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In 1989, the German polar explorer Arved Fuchs and the South Tyrolean mountaineer Reinhold Messner set out together to reach the South Pole on skis without sled dogs or motorized technology, and then cross the entire Antarctic continent. Even at the beginning there are problems, because the onward transport to the starting point by plane can not be carried out on schedule. Finally, on 6 November, the adventurers set out from the Patriot Hills Base Camp on the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf for pole. Quickly the completely different character traits of the two men are showing up. Messner is impetuous and urges for speed. The quiet Fuchs splits his forces and consistently goes his pace with all planned breaks. On New Year's Eve, the expedition participants were happily greeted by the women and men of the US Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station at their camp. The continental crossing ends at McMurdo Station near the Ross Ice Shelf. A camera team of the Südwestfunk under the direction of the legendary German documentary filmmaker Wilhelm Bittorf accompanies the expedition and captures one of the last great adventures of modern times in impressive pictures.