For Peter Siegfried Krug, climbing is not just a sport, but holds profound, symbolic meaning in the context of coping with his severe childhood traumas.
It's a metaphor for his entire life:
Overcoming obstacles: Just like climbing, he had to overcome numerous seemingly insurmountable obstacles and abysses in his life—the abuse he suffered in children's homes and foster families.
The way up: The ascent of the mountain symbolizes the arduous path upward, away from the traumatic experiences of the past and toward a self-determined and creative life as an adult.
The "view from above": The view from the top of the rock, which he describes in his video, represents the mastery he has achieved in chess composition and the opportunity to view his own life from a new, clear perspective.
Trust and precision: Just as in climbing, where every hold and every step must be precise to avoid a fall, he too had to learn to control and trust himself and his abilities.
Connection with nature: Retreating into nature, which also included climbing, was an important coping strategy for escaping his traumatic environment and finding inner peace.
In this light, it becomes clear that climbing is not a trivial passion, but a deeply personal and symbolic activity for Peter Siegfried Krug.
