Die Bergretter

The characters

Markus Kofler

Sebastian Ströbel

Markus, the head of operations at Ramsau Mountain Rescue, always puts his duty above all else - often at the expense of his private life. His fledgling relationship with Inspector Alex is put to the test when his ex-girlfriend Nina, confined to a wheelchair, returns to Ramsau. Out of compassion and a sense of responsibility, Markus offers her the chance to move in with him and looks after her devotedly. This leaves little time and space for her relationship with Alex and her son.

Katharina also reminds him not only to look after others, but also to think about himself and his relationship. In the end, Markus is on his own. Nina recognizes Alex's difficulties with the situation and moves out, while Alex ends the relationship.

To make matters worse, his friendship with his colleague Tobi remains strained. The Enzian project, in which Tobi has invested a lot of money, fails due to a statement made by Markus.

Katharina Strasser

Luise Bähr

Katharina, the dedicated rescue doctor, is an indispensable part of the mountain rescue team. With her medical expertise and ability to give hope even in hopeless situations, she never fails to impress.

After the death of her father, Peter Herbrechter, and the end of her relationship with Dr. Nick Aichstetter, she wants to make a fresh start. With her father's inheritance, she plans to build a new future for herself and buy her own apartment. While looking for a suitable property, Katharina meets Lukas Schlosser, a real estate agent ten years her junior, and falls in love with him.

To finance her new dream, she asks her brother Tobias to pay her share of the inheritance. But he is reluctant, as he would have to sell the Hotel Herbrechter, their father's life's work, to do so. After a discussion between the two, Lukas makes a proposal that could solve all their problems in one fell swoop.

Michael Dörfler

Robert Lohr

Michael, known to everyone as "Michi" for short, is the experienced and prudent pilot of the mountain rescue team, who embodies safety and responsibility like no other. With his witty and often mocking comments, he lightens the mood even in the most difficult moments and provides a smile when it is most needed.

After the end of his brief affair with tourism officer Elisa Rödder, who betrayed his trust, Michael is single again and devotes himself fully to his role as pilot of the "yellow bird". His top priority is to get the team safely through every mission and ensure that everyone gets home safely.

Thanks to his calmness, professionalism and sharp sense of humor, Michael is an indispensable member of the mountain rescue team that the team can always rely on.

Rudi Dolezal

Michael Pascher

Rudi started out as a mechanic in the background a long time ago, but has taken on more responsibility since moving to the head office, without losing his charmingly unconventional manner. As the technical head and good soul of the mountain rescue team, he uses his expertise and organizational skills to ensure that operations run smoothly. Despite his shy nature and insecurities, he always impresses with clever solutions that help the team move forward.

At headquarters, Rudi acts as a link between headquarters and the mountain rescuers in the field. With his empathy, humor and unwavering loyalty, he often goes unnoticed to ensure that everything runs smoothly.

Rudi is not lucky in love. After breaking up with Madeleine, Rudi seems to have resigned himself to a life without a relationship. But then a new AI girlfriend brings a brief change into his life.

Tobias Herbrechter

Markus Brandl

Tobias is going through a difficult time: the death of his father weighs heavily on him, and his obsessive attempts to continue running the Hotel Herbrechter and the Enzian project lead to tensions with Emilie, Markus and the mountain rescue team. He is absent from missions more and more often, so Markus has to stand in for him.

After long internal struggles and discussions, reinforced by the suggestion of estate agent Lukas, Tobias finally decides to sell the hotel. Together with Emilie, he plans to take over the smaller and more personal Hotel Alpenblick, which is better suited to their values and ideas. He pays Katharina her share of the inheritance and slowly begins to find himself again.

This decision marks a new beginning for Tobias: he honors his father's legacy in his own way and at the same time opens a new chapter in his life that is more in line with his wishes and his family.

Emilie Hofer

Stefanie von Poser

Emilie and Tobias have found each other again after their relationship broke down some time ago and are enjoying their happiness together. But a dramatic rescue operation in which Emilie almost drowns makes them both question their future. They decide to sell the Hotel Herbrechter and set up their own business, the Hotel Alpenblick, which suits them better.

Tobias wants Emilie to move into the new hotel as co-owner. He also wants to deepen their relationship and proposes marriage, which Emilie rejects. She never wants to be dependent on a man again. Nor does she want to move away from Emilie's farm.

From the very beginning, Emilie impresses with her strength, caring nature and determination to go her own way. Despite all the challenges, she remains an important support for her family and the mountain rescue team. She is always ready to make courageous decisions.

© ZDF/Sabine Finger Fotografie
© ZDF/Sabine Finger Fotografie

Franz Marthaler

Heinz Marecek

A former mountain rescuer himself, Franz's many years of experience have given him a deep understanding of the dangers and challenges associated with operations in the mountains. Franz's passion for the mountains, his deep connection to his family and his ability to maintain calm and clarity in any situation make him a valued and indispensable member of the mountain rescue community.

A true family man, Franz lives on Markus' farm, where he also takes care of everyday tasks.

His life takes a special turn when Monika, Alex's mother, re-enters his life. The two share an old childhood love that is rekindled by their encounter. Monika, who spends a lot of time with her grandson Ben, brings not only romance, but also new energy and joie de vivre into Franz's everyday life.

Nina Reuther

Josephin Busch

Nina's return to Ramsau was unexpected, especially as she is now in a wheelchair. Despite this stroke of fate, she has not lost her passion for the mountains. Dependent on intensive support, she lives on Markus' farm, where he looks after her devotedly. But the amount of time they spend together leads to tensions with his girlfriend Alex.

Nina still has feelings for Markus and has to live with the painful realization that his heart belongs to someone else. Nevertheless, she shows great determination and works tirelessly to get back on her feet. Step by step, she makes progress and manages to get out of her wheelchair more and more often and take small steps.

Her strength, perseverance and positive attitude are an inspiration to Markus and everyone around her. Nina proves that even difficult challenges can be overcome with courage and willpower.

© ZDF/Sabiner Finger Fotografie

Alexandra Winkler

Viktoria Ngotsé

The dynamic and determined chief inspector impresses with her strong sense of justice and her thirst for action. She soon captures Markus' heart.

As a single mother to her son Ben, Alex masters the balancing act between work and private life with remarkable strength. But her relationship with Markus faces major challenges: His sacrifice for Nina and the constant lack of time put a strain on the relationship. Alex's mother Monika is also critical of the relationship and openly expresses her concerns. In the end, Alex asks Markus to take a break from the relationship, as she also has to think about her son's needs.

Despite these personal challenges, Alex always remains professional and committed. Her unwavering commitment to the safety and well-being of the community and her ability to show strength and determination in difficult moments characterize her important role in the Ramsau police force.

Gert Holzer

Martin Leutgeb

Gert is the dedicated policeman in Ramsau, who not only delights the team but also the viewers with his amiable and humorous manner. Gert always endeavors to do his job conscientiously and correctly. Despite minor mishaps, he shows great enthusiasm and dedication to his task. These qualities make him a valued member of the police force and a reliable partner - also for the mountain rescuers.

Chief Inspector Alexandra, the successor to his colleague who died in an accident, brings a breath of fresh air into the police station and Gert's life. Her dynamic and determined manner not only brings new energy to everyday life, but also a positive change for the team. Gert and his colleague quickly develop a strong working relationship characterized by mutual support and trust.

Dr. Nick Aichstetter

Nicholas Reinke

Nick, a doctor at the hospital in Schladming, is characterized by his commitment and empathy. With dedication and competence, he cares for the injured who come down from the mountain and is also always the contact person for the mountain rescuers.

The separation from Katharina affected Nick deeply. For him, she was the woman with whom he could imagine a future together. It is particularly painful for him that he saw Katharina as the mother of his two children. Although Katharina also wanted to have children, she felt blindsided by their plans and saw the separation as a way out of the situation.

Despite his emotional strain, Nick remains focused in emergencies and continues to care for the patients in the clinic. This inevitably leads to encounters with Katharina, which he tries to handle as professionally as possible. His strength and sense of duty allow him to be there for others.

Elisa Rödder

Sonja Kirchberger

As the representative for tourism and safety in Ramsau, Elisa is in regular contact with the mountain rescue service. In order to promote tourism in the region, she also initiates events and projects that do not always meet with the approval of Markus and his team. However, as the mountain rescue service relies on financial support from the municipality, good cooperation with them is essential.

Elisa does not shy away from questionable methods to achieve her goals. She begins a romance with Michi, but exploits this relationship to gain access to internal information and manipulate Michi's friendships. When Michi finds out about her breach of trust, he ends the relationship immediately.

Despite these incidents, Elisa remains very involved in local politics and continues to cause a stir with her projects. Her ambitious plans regularly cause unrest in the region and present the mountain rescue team with new challenges.

© ZDF/Sabine Finger Fotografie
© ZDF/Sabine Finger Fotografie

Lukas Schlosser

Felix Everding

The attractive real estate agent Lukas is new in Ramsau and quickly impresses with his charming manner and expertise. While searching for an apartment for Katharina, a special attraction quickly develops between the two.

At first Katharina hesitates because of the age difference, but her friend Emilie encourages her to get involved in a flirtation. Katharina plucks up her courage and shows an open interest, which Lukas visibly welcomes. He also reveals that he is developing feelings for her.

After a mountain rescue mission, which makes Katharina aware of the brevity of life, she takes a courageous step and surprises Lukas with a kiss. A promising love story begins between the two.

Lukas proves to be not only a sensitive lover, but also a clever mediator. He is the one who finds a solution to the conflict between Katharina and her brother Tobi regarding the family inheritance.

Peter Herbrechter

Michael König

Peter Herbrechter is an enterprising businessman and also mayor of the municipality of Ramsau am Dachstein. He owns the best hotel in the area and knows how to use his contacts skillfully. His dream of building a cable car over Emilie's farm was dashed after Markus put a spoke in his wheel and bought the farm.

He is correspondingly unhappy that his son Tobias is now helping out in Markus' guesthouse instead of working in his hotel. On the other hand, his relationship with his daughter Katharina improves after her separation from Markus.

Even if Peter would never admit it openly: He is particularly happy that Franz Marthaler has returned from his trip around the world. After all, he has had a bittersweet friendship with Franz for many years.

Dr. Verena Auerbach

Gundula Niemeyer

Verena is a doctor at the Schladming Clinic, where the mountain rescuers bring their injured patients, and provides them with advice and support. She has been in a happy relationship with pilot Michael for several years and is therefore also part of the mountain rescue family. After some back and forth, the two have finally said yes to each other. Now they have to get to grips with life as a newlywed couple.

Verena is always keen to create a homely atmosphere and so it is up to her to teach her husband Michael how to run a tidy household. All in all, Verena manages to lead a harmonious family life despite her stressful and demanding job. Just as they have come to terms with life as a married couple, they have to switch to a long-distance relationship. Verena is entrusted with the clinical management of a study in Sydney. Even though this is Verena's dream, it is not easy for her to say goodbye.

Simon Plattner

Ferdinand Seebacher

Initially working as a controller at Hotel Herbrechter, Simon joined the mountain rescuers through his boss Peter Herbrechter. After some initial difficulties, the lone fighter alongside Markus Kofler has learned what it means to work in a team with the mountain rescuers and has fitted in well with the group. The mountain rescuers can rely on him blindly and he has also found true friends in his colleagues.

It was love at first sight. He had a serious relationship with Chief Inspector Jessika Pollath until the day Jessika had a fatal accident in the mountains. Simon finds it difficult to cope with the loss. He is no longer able or willing to work as a mountain rescuer. He decides to leave Ramsau am Dachstein and make a fresh start in Munich.

Jessika Pollath

Maxi Warwel

Jessika Pollath is a chief inspector with the local police force. Transferred from Vienna to Schladming, she initially had problems with the working methods of her colleague Gert Holzer and the lone actions of the mountain rescuers, especially Markus. But now they work hand in hand and the team can always count on Jessi's support.

With her quick-wittedness and coolness, she not only has her colleague Gert wrapped around her finger. Simon is also taken with her and their initial flirtation develops into a serious relationship. Until the day that changes everything. Jessika loses her balance on a mission and falls over a cliff into a torrential stream. She does not survive the fall. The whole team, but especially Simon, mourns Jessika's death. It is hard to believe that she is no longer part of the mountain rescue family.