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Aiming High: At the Kitchen Table with Alexander Huber
When I got into conversation with Alexander Huber about the quality of Europe, I seemed to have struck a nerve. He immediately told me that he was not a climber by profession, but a cultural worker with his lectures and also a mountain farmer. And as such, he could clearly tell me that European agriculture, particularly that of farms, works with great commitment and passion on a daily basis: Both this fact itself and the products they produce clearly represent their own quality. But that would of course come at a price. Lamb, for example, at low supermarket prices is simply not possible in terms of holistic quality (including animal welfare).
I liked his passion for talking about this topic so much that I asked him without further ado whether he would be available for an interview with me. “Sure,” he replied. “Call me and we'll make an appointment for you to join me on the farm!”
A few months later: It's the end of November and I'm driving my way from Berchtesgaden over small switchbacks up to the Berchtesgadener Land. There is the typical November-pre-winter cold in the air, and the mountains around are a bit sugared by the first snow. Arriving at the farm, Alexander is already standing on the balcony and greets me happily: “Come in, just pass by the house on the left!”
“Would you like a coffee?” he asks me. I like to take it, as he makes it with care in a cafetiere (these Mediterranean press stamp pots), as I love it — and after the go-go filter coffee in the hotel, I also need it. We talk a bit about my journey so far until, after a few analyses of the current political situation, we come to our original topic, the quality of agriculture.
Tell me, what do you find important when we talk about the quality of Europe?
Well, I had already told you about my life as a mountain farmer. And as you can see, we don't have an agricultural industry here, but a very small business with a few sheep. They're here on our farm now. But after spring and then with the first haymowing, the herd comes to the alpine pasture. Of course, this is more work than keeping them in the stable all year round. But what is very often forgotten is that the sheep and goats graze in areas of alpine pastures where the cows cannot reach. But even on these areas, animals must graze in order to cultivate the alpine pastures. In this way, we contribute to alpine farming with our animals. Yes, it is laborious, time-consuming and therefore more expensive, but that is also how nature is maintained. The fact that this is possible is definitely a sign of the quality of our country — and therefore: Europe. And don't forget: The variety of herbs on alpine pastures ensures better animal health — and better-tasting and healthier products such as milk and cheese. All of this is often overlooked in public debate when people talk about agriculture — but it is a major quality advantage. In addition, changing pasture makes it possible to successfully control worm pressure on sheep even without deworming. Good for the sheep, good for the soil, good for our water, good for the pastures, good for us.
Then let me include a keyword that you've just brought in: Diversity. Europe is also often associated with national and regional diversity, and not always as an advantage. What is it like with your second profession or passion, climbing or mountaineering: Is diversity an issue, and if so, in what form?
In summer I will be heading to Jirishanca in the Huayhuash Cordillera in Peru. A big, steep mountain. Together with Swiss mountaineer Dani Arnhold and South Tyrolean Simon Gietl, we are a diverse team, each with their own qualities. And of course, it is positive that each of us has our own strengths. I don't necessarily need another rock climber of my quality again, but high-quality mountaineers and ice climbers are a positive addition to the portfolio. And when I look at both of them, they have exactly the portfolio. We all have a bit of everything, but everyone has their own strengths — and I have to say: That's exactly what we need! Dani Arnhold, physically insanely fit, certainly the best ice climber, Simon Gietl, a young, experienced alpinist who has already been successful in the Himalayas — and when you put us together, we are three cornerstones. Each of us is great at what we do. And when we then merge with the various characters, then we are the ideal team. A team in which strengths are combined and weaknesses are balanced out. And of course, I have weaknesses: conditionally, I'm just not as strong anymore. And because I no longer base my portfolio on it, I'm certainly no longer the most experienced ice climber — but why do I have to be that when I have Dani Arnhold and Simon Gietl at the start? They go ahead in the ice, they're the best! I like to line up at the back of that. And when it comes to challenging rocks, then I'm ahead of the curve. And so everyone gives their own.
Now some may say: When different perspectives come together, there can also be incompatibilities — or different points of view. How do you coordinate this? How does uniformity come about then?
Pulling together and working together successfully always requires mutual respect. That is why it is so important in a team that, despite all the differences, you meet on equal footing, because if I express clearly that you are weaker than I am and I let you feel that, then that will not be very motivating for successful cooperation. And if you now take the countries of Europe, then it is good that we have very different economies. Now, as Germany, we are just the sick man of Europe again, but at some point we are also the locomotive again. And it's pretty good right now, because things seem to be doing better in the rest of Europe than ours, and of course it would be good if we were involved — and then it's the other way around again at some point. It's just good that we're a certain conglomerate: Sometimes things go better there and sometimes there. The good thing is that together we have great diversity and incredible knowledge — and that is why I am simply deeply convinced that we will not perish.
Nice keyword: That may also be an experience that you have already had while mountaineering and climbing. Can you explain in more detail how you learned to recover from what didn't go the way you wanted? Did it take you a lot of time, including in life, not to let that get to you? Have you always been someone who saw something like this as an opportunity?
I have published a book “Die Angst, dein bester Freund” — and I am also very clearly explaining a crisis there. Real crises are always there when you are no longer resting in your inner center. And the insight is therefore very simple: You always have to be careful not to get too far away from your own inner peace or center. When you notice that you are losing this calm, you have to see that you are working your way back as quickly as possible and not ignoring it. An interim success is happy to temporarily conceal a crisis. But if you don't rest in your inner center, the next crisis will come very quickly — and catch up with you. That's why you always have to make sure that everything around you is basically okay and that you don't lose that inner center.
And this can now be transferred one-to-one to society. And I already have the impression that our German society is in turmoil right now, and has been so for a long time. And yes, I think that can be interpreted as meaning that society is not in its inner center. There is a certain amount of frustration, at least in parts of society. And you have to take that frustration away and deal with it first. It's like being on a mountain: If I don't rest in myself, then I have no chance at all to deal with the mountain. That actually happened to me once, and then I left because I realized that I had no chance at all.
“Good performance on the mountain is only possible if you feel your inner balance.”
“Inner center” — do you mean the mental or the physical? Or is that not separable at all?
First of all, it's about the mental. But of course, this also requires physical health. Only when you are physically healthy can you also be mentally strong. But any form of not being in the middle opens up a gap that can become a weakness — and can blow you away. And that's happened to me before. And that's when I made the wise decision to look for a therapist who will help me get back on track through counseling. You can also call it a mental trainer, or even a coach — or even a therapist or psychologist. Athletes today are under pressure, the pressure to perform is massive! You're playing in front of an audience of millions and you have to deliver. Although you can endure a lot of stress. But if you have the feeling that things aren't running smoothly for some time, then it's good that you'd rather look for someone who's familiar with it sooner rather than later. Because once the house is on fire, it becomes difficult to recapture it in the short term.
Can you name the insights or aspects or tools with which you have found your center again?
By tackling everything that was stressing me out. It's different for everyone, of course, but that's where the therapist helps. And yes, I lied to myself in a certain way too. I didn't really want to see the real reason. Let's not kid ourselves: The pressure in competitive sports continues to increase, and in mountaineering and climbing, this can be potentially fatal, so you just have to be with yourself. Pressure can quickly lead to an intolerable load. I know what I'm talking about, I've already run off the hill because the pressure was too great.
Would you now say that you have come out stronger from this?
Yes, definitely! And yet there were still crises afterward — and I would visit a therapist again if necessary. But I've become more competent, more sensitive and also more honest with myself. I identify and work on problem areas more reliably. In addition, since then I haven't taken it so much to heart when others trigger me.
What is then also an aspect of inner center?
If there is an injury, then there is something that is causing the injury. But you also contribute to allowing yourself to be injured. That's why it's so important that you don't let it get too deep on yourself, distance yourself so that it doesn't hit you so hard or doesn't really affect you at all anymore. Since then, I've always said: “I shouldn't suffer from other people's crap! ”. But anyone who is angry atones for the other person's sin! Of course, you can and should get angry, but you can't eat it into yourself.
Alexander now wants to go out to his sheep. We throw on our jackets and walk across the courtyard to the animals.
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Now I don't know much about climbing, but I've learned that climbing is also about an inner center, namely the purely physical balance. Can you derive one from the other?
Exactly, exactly! You can say that exactly like that! If you don't have excellent balance when climbing, you'll never be a good climber. Good performance is only possible if you feel this middle ground, and both: the physical and the psychological! And I'll tell you one thing: The mountain is already big enough.
This is not necessarily true for Everest and many other eight-thousanders. You transfer 100,000 dollars and more, and then the Sherpas pull everyone up whether they still like it or not. They pull, they push, it doesn't matter. But when I deal with a big mountain myself, it looks overwhelming when viewed from below. And it is overpowering! It can kill you. If you don't have your inner center there, then you simply won't make it! Just like the whole team, by the way! It only works when people play together. Sometimes it's even the case that just one person who doesn't play along is enough — then it may be that the whole team is no longer working. Here again: both physically and psychologically. And that applies again to Dani Arnhold and Simon Gietl and myself: We can only do this together. If we don't have that, something on the mountain is definitely not working — and it escalates. And it's always like that when people get together, it's always an arena of vanities.
For me, it is very obvious right now to transfer the aspect of the inner center to Europe — not only geographically, but above all mentally. With your extensive experience, do you have any tips in this regard? What would you tell Europe how to come together?
Clearly: By meeting each other on equal footing and respecting each other. And communicate a lot! I am of the opinion that the various dissatisfactions in Europe were also fuelled by insufficient or not good enough communication. In other words, an exclamation point for good communication on equal terms! And even though the different European nations are of different sizes, every nation must be taken seriously. In climbing language: As Germany, we were not always a pleasant rope partner compared to the little ones, for example Greece or Portugal. And yes, I am convinced that what ensures our survival on the mountain also applies to Europe: a good team that is there together and for each other. This is the only way to climb the biggest peaks together and return healthy!
“On equal terms with each other, that applies to rope teams — and to Europe.”
What we are taking with us for Europe
With such an inspiring interlocutor, it is impossible to formulate a brief summary. Meeting each other on equal footing, communicating well with one another, keeping one's own vanities in check — these are all aspects that ensure survival on the mountain — and are therefore certainly of paramount importance for Europe as well. However, one aspect stands out for me, namely the inner center. Europe, you need an inner center!
How could that work? This is what the column linked below attempts to outline.
