Of Walking in Ice: Munich–Paris, 23 November–14 December 1974

136 Pages·2015·10.902 MB·English

by  Werner Herzog, Martje Herzog, Alan Greenberg

Of Walking in ice
Werner Herzog, Of Walking in Ice. Munich–Paris,
23 November–14 December 1974.Translated by
Martje Herzog and Alan Greenberg. University of
Minnesota Press, Minneapolis.
Originally published in Germany as
Vom Gehem im Eisby Carl Hanser Verlag.
First University of Minnesota Press edition, 2015;
published by arrangement with Jonathan Cape, London.
TheUniversity of Minnesota Press thanks Jeffrey
Schneider ofVassar College for his English
translation of “Tribute to Lotte Eisner.”
English translation originally published
in the United States by Tanam Press, 1980
Copyright 1978 by Carl Hanser Verlag
English translation of “Tribute to Lotte Eisner”
copyright 2015 Regents of the University of Minnesota
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted,
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the
prior written permission of the publisher.
Published by the University of Minnesota Press
111 Third Avenue South, Suite 290
Minneapolis, MN 55401–2520
www.upress.umn.edu
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Herzog, Werner.
Of walking in ice : Munich–Paris,
23 November–14 December 1974 / Werner Herzog
iSBn978-0-8166-9732-8 (pb)
1. Herzog, Werner—Travel—Germany. 2. Herzog, Werner—
Travel—France. 3. Herzog, Werner—Diaries. I. Herzog,
Martje, translator. II. Greenberg, Alan, translator. III. Title.
PT2668.e774V6513 2015
838'.91403—dc23 2014040586
Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper
The University of Minnesota is an
equal-opportunity educator and employer.
20 19 18 17 16 15 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

At the end of November 1974, a friend from Paris
called and told me that Lotte Eisner was seriously
ill and would probably die. I said that this must not
be, not at this time, German cinema could not do
without her now, we would not permit her death.
I took a jacket, a compass, and a duffel bag with the
necessities. My boots were so solid and new that I
had confidence in them. I set off on the most direct
route to Paris, in full faith, believing that she would
stay alive if I came on foot. Besides, I wanted to be
alone with myself. What I wrote along the way was
not intended for readers. Now, four years later,
upon looking at the little notebook once again,
I have been strangely touched, and the desire to
show this text to others unknown to me outweighs
the dread, the timidity to open the door so wide for
unfamiliar eyes. Only a few private remarks have
been omitted.
W.H. / DelfT, HOllanD, 24 May 1978