THE MAN WITH THE CRUTCH - THE TRUE STORY OF MY BROTHER RALF
The Life of a Young Man Who Believed in Karma
Frankfurt Airport, spring 1985
A young man with a crutch walks towards the Green Channel at Frankfurt Airport customs.
A large trekking backpack is strapped to his back.
A Nepalese carpet is fastened on top of it.
No one suspects that the side pockets contain four kilograms of hashish from Nepal.
For years, Ralf travels back and forth between Germany, India, and Nepal.
Despite a severe hip injury sustained in an accident, which affects him for the rest of his life, he refuses to let pain or limitations hold him back.
He lives in tiny hotel rooms in Jaipur.
Trades with jewellers.
Travels across India.
Builds contacts in Nepal.
And repeatedly smuggles hashish through Frankfurt customs.
Later, he builds his own company in Freiburg.
He develops machines.
Wins major clients.
And achieves more than he ever thought possible.
But Ralf was never a man who could stand still for long.
There was always a new idea.
A new project.
A new opportunity.
When international business connections suddenly open unexpected doors, he seems closer than ever to achieving his greatest ambition.
But sometimes the downfall begins at the very moment you believe you have finally made it.
In this deeply personal book, Bernhard Christoph Lichtinger tells the true story of his brother Ralf.
The story of a man who believed in karma.
Who travelled halfway around the world with a crutch.
Who followed his own path.
And who refused to let an accident define his life.
A moving journey through India, Nepal, and Germany.
A story about freedom and family.
About success and loss.
And about the question of what truly matters in the end.
Bernhard Christoph Lichtinger writes from lived experience – from setbacks, detours, new beginnings, and encounters that do not need to be invented. His stories emerge from the places where real life leaves its mark.
If you are interested in my novels, you can find the links to the titles here.
ALMOST NORMAL – 16 SHORT STORIES
NOTHING REMAINS AS IT IS – VOLUME 2
ANTICYCLICAL THINKING – VOLUME 3
DON’T ASK FOR SUGAR – THE TRILOGY
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