt
      @StarryInkArt 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +165

      Agreed.

    • @molybdomancer195
      @molybdomancer195 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +534

      Kids in the 1930s were far more biddable than they are now. They were brought up to obey adults unquestionably

    • @CharmSchool_Reject
      @CharmSchool_Reject 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +151

      @@molybdomancer195 German kids even moreso

    • @gohawks3571
      @gohawks3571 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +157

      Wish I would've known this in childhood. Could have possibly escaped abuse☹️

    • @LeeLee1985Official
      @LeeLee1985Official 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +195

      Amen! As a kid I was terrified to go against adults. I listened & remained very respectful around all adults. Which got me molested several times & almost kidnapped. I taught my kids to never do anything they don't want idc if adults are around. If it feels wrong don't do it! Stand up for yourself

  • @zuzananovotna3179
    @zuzananovotna3179 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +6325

    My deepest respect for the villagers who went into the blizzard in the middle of the night to save a bunch of foreign children.

    • @camiloweinmann6440
      @camiloweinmann6440 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +42

      Crazy, to think about that 20 yrs later they wher killing eacht others.

    • @Jake-gs6yl
      @Jake-gs6yl 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +50

      ​​@@camiloweinmann6440weren't even the same people.

    • @yYkillerYy
      @yYkillerYy 7 หลายเดือนก่อน

      more like 3, this was in 1936@@camiloweinmann6440

    • @jarnold1789
      @jarnold1789 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +194

      @@camiloweinmann6440 20 years later? More like 3-4 years later. I lived in the mountains of southern Germany for a year and a half, lovely people there. People living in rugged and harsh environments tend to be good people in my experience

    • @franciscopereira2341
      @franciscopereira2341 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +159

      The children being foreign doesnt add anything to their acts. Good people will care about children no matter what. Heroes will go out into a deadly blizzard because children are there in need of help.

  • @cyborgraptor1778
    @cyborgraptor1778 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +1612

    I read the The Guardian article on this some time ago. Keast said a week after the death of the boys that "today I've had the happiest day of my life" in a letter to his crush. I've no doubt that guy was either a manipulative pyscho or the worst type of narcissistic egomaniac or both. I'm sure in his mind he was the hero he'd told everyone he was, and I wish the truth had come out while he was alive so he'd have to watch everyone know him for the monster he was.

    • @ohgeezrick2019
      @ohgeezrick2019 5 หลายเดือนก่อน +138

      He was at the very least an extreme narcissist judging by how he handled every encounter with the local populace

    • @kitnwills3973
      @kitnwills3973 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Does it seem this guy had a case of Van Munchausen by proxy, hurting and causing pain to others to draw attention to oneself? Not that I truly GAF about this ass, but scientifically I wonder if it may apply?

    • @billybenjamins4126
      @billybenjamins4126 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +21

      to think that with whatever serious personality flaws he must surely have had, he still had a long and successful teaching career... i would be lying if i said i never had a teacher that was as much of an asshole as he seems to have been. there just isn't much effort made at winnowing these types out

    • @ashleypg1708
      @ashleypg1708 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +6

      Yes, he seems like a narc and a sociopath.

    • @denisehagwood4542
      @denisehagwood4542 หลายเดือนก่อน +10

      Jesus, the armchair diagnosing is ridiculous. Maybe he was just a terrible person? No no that's boring, he has to be a raging narc or a sociopath, right? Do you people have the qualifications to be saying this nonsense?

  • @arianamaria_
    @arianamaria_ 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +938

    My heart breaks for that father who tried so hard to fight for justice. That man was broken and his life destroyed by a murderer who got off totally free.

  • @unrulycrow6299
    @unrulycrow6299 ปีที่แล้ว +6452

    "Ir was just too late to turn back" after multiple people openly told and then begged him to stop his madness. That man was a monster.

    • @Krystalmyth
      @Krystalmyth 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +276

      I hate sociopaths. Wish we could identify them at a glance. They're not human.

    • @agdoren
      @agdoren 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +340

      I told a friend of mine about this, she immediately concluded that he was actively trying to kill one or more of those boys.

    • @evanpetelle5669
      @evanpetelle5669 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +275

      @@agdoren really freaking seems like it, doesn’t it?? I mean, how do you do that with so many children under your care & protection if not for nefarious purposes? Unless he’s just completely incapable of admitting that he made a mistake & needs to backtrack.

    • @Iron-Bridge
      @Iron-Bridge 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +127

      As an outdoor adventure instructor myself, to exercise such poor judgment in duty of care is horrific. This is criminal.

    • @agdoren
      @agdoren 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +89

      @@evanpetelle5669 At some point in the video they briefly mentioned the word abuse, really makes me wonder.

  • @vociferateforme
    @vociferateforme ปีที่แล้ว +5908

    Honestly bless those villagers and their families for risking their lives for children that weren't even theirs.

    • @zukosmom3780
      @zukosmom3780 ปีที่แล้ว +196

      It was amazing how they helped those boys and the Doctors did everything that they could

    • @VioletJoy
      @VioletJoy ปีที่แล้ว +69

      Yes, major props to all of them.

    • @grifyn882
      @grifyn882 ปีที่แล้ว +20

      everybody would do the same...great but nothing amazing

    • @VioletJoy
      @VioletJoy ปีที่แล้ว +171

      @@grifyn882 Everybody? Hmmm, not so sure about that. It's just good to see people come together for something like this.

    • @kateh.2327
      @kateh.2327 ปีที่แล้ว +168

      @@grifyn882 I respectfully disagree.... how many times have we witnessed people turning their backs on those in need simply because they don't want to get involved or have the mentality that it's none of their business; therefore, they do nothing.....

  • @fredpeterson75
    @fredpeterson75 5 หลายเดือนก่อน +1379

    "There's no need to go over the details of what happens when a young boy is made to march through sub-zero temperatures in shorts and sandals for hours on end. It's every bit as heartbreaking as you imagine it to be." This line alone deserves an enormous amount of respect. Thank you.

    • @ikmedialuna
      @ikmedialuna 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      Why she whispered the entire video? I almost could not finish

    • @HollyCat504
      @HollyCat504 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +43

      @@ikmedialunaWhat lol? No one whispered. Sounds like an issue on your end with your speaker.

    • @funkyfranx
      @funkyfranx หลายเดือนก่อน +4

      @@HollyCat504 It's a very breathy delivery, you know full well there's nothing wrong with his speaker

    • @ZombieSazza
      @ZombieSazza หลายเดือนก่อน +4

      @@funkyfranxnobody else seems to be having issues, you’ve either something wrong with your speakers or have some low quality headphones, I’m using earbuds and checked with my computer and phone on the phone speaker, it was all very clearly audible to me. The narrator doesn’t have a loud booming voice is all, but she’s not as quiet as a mouse either.

    • @yinyangsaladgang8789
      @yinyangsaladgang8789 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Wut? It's part of a script someone wrote to entertain you and make themselves money. It's effectively monetising tragedy and here you are patting yourselves on the back for being swept away by some kind words? Wtf man

  • @Tabth3778
    @Tabth3778 8 หลายเดือนก่อน +2473

    The fact that Keast completely got away with it, and the case was mostly swept under the rug, is just disgusting. This was blatant murder, thank you for shedding light on this tragedy with such a well-made video
    Excited to watch this channel's growth

    • @Cathulu26
      @Cathulu26 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +63

      seriously- I'm stood in my kitchen literally yelling at my screen 🤬 and like "oh couldn't ever turn around so let's instead HIKE UP AND OVER ACROSS THE WHOLE DAMN MOUNTAIN" 😭😭😭

    • @namelessking111
      @namelessking111 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Yeah it was utterly disgusting, the fact that he had the guts to even "plan" another hiking trip after what he did and all the lies he told to cover his ass goes to show how purely psychopathic this mf is.

    • @coldchillin8382
      @coldchillin8382 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +64

      I don’t know how he escaped the wrath of the parents.

    • @theeverydaybombshell
      @theeverydaybombshell 5 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      Well, he didn't though...not really. Right now, more people than Keast ever met in his whole life know he was just a pile of crap.
      It's not true justice. But Keast, in his egocentric way, cared more about how he was seen by others than nearly everything else. We see you for real, Keast, you human version of a bag of dirty diapers.
      I like to think his own personal demon in hell assigned to torture him reads the names of all the people who watch this video to him at bedtime.

    • @Rachturne
      @Rachturne 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

      ​@@coldchillin8382 thissssss

  • @highlycaffreinated
    @highlycaffreinated ปีที่แล้ว +3375

    Something quite horrifying to consider is, the German locals warning them about the severity of the storm and not to go would obviously be conversing in German with the teacher, which the children probably weren't able to understand/catch most of
    Edit: spelling

    • @sigisig3941
      @sigisig3941 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +403

      oh your right, I never thought about that.
      I kinda wonder why no boy left the groupe, because the postman tould them a camp is near but is was all in german. Oh that makes everything so much worse.

    • @ArnisKaye
      @ArnisKaye 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +332

      I thought the same thing. The boys would have no idea that they were being warned so even if their parents or others asked them what happened, they didn't know people were begging their teacher not to continue, that Keast KNEW what he was doing, because they didn't understand the language. And Keast knew they didn't know so he could lie without worrying that the boys would contradict him.

    • @Lil_lioness
      @Lil_lioness 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +137

      They trusted him, I cannot fathom why a grown man would put children through this after being warned and pretty much begged not to do it.
      Even if the threat wasn't great, if I had so many warnings from people who know the trail so well I would definitely take a step back and think 'yeah okay, I'm inexperienced, unprepared so maybe it's not safe' I'd rather not go and find another activity for the boys to do than put the kids or myself (their caretaker) at risk. Better to be safe than sorry.

    • @Snapper314
      @Snapper314 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +10

      In 1936, Germany still had faint hopes of either keep England out of the looming war, or even possibly bringing them in on Germany's side.

    • @evanpetelle5669
      @evanpetelle5669 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +65

      @@Lil_lionessI’m thinking he’s totally incapable of admitting his own wrongs. I’d like to know more of how his colleagues & other people in his life viewed him.

  • @Ale-wz1nl
    @Ale-wz1nl 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +2022

    Im not religious or anything, but the fact that church bells are the ones that led some of the boys to find help made me cry. Imagine hearing nothing but wind and snow and your own breathing, and you hear church bells. I cant even imagine the pain and horror those poor boys went through. That leader is a monster.

    • @Ithinkthereforeimright
      @Ithinkthereforeimright 8 หลายเดือนก่อน +73

      I am a Christian and had a similar reaction.

    • @AstroGirlAutumn
      @AstroGirlAutumn 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +110

      Religion or not, the church can be seen as a symbol or love, hope and safety. Or it should be seen as such. I agree with both comments, I can only imagine hearing the bells and what it might have felt like. The glimmer of hope. Religion or not, it's very powerful. ❤

    • @camcas381
      @camcas381 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +8

      Very true. We don’t hear those bells anymore these days…

    • @adolfryan1930
      @adolfryan1930 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +9

      How can u not be Christian?

    • @Mounhas
      @Mounhas 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +46

      @@adolfryan1930 Odd remark.

  • @metaknight4230
    @metaknight4230 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +1144

    Nearly cried at the part where the villagers risked their lives to save the boys. True Heroes of the Story.

    • @magnum_cx8805
      @magnum_cx8805 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +19

      Actually cried. Quite a lot.

    • @alexis-jq5gq
      @alexis-jq5gq 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +12

      Settle down.

    • @cristianpeck877
      @cristianpeck877 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

      how can you say that. these are children we are talking about.@@alexis-jq5gq

    • @twallace9533
      @twallace9533 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Same!

    • @Jacob-wu3if
      @Jacob-wu3if 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +9

      I would say it was the boys that broke off the group their teacher was leading. If it wasn’t for them, no one would’ve survived.

  • @alexandracreevey7034
    @alexandracreevey7034 8 หลายเดือนก่อน +492

    It wasn’t Keats’ extreme carelessness or the tragic deaths of the boys that pains me the most . The most heartbreaking thing is that there were several people who tried desperately to get the justice done but ended up failing and be traumatized for life. Life is so unfair.

  • @anthonyinglis6956
    @anthonyinglis6956 ปีที่แล้ว +5158

    Keast was my German teacher at Marlborough and none of us knew this story. I am pretty sure the school can't have done either; it was after all some 30 years later. At Marlborough he was known for driving a 1930s Rolls Royce and writing witty end-of-term reports. In one of mine, he wrote: "certainly my most intriguing pupil, but I feel I have failed to get anything across to him. However, I am game to go on trying." I am now ashamed of finding that witty. Watching this, I became angrier and angrier and more and more upset. Turns out, my sister lives in Freiburg and has done for 30 years. She married a German who works for the radio and knew the story. He had even interviewed the mayor of Hofsgrund who was an eyewitness to the tragedy before broadcasting the story. Next time I visit, I promise I will lay a wreath at the site.

    • @RealHorrorChannel
      @RealHorrorChannel  ปีที่แล้ว +867

      Thank you for this insight, really. Comments like this make the work I do feel that much more real. Don't be ashamed - as much as I hate what happened, I'm certain Keast had his moments (he was generally very well-liked). I hope to visit Freiburg in the coming months to lay a wreathe also (just waiting for it to warm up a bit...)

    • @magishere1238
      @magishere1238 ปีที่แล้ว +353

      @@Jarek768 He said he knew Keast as his teacher 30 years after the incident, that would have been in the 1960s

    • @carlycrays2831
      @carlycrays2831 ปีที่แล้ว +68

      What a small world

    • @slaterchest7153
      @slaterchest7153 ปีที่แล้ว +164

      @@Jarek768 You didn't really read his comment or you would know the answer to that. 30 years later.

    • @Jarek768
      @Jarek768 ปีที่แล้ว +35

      @@magishere1238 OH so he's like 60

  • @nbdjz1058
    @nbdjz1058 ปีที่แล้ว +1037

    as a german living in the black forest, making someone go hiking in these conditions is basically murder. i never knew about this story, very interesting

    • @388Caroline
      @388Caroline 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +19

      I’m hoping to visit your beautiful country some day!

    • @theuglypotato7017
      @theuglypotato7017 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +12

      Same, it should be normal to know its very dangerous to go into a forest when its snowing or even just very windy. At least wear proper clothes and helmets. Id even argue its tried murder if you lead people there when the weather is that bad.

    • @claratenzs
      @claratenzs 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +9

      The Black Forest terrifies me, and I’ve been hiking and camping in the rugged California mountains since I was born.

    • @skullykittie9889
      @skullykittie9889 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      I would love to live in the black forest. I bet you have some stories to tell!

    • @nbdjz1058
      @nbdjz1058 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +11

      @@skullykittie9889 to be quite honest i don't because i stay far far away from the woods i don't fuck with that

  • @theoriginal1971
    @theoriginal1971 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +193

    Thank you for showing the images and names of the brave villagers who rescued those boys. They deserve to be remembered.

  • @jennifertautz1403
    @jennifertautz1403 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +249

    I'm a local living close to Freiburg, have been on the Schauinsland many times throughout my life, but I did not know about this story yet. Thanks for telling it, great video!
    Hits hard when you know all of those locations and see the absurd path this teacher and the poor children took.

    • @paulinewright9972
      @paulinewright9972 5 หลายเดือนก่อน +12

      Good to see that Bernt Heinmueller properly credited with revealing the truth here

  • @scottlaux6934
    @scottlaux6934 ปีที่แล้ว +4008

    Its been 84 years and this still enrages me, its almost like he was trying to kill them.

    • @lilianmcguigan9240
      @lilianmcguigan9240 ปีที่แล้ว

      So it seems to me. It is rather convenient that Hitler got involved in the funeral for the boys that mirrored the British funeral for the German Ambassador to Britian. There are too many instances where the teacher ignored all common sense and locals warnings to call this arrogance. It was murder.

    • @vmm5163
      @vmm5163 ปีที่แล้ว

      He displays every trait of a personality disordered Narcissist, unfortunately prevalent in older generations of Germans. I know this because half my family is German, half English. Sounds sensationalist but once you're under the influence of them you're literally doomed. Absolutely and totally merciless and self centered individuals who love to see others suffer

    • @wrangelinhabitant161
      @wrangelinhabitant161 ปีที่แล้ว

      Yes, i think he was schizophren and he did exactly that. This sadistic piece of Wrack wanted to kill them all...Poor children...

    • @ineffablemars
      @ineffablemars ปีที่แล้ว +576

      I think he was. I think he wanted the fame of being a “hero”

    • @casualcrisis6349
      @casualcrisis6349 ปีที่แล้ว +263

      people really showed their dark side more back then, just shows you what could happen now if we let our guard down

  • @ineffablemars
    @ineffablemars ปีที่แล้ว +3841

    Oh my god I feel so bad for Jack! He spent the rest of his life fighting to get the truth and ended up in a mental hospital. That broke my heart to hear.

    • @321scully
      @321scully ปีที่แล้ว +272

      The boys had a voice through this brave man.

    • @sugakookie7985
      @sugakookie7985 ปีที่แล้ว +427

      And mental hospitals were pits of hell in those days, that poor man

    • @Kaz-ii8th
      @Kaz-ii8th ปีที่แล้ว +1

      They used to put you in asylums just to ‘hush’ you up back then, if you had anything to say and the powers that be didn’t like it they would claim you were mad and lock you up! Poor man, he must have suffered so

    • @VioletJoy
      @VioletJoy ปีที่แล้ว +1

      That's one tiny example of how karma is utter nonsense. The mentally sick man went on to abuse more boys while enjoying a long career, while the heartbroken father suffered in a mental hospital and saw no justice.

    • @jimmynesbit1803
      @jimmynesbit1803 ปีที่แล้ว +337

      It was extremely compelling hearing that he went to Germany alone to find out the truth already broken from his sons death. I couldn’t imagine the pain he felt retracting his son’s footsteps up the mountain. The fire that grew in his heart when he discovered the truth. The determination of a furious heartbroken man can move mountains. Unfortunately when the government cover it up there’s no use.
      The fire in his heart drove him mentally insane he fought and dedicated his life for the truth he is the real hero.

  • @hathorearthfyre
    @hathorearthfyre 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +406

    I'm crying for those children, and for the injustice their parents experienced. This is one of the worst non-fiction stories I've ever heard. Thank you for sharing it. I's got everything...innocent kids, concerned villagers, grieving parents, a lying "guardian," the detemined investigator, Nazi theatrics, deceptive politics and overall governmental neglect. Those poor, trusting children.

    • @vaiciciaku
      @vaiciciaku 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +10

      this comment just right sums up the video

  • @angelinalozada189
    @angelinalozada189 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +179

    How sad for the father who tried so hard to get justice for his son.

  • @meteormedia7021
    @meteormedia7021 ปีที่แล้ว +2988

    As a native, who has spent his childhood hiking all over the region with his parents, let me tell you it’s not called the Black Forest for nothing. It’s a rugged and mountainous woodland with treacherous weather and it’s difficult to navigate at the best of times. Even today in the age of GPS, hikers get lost all the time.

    • @loverlyme
      @loverlyme ปีที่แล้ว +60

      And yet, when I see or hear the words 'Black Forest' all I can think of is yummy Black Forest Cake! Yummo! I like it so much that, even though I rarely make desserts, I have turned this type of cake into a Black Forest Cheesecake, and more recently (with covid restrictions in Australia) I made Black Forest Icecream in Waffle Cones for my mother's 80th birthday in 2020. Since we couldn't be near each other I had to package them up and deliver her treats whilst we all sat a distance from each other in the driveway. It's sad to hear the name of this place with such dark connotations.

    • @iaminpainauchocolat9300
      @iaminpainauchocolat9300 ปีที่แล้ว +77

      It's why the witch in hansel and grettle got away with it

    • @jean6872
      @jean6872 ปีที่แล้ว +62

      I was driving at the edge of the Black Forest in 1977 when everything went black for me. I had driven through a swarm of black flying insects the like of which I had never seen in my life before or since. My windshield was covered and I could see nothing. I immediately slowed down and tried using my wipers. At the next filling station I got help to wash the windshield. Good heavens! What a shock.

    • @aicerg
      @aicerg ปีที่แล้ว +153

      @@loverlyme what an out of place comment.

    • @ramblingrob4693
      @ramblingrob4693 ปีที่แล้ว +17

      I get lost getting out of bed in the dark

  • @colinrichards4565
    @colinrichards4565 ปีที่แล้ว +2604

    As a pupil at Strand School myself in the 1960s and as one who saw Keast's name on the school honours board every day when he was head boy (he came back to teach there after university), I knew nothing of this. It was only in later life that a newfound friend turned out not only to be an Old Strandian but the younger brother of one of the survivors of the disaster. He had been contacted by Bernd Hainmuller as part of the latter's meticulous research that led to the truth being told and in turn to this excellent film. I hope it is some comfort to any surviving descendents of those who lost their lives that the real story has at last been publicised.

    • @infinite4392
      @infinite4392 ปีที่แล้ว +39

      did the younger brother say anything about the ordeal or about what his brother's life was like after?

    • @colinrichards4565
      @colinrichards4565 ปีที่แล้ว +91

      @@infinite4392 No, not really. He did say that the first his family knew of the disaster was when he and his mother saw headlines on a newspaper placard while out shopping in a local high street. I believe his brother lived to a good age and died only recently. There was a similarly good revelatory write up in a Guardian Long Read a few years ago and someone wrote a play which was performed in a SW London theatre - may have been Woking or Wimbledon but I'm not sure.

    • @jean6872
      @jean6872 ปีที่แล้ว +78

      Thank you so much for your comment. I am in shock having come across this story only moments ago. The arrogant incompetence of Keast infuriates me and, as a retired schoolteacher, I am utterly ashamed how he abused those boys because he could, given the respect his students had for him. Those who covered up Weis' report, politicians and newsmen, share the guilt.

    • @drippinwet774
      @drippinwet774 ปีที่แล้ว

      Idk fam, how are we supposed know you are who you say you are?

    • @jean6872
      @jean6872 ปีที่แล้ว +44

      @drippin wet *_How do we know you are really Dripping Wet, I wonder._*

  • @Konschtimonschti
    @Konschtimonschti 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +186

    I grew up in Freiburg and as a child I was told about this incident. Up until now I thought it was only a scary story to prevent kids from going in the woods alone. Its really interesting revisiting this story in form of a documentary. Great job with the research!

  • @badtastetoast585
    @badtastetoast585 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +174

    My God, through the blizzard in shorts... This teacher was insane. Or evil. Or both.

    • @geehammer1511
      @geehammer1511 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      I'd like to have more background on this Keast guy, I will guess he was in WW1. This made him dislike English people hence why he refused to listen to anyone telling him to turn back & not go any further. He wanted those children to die.

  • @mackenziec7303
    @mackenziec7303 ปีที่แล้ว +1807

    This is going to haunt me because Keast was not negligent, he was malevolent. I’m convinced there’s some huge missing piece, some unknown motive to endanger all those innocent boys.
    From the start he seemed to make intentional bad choices, first of which having the boys completely ill-prepared for the weather before even knowing of a snowstorm. Then he was angered by all attempts of persuasion from the locals to change his plans. He put them in danger on purpose, but the reason why is going to keep my brain going in circles.

    • @kgraff4755
      @kgraff4755 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +166

      I think you are right. There must have been an additional motivating factor at play for Keast to have made the decisions he made. To still commit to your plan after having your reality checked by several other people several different times I don't think can be explained by just blind maliciousness.
      It's interesting to think about, but it's true we'll likely never know what Keast thought or what his true motivations were or factors were at play leading up to that day.

    • @peterguernsey6831
      @peterguernsey6831 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +266

      You haven't seen the kind of arrogance that appears in small petty people when they are given power? The reality checks are probably why he kept going as long as he did... It's unfortunate, and the desire for an evil motive is understandable, though I'll bet it was just like the major issue we have with police officers that do similar things, and end up shooting a kid or whatever because they just couldn't step back and act like a human being instead of an authority figure...

    • @junepearl7993
      @junepearl7993 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +104

      He was mentally unstable. You won’t be able to make sense of what he did because there is no coherent reason. Those boys suffered and died because of a crazy person.

    • @GradKat
      @GradKat 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +179

      He was just pig-headed and stubborn, in my view. I could imagine him thinking “I’m an English schoolmaster, I’m not going to let a lot of foreigners tell me what to do!”.
      I’m British and I regret to say that, in the wake of our once having been a great empire, such an attitude was not unknown among my countrymen.

    • @kiIIyourmasters
      @kiIIyourmasters 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

      I disagree, he was a dimwitted victorian-minded schoolmaster with a power fantasy

  • @cloudsn
    @cloudsn 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1900

    I've watched lots of stories of lost hikers, mostly in remote areas. The story usually starts with the hikers setting off, and then there's no contact with any other person. They simply vanish. In this case, there were many times the boys could have been spared. All those people who tried to warn them and who gave them directions. It's like Keast was trying to get them all killed.

    • @vsnature7146
      @vsnature7146 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +12

      And why do you think that might be the case? Reality is fare more frightening that fiction.

    • @ktajax
      @ktajax 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +34

      Thats exactly what I was thinking!!

    • @ktajax
      @ktajax 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +51

      ​@@vsnature7146they explained why if you read it. And what exactly is reality in this story to you? Clearly reality at that time the event occurred there was a series of conflicting realities. Even Keast is shown to have lied, so it's plausible he deliberately intended to kill them.

    • @vsnature7146
      @vsnature7146 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

      @@ktajax Thats my point exactly. Why do you think his reasons for lying are?

    • @1foolishcaribou195
      @1foolishcaribou195 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +40

      I wonder why he was trying to kill them. Were there children in the group who he needed to silence? Did he need to cover-up his other crimes by getting rid of the victims and witnesses?

  • @apple8464
    @apple8464 8 หลายเดือนก่อน +101

    There may be an even more sinister underlying fact about Jack Eaton’s harrowing experience of telling the truth. During this time, being sent to a sanatorium or psychiatric hospital is the primary way for authorities to legally imprison individuals and paint them as crazy lunatics. This was what most likely happened to Jack Eaton. Just thinking about this breaks my heart. All he wanted was justice for the death of his dear, sweet boy and the authorities did all in his power to defile the truth.
    I wonder what the boys’ descendants thought of. I wonder how justice can be brought to Jack Eaton today, when even his final wishes for his epitaph was not followed. He knew deep in his heart that the teacher failed, yet no one listened. If there is justice in this world, I hope Jack Eaton can receive it - even if it was decades after his death.

    • @jonlannister345
      @jonlannister345 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      As a truth teller, in defense of the people; the ignorant cannot tell that truth telling isn't craziness. I've dealt with enough people who legitimately thought I was crazy because I told the truth to my own detriment to see that many literally do see the truth as insane. It's not that they just use the accusation to silence the truth (though the most evil people certainly do suppress the truth consciously), it's much worse than that; they are so far into their own lies that the truth frightens and confuses them.
      Jesus said that the truth is like a fire that burns people and sends them scattering in fear. From the perspective of people who are deep in the lie, the truth is a terrifying force that threatens to destroy the whole world. They react from there

  • @elise12321
    @elise12321 5 หลายเดือนก่อน +61

    i am currently on a binge of this channel, this person is a hard working, talented, and incredibly intelligent. the way these videos are written and made shows how hard working she is. thank you for taking the time to put the effort in to creat such a beautiful piece

  • @sparkfadingspark
    @sparkfadingspark ปีที่แล้ว +2202

    This story is absolutely horrifying. Those poor boys never stood a chance. Keast was a monster, I don't know how he could live with himself except to assume he had no care for anyone but himself.

    • @debbieflaherty1975
      @debbieflaherty1975 ปีที่แล้ว +34

      Bingo.

    • @sarahcoleman3125
      @sarahcoleman3125 ปีที่แล้ว +231

      Agree, classic narcissist behavior. He set out to do what he had decided to do, and no nay-sayers, regardless of their experience and expert knowledge, was going to turn him back. It's the only explanation. It didn't matter if the kids died as long as he was -right-.

    • @bonniemoerdyk9809
      @bonniemoerdyk9809 ปีที่แล้ว +24

      @@sarahcoleman3125 ... I was thinking the exact same!!

    • @nettewilson5926
      @nettewilson5926 ปีที่แล้ว +46

      Just like most Nazis lived without any guilt or consequences for their behavior. It’s a story as old as humankind.

    • @wolfzmusic9706
      @wolfzmusic9706 ปีที่แล้ว +12

      ​@@nettewilson5926 i think actually a lot of them did

  • @shinywarm6906
    @shinywarm6906 ปีที่แล้ว +773

    Incredibly, on his return to the UK, Keast began plans to lead a school trip to Austria. It was only thanks to Eaton's persistant harrying of him and the school that this was cancelled.

    • @carlycrays2831
      @carlycrays2831 ปีที่แล้ว

      This man had a very particular death wish

    • @iexist6677
      @iexist6677 ปีที่แล้ว +66

      jesus..

    • @SilverScreenDreamer
      @SilverScreenDreamer ปีที่แล้ว

      I couldn't believe it when I heard that in the video. Even privately, he clearly felt zero remorse for what he did to those boys and wanted another chance to do it again!! That's yet another reason why I think he intentionally put them in a deadly situation. Seems like a psychopath.

    • @jessicajarsak7812
      @jessicajarsak7812 ปีที่แล้ว +67

      Thank God! Keeping him from causing another preventable incident.

    • @yeahyeahyeah3724
      @yeahyeahyeah3724 ปีที่แล้ว +180

      That's what infuriates me the most. The fact that he wants to lead another trip shows that he absolutely has no guilt over what happened. What an arrogant prick.

  • @matteosiefert846
    @matteosiefert846 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +54

    I live literally only 15mins away from where this happened and grew up with this story but you've layed out details even I did not know.
    Thanks for the great video, well done!

  • @IzzyOnTheMove
    @IzzyOnTheMove 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +174

    As a born and bred Canadian from Québec I can totally imagine how painful it must have been to trek through that weather in shorts... Truly horrifc...

    • @phillipproussier3723
      @phillipproussier3723 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

      I think Quebec's terrain is a walk in the park in comparison to European mountainous regions. 😐

    • @Mrs.Currie
      @Mrs.Currie 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +11

      ​​@@phillipproussier3723by 'painful', I believe they mean the cold (not the terrain itself).

    • @phillipproussier3723
      @phillipproussier3723 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @@Mrs.Currie It's only Northern Canada that is colder than Europe.

    • @Mrs.Currie
      @Mrs.Currie 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      @phillipproussier3723 Well, Canada is a big area, and so is Europe. Where I live in southwest Manitoba (about 40 minutes from the US border), on average, the winters are colder than anywhere in Europe. In British Columbia or parts of Alberta, much less cold in the winter.

    • @phillipproussier3723
      @phillipproussier3723 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @@Mrs.Currie I don't think that South-West Manitoba is colder than Scandinavian countries (Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland) and Northern Russia. Northern Russia in particular is hell in winter time.

  • @natalyabaich4006
    @natalyabaich4006 ปีที่แล้ว +536

    Keast was an absolute coward. He knew the truth but chose to let those poor boys die with a hint of shame hanging over their heads. He was absolutely no hero. I am so thankful Bernd found the report and then put it to good use. The truth did indeed come out, Jack. May you, your son, and the other children, forever rest in peace now.

    • @marhawkman303
      @marhawkman303 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      I gotta hand it to Weiss. If he hadn't given a copy to the press... it'd have never been found. It's seemingly the PRESS copy that Bernd used.

  • @31webseries
    @31webseries ปีที่แล้ว +1768

    As horrible as this story is, it's the point where all these people risked their lives to find and save every last boy no matter the hardship, no matter the risk, no matter the boys not speaking their language, just humans saving humans, things like this give me hope in humanity and a little bit of light in an oft dark world, i.e. every single other part of the story.

    • @jean6872
      @jean6872 ปีที่แล้ว +82

      Those local people were magnificent.

    • @martharoark4059
      @martharoark4059 ปีที่แล้ว +44

      This is what I choose to receive from this story. Thank you for your insight.

    • @O_Ciel_Phant0mhive
      @O_Ciel_Phant0mhive ปีที่แล้ว +6

      agreed

    • @louiseogden1296
      @louiseogden1296 ปีที่แล้ว +46

      Same. My philosophy is that evil can be big and great and powerful and cause despair. But goodness is individual -- a series of individual attempts to make the world just a little bit better and all that accumulates like a blizzard to smother evil.

    • @MrBlipman
      @MrBlipman ปีที่แล้ว +7

      Especially during that time period.

  • @dirtywater5336
    @dirtywater5336 5 หลายเดือนก่อน +39

    This story is heartbreaking, angering, sad, and infuriating all at once. How can a grown adult be so careless and reckless. To continue on while the boys were in shorts, without food or water, no clear direction, and ignoring the advice from all the locals telling them to turn back and seek shelter is equal parts ignorance and arrogance in the highest order. Idk how that man managed to live with himself after that day. He must've been a malignant narcissist and truly believed he was not to blame. Being the father of a son myself, I wouldn't be able to die fast enough after finding out my son had died in this manner

  • @MariMuller-sc7pj
    @MariMuller-sc7pj 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +53

    I’m German and (very) roughly from the area where all of this happened. It makes me so sad to think about how the death of these boys was used for propaganda and until recently not investigated appropriately. My heart goes out to the parents who died without knowing the truth.

  • @canadiankazz
    @canadiankazz ปีที่แล้ว +1539

    The thought of hiking up a mountain through a blizzard in SHORTS is absolutely horrifying. The testimonies of all the locals who tried to stop them, who begged their leader not to do this, are heart breaking. Thank you for sharing this story to TH-cam. This documentary is extremely well made and I'm looking forward to seeing what other stories you will cover in the future.

    • @Jane-br9om
      @Jane-br9om ปีที่แล้ว +7

      Couldn't agree more!

    • @lateral1385
      @lateral1385 ปีที่แล้ว

      Idiot narcissistic man

    • @Tina06019
      @Tina06019 ปีที่แล้ว +24

      There’s definitely something Nazi Youth-esque about it. I have read that Hitler had a fetish of sorts for wearing shorts in cold weather.

    • @littleferrhis
      @littleferrhis ปีที่แล้ว +10

      @@Tina06019 Would make sense looking at how they invaded Russia.

    • @gohawks3571
      @gohawks3571 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +18

      Honestly, you couldn't do a mountain in shorts in the summer! That's totally ridiculous! Even if it's technically comfortable weather, the temperature difference is enough to need it. Went to Hawaii once & we went up a mountain for stargazing. Was amazed at the number of people who went up there with nothing but shorts and tank tops. Just because it's 35°C down below doesn't negate the cold of the mountain.

  • @amandakemp9175
    @amandakemp9175 ปีที่แล้ว +1597

    My uncle was on that trip. We always heard how the teacher carried a dead schoolboy on his back. I feel horrified to hear the truth. My uncle had recurring nightmares but at least he survived.

    • @carlycrays2831
      @carlycrays2831 ปีที่แล้ว +221

      I mean, I'm sure the teacher did do some pretty "impressive" things to survive, but that doesn't do away with just how stupid and cruel he was to be in that position in the first place

    • @kitkatwomp
      @kitkatwomp ปีที่แล้ว +21

      Which boy was he? I’m so very sorry that happened to him

    • @cazc5200
      @cazc5200 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      ​@Colleen Kelly which story? The story the her uncle was on the trip or the bit he told her about the lad being carried?

    • @cazc5200
      @cazc5200 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      @Colleen Kelly He Definitely wouldn't of gotten an apple or teacher of the yesr mug, that's for sure .

    • @ZZZ13656
      @ZZZ13656 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      @@carlycrays2831 carrying a dead child on your back is more than just "impressive"

  • @ash_tray
    @ash_tray 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +63

    This is a horrific tragedy I’ve (obviously) never heard of. Thank you for helping bring this to the light. I am positive Jack’s father would have been so grateful to you for showing everyone what a MONSTER that man truly was. He killed those children and doesn’t deserve to go down in history as any sort of hero. So many family members of the deceased died without knowing the truth… it breaks my heart.

    • @identitymatrix
      @identitymatrix 5 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      If only it came out when he was still around.

  • @johnmurray1508
    @johnmurray1508 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +89

    This is exceptional story telling. Better than anything I've seen on the big streaming sites. My sincerest compliments to this channel. This video was so moving. I'm absolutely blown away by the quality. Thank you so much for this.

  • @mayathecrackkidz6922
    @mayathecrackkidz6922 ปีที่แล้ว +1083

    a friend of mine got lost in the Swiss mountains during a snowstorm, and lost a couple fingers due to frostbite, and still tells stories about how horrified he was. he's a big dude, 6'3, 250 lbs of muscle and was scared to death. I can't even IMAGINE what those kids were going through...

    • @michaelcooper9705
      @michaelcooper9705 ปีที่แล้ว

      You sound in awe of your friends rock hard dong.

    • @justamanofculture12
      @justamanofculture12 ปีที่แล้ว +102

      I've been to Himalayas and trust me mountains are no joke. They're cruel, very cruel. Just the sound of the river in a valley can shake you, a blizzard is pure horror even for professional hikers. Never play with nature.

    • @colt9836
      @colt9836 ปีที่แล้ว +55

      @@justamanofculture12 Never underestimate the brutality of the cold.

    • @jayxproductions
      @jayxproductions ปีที่แล้ว

      Homegirl really thought someone was gonna attack her and say “they were kids that’s why they died” by bringing up a fake buff friend who you probably heard of in an article 😹😹

    • @hamilcross
      @hamilcross ปีที่แล้ว +64

      @@jayxproductions awww babe, some of us actually have friends. not that you'd know what that's like. :)

  • @dominaincharge
    @dominaincharge ปีที่แล้ว +1082

    Keast being treated like a hero is so infuriating. Saying it wasn't fair is an understatement. I'm surprised Jack didn't take things into his own hands. Excellent story telling and informative content.

    • @iexist6677
      @iexist6677 ปีที่แล้ว +81

      He just got to live his normal life- oh not just normal, he was a hero apparently, and he killed 5 little boys. It seemed like he kinda did it on purpose too.. tragic.

    • @marhawkman303
      @marhawkman303 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      @@iexist6677 Well, It would seem that Mr. Keast has gone to his eternal.... "reward".... such as it is. I wonder what he would do differently... if given a second chance?

    • @Thatonek1d123
      @Thatonek1d123 ปีที่แล้ว +25

      @@marhawkman303 Well in my opinion, even if he had a second chance, I believe he would still attempt to go through the Black Forest because he was warned many many times about what was going to happen and he still ignored it.

    • @marhawkman303
      @marhawkman303 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@Thatonek1d123 Well, I mean, with hindsight of what his actions would lead to? hmmm... hard to say.
      Sure if he was given the choice a few days after? I suspect he'd keep his original choice.
      Years later? hmmm.... maybe...
      but now that he's seen the end result of his actions? I do wonder how much he regrets it.

    • @Thatonek1d123
      @Thatonek1d123 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      @@marhawkman303 well I do bring my point back and I will say again he was warned plenty of times and he was extemely unprepared. He also lied about his everything. Kinda hard not think he won’t do it again.

  • @JudgeDrey
    @JudgeDrey 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +21

    After watching 2 videos of stories I had never heard, which is rare these days, I can honestly say I'm very impressed with this channel. The writing and narration is fantastic. The graphic and videos are mixed in perfectly without using boring stock footage most other channels use. It keeps you engaged for the 30 plus minute story being told. I hope you keep going because I can't imagine a format like this not amounting to exponential growth in the near future. 200K subscribers is great but a drop in the bucket compared to what you should have for the quality of the content. I'll be watching the rest of your videos and waiting on me from here on.
    All the best.

  • @profiscus
    @profiscus 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +43

    Fantastic narration work. Truly scary story
    The villagers were insanely courageous

  • @ziggyzap1
    @ziggyzap1 ปีที่แล้ว +734

    when I heard how those villagers heard their cries and despite their own peril they chose to save them it made me tear up at how there is still some humanity left in the world

    • @anticom6099
      @anticom6099 ปีที่แล้ว +18

      Well that was in 1936, so…

    • @ziggyzap1
      @ziggyzap1 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      @@anticom6099 yeah but really honor died before or at least around there so.

    • @patagualianmostly7437
      @patagualianmostly7437 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @@anticom6099 Yeah....before the proverbial hit the fan.
      But it is heartwarming to know that not all Germans were aficionados of the Austrian Painter and Decorator.

    • @marhawkman303
      @marhawkman303 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@patagualianmostly7437 that's the true tragedy of WW2... and why there were so many "Resistance" cells in Germany.... the German people DIDN'T universally support their Fuhrer. Modern Germans almost all hate him with a burning passion.

    • @sifridbassoon
      @sifridbassoon ปีที่แล้ว +23

      I'm thinking that since they were locals, they had a better appreciation for the storm and how to search through it. Also, if you live in a small town, everyone knows everyone else, so there is more of a tradition of groups of locals helping others.

  • @herocuke
    @herocuke ปีที่แล้ว +911

    What an absolutely horrifying story. Encountering a group of people/kids determined to hike up the mountain through horrifying weather despite reasoning from others sounds... like something we can't comprehend. Something otherworldly or cryptically sublime, like out of an HP Lovecraft novel. And in the end, it was all due to one man's arrogance and the innocence of children.
    Then imagine answering your door at night mid-snowstorm, probably almost pitch black outside, only to see young children frozen and asking for help in as few words as possible. Then seeing more come down. Then the screams. How anyone could have marched into that snowy void of screams is beyond me. Those villagers were absolute heroes for that rescue.

    • @forgottenquill7063
      @forgottenquill7063 ปีที่แล้ว

      @Mono No Aware Even less so knowing Lovecraft was an arrogant Nazi himself.

    • @nickdarr7328
      @nickdarr7328 ปีที่แล้ว +35

      That's a pretty bad comparison since nothing about it is supernatural. More like Dostoevsky or Kafka. Something about the absurdity of man. Especially those in charge

  • @mayfaynezzz
    @mayfaynezzz 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +6

    Can I just say not only are your documentaries interesting, well written and informative, but there is a kindness to them that I don't see in a lot of channels that discuss tragic events. You show clear compassion for the victims of each video I have watched, and you do not delve into details that are unnecessary such as the details of what it was like trying to care for these poor boys after the rescue. It is a tragedy, everyone knows, and the details are not necessary. I thank you for your respect and kindness in that.
    Poor Jack... I hope he found at least even a glimmer of solace in the fact that he never gave up fighting for his son who I am sure would be so proud of him.

  • @One_queer_germ
    @One_queer_germ 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +34

    I am from Freiburg even tho I'm currently in Canada doing an exchange semester. I can only slightly recall having heard of an english group who's hike went wrong but I believe I've never heard the full, incredibly tragic story. It honestly feels so incredibly weird to hear all these places I know in this story and only now finding out about everything that took place. When I return I will most likely feel so different about visiting these oh so common places.
    thank you for this incredible video which made me realize how little i actually know about this horrible tragedy.

    • @gotthelfschwab1272
      @gotthelfschwab1272 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Don't tell us, you are a Freiburger and never got up to the "Hausberg" of this city, which is the Schauinsland mountain, and haven't taken notice of the monuments, around there, sounds a bit ignorant.
      I grew up 50 km away from the place, and I knew about it already when I was a boy in the 1970s.

    • @One_queer_germ
      @One_queer_germ หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@gotthelfschwab1272 well I'm only a teenager and don't spend that much time up there bc I have a lot to do with school and all. I have gone up before ofc but it was mainly w my family so I just stay with them and hadn't done any deep research.

  • @kayladunham2360
    @kayladunham2360 ปีที่แล้ว +718

    I just can’t imagine how anyone could have their bare skin exposed to snow for multiple hours. I’m getting hung up on a technicality, but I just can’t imagine powering through severe frostbite for hours and hours. Extreme cold combined with moisture is immediately debilitating. Great narrator!

    • @susieq5270
      @susieq5270 ปีที่แล้ว +92

      I can't get by that either...shorts and no coats or boots, I don't see how they got that far...

    • @caicaicairo
      @caicaicairo ปีที่แล้ว +56

      @@susieq5270and no water right?.. only mention of food was the teacher being fed cake and an orange..

    • @emilyfletcher7124
      @emilyfletcher7124 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +31

      I was thinking the exact same thing, I'm shocked there weren't more deaths.

    • @jadeybabes33
      @jadeybabes33 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +44

      I was holding a bottle of milk in the supermarket line the other day balancing on my arm and even that ten minutes of cold against my skin actually hurt a bit (and that's not even snow or freezing!) - it's actually unthinkable what their poor little bodies went through. Just evil.

    • @Zombina638
      @Zombina638 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      I dont think yall know anything about the human body😂

  • @nicolaibehringer1802
    @nicolaibehringer1802 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +683

    Im a local and live a few kilometers away from Hofsgrund. The street going from Todtnau to Oberried ( Hofsgrund is inbetween) is called "Notschrei" ,which means "distress-call", by locals. The story of the boys is the reason why.
    Great video about the story of the incident. Never heard it with this much details, love the extensive research.

    • @droneage1138
      @droneage1138 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +6

      Hi, another local here. Do you have any sources on that claim?
      Because 'Notschrei' is actually on the opposite side of the valley in which Hofsgrund lies (towards the Feldberg).

    • @Liberal.Linda.
      @Liberal.Linda. 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +6

      ​@droneage1138 Not a local here (Texan in the US), but looking at Google Maps tells me that Nicolaibehringer's correct - Hofsgrund IS in between Oberried and Todtnau.
      I think you misread what they said. They didn't say that the Notschrei runs through Hofsgrund.

    • @droneage1138
      @droneage1138 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

      @@Liberal.Linda. hi, thanks for pointing that out. Indeed, I know where Notschrei is. I just never knew the name had a regional association with that it incident. It’s like 10 km (~6 miles) away.
      Don’t get me wrong, I'd just really like to know, because I've always wondered how that name came to be.

    • @Liberal.Linda.
      @Liberal.Linda. 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @droneage1138 There's an entire Wikipedia page about it that spells it out clearly.

    • @droneage1138
      @droneage1138 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +7

      @@Liberal.Linda. Clearly? The Wikipedia article I can access reads the following:
      „Der Name geht darauf zurück, dass die Straße über den Pass auf einen „Notschrei“ der Bevölkerung hin gebaut wurde, eine dringende Petition.“
      That means that it was named after a call for a mountain pass from Oberried to Todtnau by desperate locals. It also states that it was given that name in 1848, so well before the incident in question. I know how to use Google, hence my request for a source on the claim.

  • @quinkdinkbink
    @quinkdinkbink 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +24

    I don't comment often but I just wanted to say this is an incredibly well made video and I appreciate how all the information was laid out. You've also got an amazing voice for this kind of content!

  • @delusionsofgrandeur1330
    @delusionsofgrandeur1330 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +25

    I’m absolutely gutted for those poor boys. Your channel’s name truly does represent its contents. Well done

  • @SadisticSenpai61
    @SadisticSenpai61 ปีที่แล้ว +192

    No, his excuse was pure nonsense. He had multiple chances to turn back. Frankly, as soon as it started to snow, he should have turned back - he had boys in shorts with him. No sensible person would have pushed on with the hike at that point.
    It really does sound like he went up there with the intent to kill the kids.

    • @maxsportsman2416
      @maxsportsman2416 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I agree the school teacher murdered his students. Taking underaged boys up to a dangerous mountain in shorts in a blizzard despite every local forbidding them to go gives circumstantial evidence that the teacher planned on murdering his students. In today’s justice system the teacher would be charged with reckless endangerment of minors.

    • @RR-on4sk
      @RR-on4sk ปีที่แล้ว +14

      Yeah I doubt this was an accident. Nothing about the story makes sense if you think of it as an "accident". This guy kept pushing them until they died.

    • @iexist6677
      @iexist6677 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      He seriously committed homicide and was praised for ut

  • @zippersocks
    @zippersocks ปีที่แล้ว +374

    Sad that he didn’t face justice, but I’m glad the truth is out and Keast can be remembered as the murderer he was. My heart goes out to the victims, villagers, families, and investigators.

  • @rachelmurray1228
    @rachelmurray1228 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +63

    Thanks to Mr Weiss and Eden fighting to get justice. Yes there are very psychotic cruel people out there including teachers! What a terribly sad story. My heart breaks for those poor boys.

  • @Kim-mp5wg
    @Kim-mp5wg 25 วันที่ผ่านมา +2

    the father that changed his name to his sons and fought so hard was absolutely soul crushing to hear about, i wish justice was served.

  • @sarahsroses
    @sarahsroses ปีที่แล้ว +671

    This reminds me of the Sewol ferry tragedy - when the conditioning of young students to trust authority figures becomes deadly due to the error/selfishness of those authority figures

    • @mikaross4671
      @mikaross4671 ปีที่แล้ว +61

      Good point. The blindly trusting authority with no question is so sad.

    • @lateral1385
      @lateral1385 ปีที่แล้ว +21

      This needs to be taught to children.

    • @marhawkman303
      @marhawkman303 ปีที่แล้ว +16

      @Colleen Kelly It's as simple as the people in question not knowing just how great the danger is. they play along because they don't know they're going to die if they do.

    • @darrenrobinson9041
      @darrenrobinson9041 ปีที่แล้ว +31

      @@mikaross4671 Back then trusting authority was normal, it's how people were raised. Students especially had no rights, you obey or you get whipped/caned/strapped.

    • @dianablackman4528
      @dianablackman4528 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      Always question authority.

  • @danib712
    @danib712 ปีที่แล้ว +243

    That poor father , I can’t imagine trying to get the truth out about your child’s horrific death and having no power to do anything about it

    • @aurea.
      @aurea. 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +11

      It's enough to drive a person mad. I can't imagine the pain and anguish.

    • @BlueSmokie
      @BlueSmokie 9 หลายเดือนก่อน

      It happens now around the world

    • @jonlannister345
      @jonlannister345 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      It's common. As a rule human beings are completely intolerant of truth. Some people can handle a veneer model that lets them live in a fantasy world where the truth can get in sometimes, but the majority are only content in complete fiction. The few people who live in the truth are routinely written off as insane, or will drive themselves insane if they don't realise that they are of a special type and normal people are not able to think about the truth.

  • @nicholasnorris3210
    @nicholasnorris3210 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

    I don't think I've ever been more happy with a channel I've found on TH-cam before. These are so high quality!

  • @kravuus354
    @kravuus354 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +6

    Can we please talk about that the voice talking is perfect for this kind of stuff? It’s so calm and smooth.

  • @CyphonGZ
    @CyphonGZ ปีที่แล้ว +631

    this is no longer manslaughter, it’s plain murder

    • @iexist6677
      @iexist6677 ปีที่แล้ว +37

      agreed. He did this on purpose .

    • @stephenpmurphy591
      @stephenpmurphy591 ปีที่แล้ว +30

      He was a deranged man.

    • @azazello1784
      @azazello1784 ปีที่แล้ว

      I hope you are joking.

    • @Omega-lj9tq
      @Omega-lj9tq 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +11

      @@azazello1784he killed children.

    • @azazello1784
      @azazello1784 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@Omega-lj9tq He didn't.. It was nature that killed them.

  • @superstarcurry
    @superstarcurry ปีที่แล้ว +791

    There is an eeriness to this story and tragic as it was preventable. The teacher lived a comfortable life afterwards with 0 accountability. He sounds like a narcissist. This was an excellently executed documentary. I have subscribed for more great quality videos from this channel.

    • @Brunette_2005
      @Brunette_2005 ปีที่แล้ว +60

      Couldn't agree more. He sounds like a very arrogant and overly prideful person, as he doesn't listen to any valuable advice strangers give him. He should have faced punishment for this

    • @lexyshannon9428
      @lexyshannon9428 ปีที่แล้ว +40

      Sounds like a case of "I have much experience and am so well-known in my community that I might as well be a local legend whose skill knows no bounds. I know what I'm doing. The challenge will build their CHARACTER! PRAISE ME!"

    • @Brunette_2005
      @Brunette_2005 ปีที่แล้ว +23

      @@lexyshannon9428 Basically, every average conservative parent lol
      edit: hurt the feelings of some conservatives in denial, I am happy with the catch

    • @NathanTarantlawriter
      @NathanTarantlawriter ปีที่แล้ว

      Be careful drawing conclusions about people you don't know, a situation you don't have 100% information about, told to you by people you don't know. I mean, next thing you know, you'll think a presidential election has been faked.

    • @nebucamv5524
      @nebucamv5524 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      Narcisisst I was thinking too!!! He really must have been one!

  • @NaiNicole
    @NaiNicole 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +8

    Side note this narration, story telling, images shown, music and sounds in the background….is amazing! It sets the tone of this horrific story. Thank you for this informative video and for sharing this story

  • @lizb0
    @lizb0 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +17

    Wow... I lived in Freiburg for years, went on hikings like the schoolboys did, though with proper preperations and winter clothings in spring. These trips can be hard and when there´s a snowstorm it looks horrible even from down below in a save and warm place. I don´t want to imagine what those poor boys had to endure :(

  • @melanie1784
    @melanie1784 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +460

    What an infuriating story. Those boys deserved better but trusted an adult that completely failed them. I still cannot even imagine how awful it must have been hiking through a snow storm in summer clothes. It was completely avoidable and horrific how it was covered up. The teacher was a monster.

    • @SUNFlower-tt9zv
      @SUNFlower-tt9zv 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

      One word " Stupid"...why why I mean why the monster took these boys to hike in worst situation at first place...

    • @waves2378
      @waves2378 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +20

      Stuff like this happens way too often. Look at what happened with that ship in Korea. Because the kids had it so ingrained in their heads that adults are always right, they trusted the captain when he told them to stay put while he escape. Had that not been drilled in, they probably would have acted on any thoughts to get to the outside of the ship, where they wouldn't have drowned trapped in rooms.

    • @paulstrawbridge5687
      @paulstrawbridge5687 7 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@waves2378 I've heard that story with the korean students...pretty sad and similar bullshit happened with the costa concordia whose captain is still in jail I think...lying and instructing people to not fight for themselves is..."difficult" to say the least bc they're trying to prevent chaos while dooming people at the same time..sinking ships are another matter I think...check SS Arctic.

    • @l.plantagenet
      @l.plantagenet 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      ​@@waves2378those children were failed by cowardly adults many many times. At least, their families got some justice.

    • @littleblackpistol
      @littleblackpistol 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@waves2378 That wasn't so much adult-child hierachy, it was Korean cultural obedience to the superior, the adult, the captain, the leader. East Asian obsession with obedience as a virtue can sometimes have very tragic outcomes. They aren't taught to argue with or stand up to any form of authority, whatsoever.

  • @hnichole
    @hnichole 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +1366

    This story is a little long, but relevant to the discussion. I spent a summer as a summer camp counselor when I was almost 19. Every Tuesday, we took the kids on hikes (these "outdoor adventures", along with off-campus excursions on Thursday, were the big draw of the camp). Most of the hikes were pretty easy, considering the group ranged from incoming K-7th grade, but there was one hike that we went to where it was legitimately dangerous. I was the 2nd/3rd grade counselor, and my friend was the K/1st grade one. This hike was, from the on-set, super hard for our littles. The incline was steep, there were lots of little off-shoots of trails where a child could easily wander off, and though they were fenced off with rope, there were also multiple little cliffs or overhangs of the mountain the kids could EASILY slip under if they were curious. Unlike our other hikes that were mostly paved cement or flat dirt trails, this one had roots and rocks the kids could easily trip on (many had scratches on their legs and knees by the end) and the dirt was uneven. My friend and I actually ended up getting separated from the older groups, as we constantly had to hang behind to help our children who were struggling to keep up, and we lost maybe 30 minutes trying to get reconnected with the larger group because cell service was bad. I had legitimately like 7 kids trying to hold my hand or cling to my T-shirt at the same time, just so they wouldn't get left behind and get lost.
    We stopped and took a lunch break, before we were meant to finish the hike to the peak. A couple was coming back down from the peak, saw us, and spoke to our director (who was sitting with us counselors). They asked if we were heading back down, and when the director said we were actually going up to the top, the couple both immediately went "with all those little kids? That's not a good idea." But our director kept trying to insist it was fine, but my friend and I kept glancing at each other, since this couple was echoing our concerns. The little kids didn't even want to go, complaining their feet were tired, they were hot, and many of them were bruised and scraped up at this point.
    After lunch, my friend and I went up to the director and insisted to her that we were going to take our groups of little kids back to the bus. The director argued with us at first, but we insisted we weren't going to take them up, and eventually (not because she cared, but because she didn't want to waste too much more time) she finally relented, basically saying whatever. My friend and I took our kids back to the bus and let them rest and played games like Categories and Duck Duck Goose, and when the others returned, our fellow counselors told us that there had been a SUPER steep, almost vertical portion to the top that our little kids would never have been able to do, and we made the right call in going back since even the older kids had really struggled.
    All of this happened when I was 18. At 18, I had the ability to recognize when something simply wasn't safe for children, and I refused to let them be put into harm's way because I would die before a kid got injured on my watch. And that was such a mild incident compared to TREKKING THROUGH A LITERAL SNOWSTORM IN AN ISOLATED FOREST IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY. I can never understand how a 30 year old man -- who was an actual teacher, not just a temporary camp counselor -- was unable to make that same call. RIP to those boys who passed away, I hope they are at peace and Keast is rotting in hell for what he did.

    • @user-ek7km4ti8u
      @user-ek7km4ti8u 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +92

      Well done! Sure there is a fine line between pushing yourself a little and being reckless. But ultimately, there is no shame in turning back, if you realise that a trail might get to dangerous for you. But then again, if it is just you (and maybe some other well informed and aware adults), it's your decision to take the risk. It's your body, your health, your life. But leading a group of people who trust in you knowing what you do, especially children, who might not even have the guts to question your authority and speak up, it's really better to be safe than sorry. And thumbs up to confront that director too!

    • @hnichole
      @hnichole 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +66

      @@user-ek7km4ti8u Agreed! And I'm not even a confrontational person either, I tend to have too much anxiety for that, but again I would literally pass away and brave Satan himself before I intentionally hurt a child or put them in a dangerous situation. Like you said, kids tend to trust their adults completely and don't really have the developmental ability to even recognize the dangers in the way that adults can. It's our job to keep them safe, I'll just never understand how Keast couldn't do the same.

    • @kcbh24
      @kcbh24 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +6

      Dude, you could have cut that whole thing down and stuck with the last sentence. Boring read

    • @hnichole
      @hnichole 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +111

      @@kcbh24 I wasn't trying to be entertaining lmao, and I specifically said the story was long but relevant. 😂

    • @michaelsmee1085
      @michaelsmee1085 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +93

      For what it’s worth, I thought that was a really interesting read.
      I understand helping kids’ development by encouraging them to test their limits.
      But what Keats (and your camp director did) was criminal.
      We had a tragedy on Lake Temiskaming here in Ontario in 1978 in which 12 boys on a school trip died of exposure after their canoes overturned.
      It all underscores how idiotic - and criminal - it can be to attempt to build character in children by forcing them to face extraordinary, adult hardships.

  • @elhefe83
    @elhefe83 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    This is by far the best researched and presented documentary channel on these kind of tragic stories.

  • @Kaylz29
    @Kaylz29 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +15

    Well done Bernd for giving the boys the truth and peace they deserved. Sad that the Father never got to see it but I hope, if there is something after, he has some peace. Very well made video.

  • @Karen_of_Kanada
    @Karen_of_Kanada ปีที่แล้ว +234

    Props to Bernd Hainmüller, who took up the torch from the prosecutor who could not, in the context of history, be heard. This is a real service to those boys, and to the German people who attempted to stop this tragedy, then helped when they could. Going out in a snowstorms takes real guts, and these people who helped on that day, and later by trying to get the truth out, need to be credited for their heroic acts.

  • @richiesimons4403
    @richiesimons4403 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +681

    Keast was an evil, vile murderer.
    Hope he rots.
    RIP to the five boys and to their parents.
    Especially Mr Eaton. A model man that Keast, ironically a teacher, could have learnt from.
    Thank you for outting the truth with this video.
    Your voice is so lovely and just right for narration.
    You have a new subscriber here.

    • @Gizziiusa
      @Gizziiusa 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +10

      Too bad nobody was alpha or sigma enough to stand up to Keast and tell him something to the effect "you're not taking this group to the peak, over my dead body". Even resorting to fighting the man if need be to get the point across.
      They all knew how extremely dangerous it was b/c they lived there, had the IQ and experience to know better....but yet did nothing.
      They all knew the leader, Keast was making very poor judgments as it pertained to the welfare of numerous teens who were poorly clothed and equipped.
      Its ones duty to stop such nonsense, regardless of what the law decides later on if criminal and/or civil authorities get involved. Take charge, take authority away from the fool, period. Let the cards land as they may.

    • @jamesholcombe675
      @jamesholcombe675 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +47

      ​@@GizziiusaI don't think people who barely speak English would get too far trying to take control of a group of preteen boys from the adult they trust infinitely more than them.

    • @Gizziiusa
      @Gizziiusa 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

      re-read my comment. if you are still clueless, ill explain it better for you in kindergarten [pun intended] terms.@@jamesholcombe675

    • @ryanw9122
      @ryanw9122 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +39

      bro thinks he's tommy shelby 💀@@Gizziiusa

    • @lilovs9952
      @lilovs9952 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @@Gizziiusa”alpha or sigma” lmaoooo dude do you realize how pathetic you sound?

  • @davidlister7214
    @davidlister7214 25 วันที่ผ่านมา +2

    Been listening to online stories for well over a decade and not heard of this one. Keep going, your channel is fab.

  • @4PawSquad
    @4PawSquad 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +12

    I can feel the fury from the person writing and recording this. I can’t believe I’ve never heard of this before. Absolutely tragic.

  • @richardhillard6030
    @richardhillard6030 ปีที่แล้ว +723

    I find it absolutely heartbreaking how somebody could be so stubborn and irresponsible with a child's safety and well-being; let alone so many at such a young age. Not quite at that age to put their foot down and suddenly demand orders to turn around. When I was their age, I would've felt total trust and dependancy upon the adult. Very scary and sad.

    • @RealHorrorChannel
      @RealHorrorChannel  ปีที่แล้ว +178

      This. At 12 years old you’re just not in a position to question authority, especially the authority of someone you really look up to.

    • @lilacsnroses247
      @lilacsnroses247 ปีที่แล้ว +88

      Exactly. Especially a teacher. We had been well trained to act with blind obedience , and do as we were told by adults who were in charge. Even if we were terrified, freezing, and knew this was going to go very badly, we would have trecked after the person in authority. Im sure some of those children voiced their reluctance to each other, but having no other choice, followed this arrogant man to their painful , torturous ordeal. What should have been a fun adventure, became a life long trauma for those who survived. That man should have been put on trial. Im astounded that he was allowed to contine teaching children, as if nothing had occurred, and his negligence, foolishness, and obstinance hadn't caused the loss of five promising young lives. It really ticks me off that he was hailed as a hero, instead of locked up for manslaughter.

    • @321scully
      @321scully ปีที่แล้ว +29

      @@lilacsnroses247 This rotten story has made me so angry. If the photo was anything to go by the children weren't even wearing suitable clothing.

    • @lilacsnroses247
      @lilacsnroses247 ปีที่แล้ว +49

      @@321scully yes. They were dressed in summer clothes. They said shorts and sandals. I don't know how they got as far as they did. Im sure the survivors must have had some frost bitten extremities, at the least. Those poor children suffered before they died.

    • @BlueCyann
      @BlueCyann ปีที่แล้ว +36

      It's so sad the people who tried to stop him, too. If they'd shared a language with the boys there's a small chance they could have convinced some of them to leave the group and come to safety. As it was, no point even trying.

  • @shybie2798
    @shybie2798 ปีที่แล้ว +154

    God damn, Jack's fight was a long one, and he ended up in a mental hospital, never getting justice for his son. What a cruel world. Jack just wanted justice for his son.

  • @MELANIE2571
    @MELANIE2571 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    Exquisitely done, I actually did know about this story,but you added to the tragedy of it with such fantastic narration ,and script.
    Quite how the teacher went on teaching is beyond me .
    Thank you for covering this, beautifully done

  • @bluerosegurl
    @bluerosegurl 5 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    You and your team have MAD skill! Can't wait to see more videos. These are respectfully done, these read as historical, not far off stories that can't happen to us.

  • @natatatm
    @natatatm 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +508

    In all the awfulness, I can't explain how glad I am that you made this video, that has over half a million views. Over half a million more people know the truth of this story, and I hope that somehow brings comfort to the surviving families of the victims

    • @duudsuufd
      @duudsuufd 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      Already 1 1/2 million views now.

  • @eyeofthebeholder7936
    @eyeofthebeholder7936 ปีที่แล้ว +401

    Absolutely love your narrative style - you not only tell the story, you talk to your listener - you make it 'real' instead of merely reading a report in a nonchalant, non-emotional manner. I was mesmerized by this tale from the excellent visual and your entralling storytelling style. I truly look forward to seeing future videos!

    • @glowson8369
      @glowson8369 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Well this channel literally directly copied everything about their style from Nexpo, so they are the credit not this channel.

    • @eyeofthebeholder7936
      @eyeofthebeholder7936 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      @@glowson8369 exact voice inflection, timbre, nuance, female soft-spoken voice, and *verbatim* narrative? I shall check out this channel you mention, and if it is not all of the above, then unfortunately your statement has no merit.
      While listening to a variety of disaster channels, many tell the same stories, in their own style and manner. None copy the style of their peers, merely tell the tale in their own individual perspective. As does this young lady.

    • @eyeofthebeholder7936
      @eyeofthebeholder7936 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      @@glowson8369 Ok, listened to nexpo, and the styles imo have nothing in common past a soft spoken voice.
      Nexpo sounds ~almost~ ai in the oddly placed pauses on some videos, and as I'd reading a book report in others. No copying there, so I stand on my belief that this young lady has a lovely conversational style of actually talking *with* her audience, not *to*, or merely *at* the listener.
      Interesting content though, if I can get past nexpo's style, that might be my next binged channel - thanks for the introduction. ☺️

    • @glowson8369
      @glowson8369 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@eyeofthebeholder7936 they are similar in my opinion, both are great but I think credit is due. People are still going to watch the both of them but Nexpo has been around for a lot longer. Meh, I don’t know why I was so passionate before. I heard the first five minutes and all I thought about was Nexpo, but I finished the video and the quality is amazing and the channel is clearly well made even if I do believe it is copying Nexpo. Trends happen, hopefully they would be as good quality as these two channels.

    • @eyeofthebeholder7936
      @eyeofthebeholder7936 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@glowson8369 😆
      Have yourself a very Merry Christmas 🎄

  • @avi.chan23
    @avi.chan23 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +12

    I never heard about this incident before and I am from Germany. This is disturbing to me. I am glad, someone invested his time in digging out the truth, hopefully, the poor boys and their families are able to find peace finally.

  • @elizabethcampbell8400
    @elizabethcampbell8400 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    This channel is insane. I have so much respect for the cases you cover. I am shocked that I have never heard of this. All cases are covered in such respectful and informative ways. Thanks for all the hard work

  • @sallypope7871
    @sallypope7871 ปีที่แล้ว +301

    This reminds me of the 1986 Mount Hood disaster. The leader of the school kept pushing and insisting that the high school kids in his charge keep going up the mountain even though there was a raging storm. He also, came upon people descending the mountain telling him he did he and the children should turn around. But no, he insisted they keep on going. He, along with approximately 10 children died on Mount Hood.

    • @demo2823
      @demo2823 ปีที่แล้ว +56

      Hopefully we are now moving past the era where we taught young men that death was more favourable than humiliation.

    • @Nicole-kc1vx
      @Nicole-kc1vx ปีที่แล้ว +33

      @@demo2823 I don't think humiliation was why he refused to turn around. Rev. Thomas Gomas was just batshit crazy.

    • @whitedragoness23
      @whitedragoness23 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Why would any of these men in power force children up a pints in against elements???

    • @dionst.michael1482
      @dionst.michael1482 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      @@demo2823 Umm, can you say, gender ideology and transition? Lol.

    • @maddieb.4282
      @maddieb.4282 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@dionst.michael1482um, can YOU say it? Because it sounds like you’re just stringing random words together with really no concept of what you’re saying. I know you want to trigger the libtards but you can’t trigger anyone if all you’re offering is word salad 😂😂

  • @LETMino85
    @LETMino85 ปีที่แล้ว +133

    Go, Bernd! A retired teacher working 20 years on uncovering the truth. Amazing person.

    • @RealHorrorChannel
      @RealHorrorChannel  ปีที่แล้ว +61

      He really is! Bernd took a real chance handing over all his research to some random TH-cam channel and then he helped me every step of the way, nothing was ever too much. I owe him a lot.

    • @iexist6677
      @iexist6677 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @@RealHorrorChannelThat’s beautiful

  • @sabrinawoodard5788
    @sabrinawoodard5788 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +12

    As a German I am ashamed and very touched!! Those sweet boys!! I definitely will get the book and spread the story “ so we don’t forget “ !

  • @Tepetkhet
    @Tepetkhet 5 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Great work. Thank you for putting this all together and into historical context. Brilliant. Your voice work is excellent as well - pausing just right to make a point and let the heaviness of the words sit. Thank you.

  • @bollwinkelfam
    @bollwinkelfam 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +557

    As a parent, this infuriates me. Putting your trust in a leader to guide and care for your child, and subject them to this is monstrous to say the least.

  • @patriciamcmahonkelly
    @patriciamcmahonkelly ปีที่แล้ว +249

    What a terrible thing to happen to those poor boys, but I have to say hands down that these are some of the strongest kids I have ever heard of, hiking 9 hours in the snow in shorts it’s amazing that they didn’t all die , what brave kids they were

  • @MrVbd7
    @MrVbd7 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    This was so eloquently presented, explained and analysed. Thank-you for your time and effort, we need more people uncovering tragedies like these so that we can continue to learn from our mistakes and ensure nothing like the above ever is allowed to repeat itself.

  • @benjaminmatheny6683
    @benjaminmatheny6683 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +13

    It's very skeevy for the local council to be chiseling off the epitaphs from graves. How exactly did they justify that?

    • @paulstrawbridge5687
      @paulstrawbridge5687 7 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Perhaps the same way the nazis tried to cover up all the other bad shit they were up to at the time, even in '36...dachau and other camps were established years earlier, eugenics was in full force...the ideology had set in with many...while the common german didn't exactly know what would arise later..."fuck those british kids" kicked in 3years after the ass-covering.

  • @indygamertag829
    @indygamertag829 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +112

    I think it’s safe to say Keast murdered those boys, whether that be directly or indirectly. It also speaks to the psychology behind following an authority figure; of course, their age played an enormous role. Also, coupled with later reports of the abuse he administered as a teacher, Keast more than likely reveled in putting those boys through what they went through. I won’t bother labeling him as what he most likely is, I’m sure anyone can guess.

  • @JSpyx
    @JSpyx ปีที่แล้ว +632

    So much work has been put into this....the effects, the editing, sounds and script....and not to mention the research. Incredible! this is what effort means, and you don't really find it much anymore nowadays. I know these things take a lot of time, and people kind of gave up doing this because for them the time working on such videos, didn't pay off enough because of how TH-cam works nowadays. Hence why effort becomes scarce, despite people wish to take more time on making high quality videos...
    That's why I'm happy people like you are still around. I got chills down my spine once again, this is such a creepy journey everytime!

    • @adrielchavez4919
      @adrielchavez4919 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      Deserves more subs imo

    • @roamingirl
      @roamingirl ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Y’all convinced me!

    • @XGRIMYONEX
      @XGRIMYONEX ปีที่แล้ว

      U

    • @2msvalkyrie529
      @2msvalkyrie529 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      This has had 160,000 views !
      If everyone who watched it paid
      10 c via Patreon the makers could easily afford to do more .
      Unfortunately everyone expects stuff like this for Free ..!

    • @Firecracker66
      @Firecracker66 ปีที่แล้ว

      well said

  • @ElemsChickens
    @ElemsChickens 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    This channel reminded me of another Ive been following for more than 8years and I quite love it, beautifully done documentaries which dont try to show a right or wrong but shed light to all the information and I cant wait to see this channel countinous growth.
    The demonstration of respect yet a touch of the narrators charm, showing the documents and also have graphics for easier consumption of what is being told, wonderful job. May you also grow as much as those who also cause me great joy.

  • @beverlyhitchon4901
    @beverlyhitchon4901 5 หลายเดือนก่อน +9

    I know I’m late to the story by a year, only just come across this story, which I’ve never heard of until now.
    What an absolutely senseless and awful tragedy, further compounded by corruption and whitewashing!
    My heart just broke for jacks dad and broke even more at the injustice of it all! Just dreadful.
    What an absolutely brilliant narrator, so clear and crisp yet emotional as well. Thank you for bringing this story to light and with brilliant commentary. ❤🙏🏻

  • @ElizabethBarringer-ej7nf
    @ElizabethBarringer-ej7nf 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +251

    Got to despise arrogance and narcissism . These people can never be wrong no matter how bad the circumstances they have to come out smelling like a rose it's always somebody else's fault. And they always make themselves out to be a hero. No matter what the era or decade

    • @TC-dw6wg
      @TC-dw6wg 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +6

      Just described a group here in the USA. Sad isn’t it how mentally and emotionally immature people act.

    • @dakotaflower5926
      @dakotaflower5926 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      @@TC-dw6wg😂😂 I also couldn’t help but think of democrat voters when I read that. I hate to make everything about politics but if the definition fits….🤷‍♂️

    • @helloworlditskiwi
      @helloworlditskiwi 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +17

      @@dakotaflower5926 This is not the time nor place to be bringing up American politics. I can't help but find it a bit disrespectful considering the content of the video, this is not the time to throw shade at political parties you dislike but rather to remember the memories of 5 innocent boys who lost their lives due to ignorance, arrogance and narcissism. It's despicable (Mr. Keast, not you)

    • @dakotaflower5926
      @dakotaflower5926 9 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@helloworlditskiwi it’s not throwing shade, it’s literally a perfect definition for their bad behavior. Narcissism spreads to many different aspects of who a person is and what they do. Also, look at this persons career choice where he is was able to insulate himself from the vitriol of the public.
      I understand your concern and the reasoning for your comment, but I don’t believe it’s disrespectful nor harming anyone.

    • @helloworlditskiwi
      @helloworlditskiwi 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +10

      @@dakotaflower5926 sigh

  • @allengeary5595
    @allengeary5595 ปีที่แล้ว +234

    In my opinion, the teacher was a murderer and should have been prosecuted

    • @tmilesffl
      @tmilesffl ปีที่แล้ว +1

      That's just your opinion.

    • @brenchengbrencheng4794
      @brenchengbrencheng4794 ปีที่แล้ว +25

      @@tmilesffl my opinion as well.

    • @thefitnessgrampacertest1130
      @thefitnessgrampacertest1130 ปีที่แล้ว

      He should have at least been charged with involuntary manslaughter

    • @eksbocks9438
      @eksbocks9438 ปีที่แล้ว +17

      @@brenchengbrencheng4794 Same here.

    • @wynterweaver8474
      @wynterweaver8474 ปีที่แล้ว +17

      I agree with you, Allen. This man was criminally reckless.

  • @debse.7286
    @debse.7286 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +65

    It was the older boys who left the group who saved most of their lives by getting help. How dare that father blame them.

    • @erinx1599
      @erinx1599 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +22

      While it’s obviously not fair on those boys, the man was facing unimaginable grief. I’m sure the boys were wracked with survivors guilt but in the face of unrelenting grief poor Jacks dad must have just been so full of anger. Horrible pain for both parties at the hands of an egotistical teacher:(

    • @sjb4280
      @sjb4280 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      I think in his grief he lost sight that they were victims too. Even though I'm sure he knows it in his heart, he blamed them not for abandoning the group, but in his mind abandoning his children. Even though they had to leave to save themselves, and im sure were in no position to carry the ones left behind: to a grieving father all he hears is "they left those children (his child) behind".

  • @menmykrazycat8129
    @menmykrazycat8129 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    What a sad, horrific and frustrating story. I had heard parts of this but not the entire thing.. thank you for your in depth and respectful video, just subbed.
    Off topic, but the footage of the seas of people all doing that grotesque salute really creeps me out. 😢💔

  • @wayasaunooke3424
    @wayasaunooke3424 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +218

    When I was 15 my friends and I were skiing and we got caught in a freak snow storm in Italy when we were quite literally at the top of a mountain and had to slowly walk down it to safety. Saying that sounds so simple but it was suddenly pitch black (it was the afternoon and had been sunny all week with no bad weather at all, nor was any forecast. The weather changed in less than a minute) and it was so loud- sounding like deep howls and terrifying shrieks all around us from the winds although they sounded like scary animals or ghosts, we were being knocked over as we tried to slowly and and carefully walk sideways whilst not falling or losing sight of each other, the snow just kept getting deeper and we had to keep shouting to each other as we simply couldn't see past our own hands in front of our faces let alone see each other. We also could no longer tell which direction we were shuffling down, we couldn't work out if we were going straight down or sideways, it was incredibly disorientating. And we were in full ski gear! Yet still freezing and suffering from the elements; Trembling with fear but also genuinely cold from the winds. The further down we got we could, at moments, see lights and hear sirens of some kind, and eventually (after almost 3 hours of slowly walking/staying upright) we miraculously managed to reach safety at the bottom of the mountain where rescue crews and first responders were. I will never forget the fear and grueling conditions of that snowstorm, how scared we were, how exhausted and cold.. and we were physically fit, mountain confident girls, all fully dressed for the cold..
    As I was hearing each detail of these poor boys, and the conditions they were in, I cannot imagine the horrors they endured. The temperatures alone are staggering, you simply can't imagine how sharp the cold can feel all of a sudden, and how terrifying the sounds are in a snowstorm. The boys must have been beyond exhausted, a level of hell I can't comprehend, while being forced to continue on. No goggles, no boots, no layers, no hats... and marching miles with no food, water or shelter 😭😡
    The sadistic coward who took them there and made them suffer, then lied and showed no remorse or any dignified care or response whatsoever afterwards... I just can't understand any of this? His mentality? His initial plan? It's so utterly confusing and shameful. What a ghastly excuse of a man.

    • @bkpk4hisapplesauce
      @bkpk4hisapplesauce 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +11

      he was a predator. they come in all sorts.

    • @raerohan4241
      @raerohan4241 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +10

      ​@bkpk4hisapplesauce I was reminded of this just recently when I saw the news of that Australian social worker. Charged with 1,600+ counts of child abuse! It's an awful, awful case. Somehow it has never occurred to me that some people might want to become social workers exactly because they would have ready access to children, particularly ones that had experienced abuse/neglect and so were particularly vulnerable...

    • @chanchan5349
      @chanchan5349 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +7

      Also a sadist.

  • @islot40
    @islot40 ปีที่แล้ว +153

    I have to be honest, I'm only a third of the way through this story and am not sure I can finish it. I am so angry & horrified at this teacher's hubris. He was responsible for these children and acted as though they were disposable and indestructible. This wasn't just a simple, tragic mistake. After a number of people tell you it is too dangerous you should listen but his ego wouldn't allow him to fail achieving his goal. He murdered those boys as sure as if he had put a gun to their heads.

  • @tashamott
    @tashamott 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    i found this account last night and binged your videos. love this account and how respectful you are.

  • @vanessamurphy4667
    @vanessamurphy4667 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

    This video was VERY well done! I can't wait to see more content. Thank you for bringing this story to light.