The record hiker known under the name "Brocken-Benno" has died. This was confirmed by his widow to the German Press Agency. "He fell asleep very calmly and peacefully," she said on Saturday. Benno Schmidt died at the age of 90 on December 23. He was suffering from cancer.

First, the Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR) reported on the death of the man. Schmidt had climbed the 1,141 meter high Brocken 9,000 times. The hiker, who became known nationwide as "Brocken-Benno" on television, made it into the Guinness Book of Records. With his ascents into old age, he managed 120,000 kilometers.

Friends particularly valued his iron will, discipline and perseverance. On the occasion of his 90th birthday last May, the hiker described December 3, 1989 as the most beautiful day of his life. On that day, the GDR border fortifications fell on the Harz summit and the administration specialist was finally able to fulfill his dream of setting foot on the Brocken . The Brocken, surrounded by the Harz National Park, was a military restricted area until the fall of the Wall - and also taboo for hikers.

Haseloff expresses sympathy

Saxony-Anhalt's Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff (CDU) reacted with dismay and sadness to the death of the hiker known as "Brocken-Benno". "The commitment of our record hiker to the Harz will be unforgettable," said the head of government on Saturday via the short message service Twitter. He is an example of homeland and love. Haseloff expressed his condolences to the family.