Im Bann der Jahreszeiten

Autumn is slowly leaving the northern hemisphere. The days are getting shorter and shorter, and the magnificent colors of the trees have finally disappeared. The cold wind leaves only a few brown leaves prancing across meadows and forest floors. It is getting cold in Central Europe. Although snow and ice are still a long way off in early December in large parts of Europe, winter is gradually spreading. Ingo Nitschke and his huskies are on the lookout for the first snow at their weather station on the Brocken in the Harz mountains, which sled dogs and their masters look forward to with great joy. Ski instructor Ivan Piani is also eagerly awaiting the white splendor in the South Tyrolean Alps. Just in time for Christmas, he hopes, the mountains will wear a white dress and skiers will no longer have to rely on artificial snow. In France's Haute-Provence region, December is the peak season for Jean-Luc Bénard's truffle harvest. At the same time, fruit grower Jörg Geiger in the Swabian Alb is processing the first ice fruits of the year into his very special fruit brandy. When the first snow finally covers the landscapes, work begins for Manuel Mayrl at the South Tyrolean Mountain Rescue Service. The time of long dark nights arrives, and the wait for the first snow begins. People and animals retreat and prepare for the cold season that will define their lives in the coming months.