Reinhold Messner

Reinhold Andreas Messner (; born 17 September 1944) is an Italian climber, explorer, and author from the German-speaking province of South Tyrol. He made the first solo ascent of Mount Everest and, along with Peter Habeler, the first ascent of Everest without supplementary oxygen. He was the first person to climb all 14 eight-thousanders, doing so without supplementary oxygen. Messner was the first to cross Antarctica and Greenland with neither snowmobiles nor dog sleds and also crossed the Gobi Desert alone. He is widely considered to be the greatest mountaineer of all time.

From 1999 to 2004, Messner served as a member of the European Parliament for north-east Italy, as a member of the Federation of the Greens.

Messner has published more than 80 books about his experiences as a climber and explorer. In 2010, he received the 2nd Piolet d'Or Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2018, he received jointly with Krzysztof Wielicki the Princess of Asturias Award in the category of Sports.

Early life and education

thumb|Reinhold Messner in June 2002

Messner was born to a German-speaking family in St. Peter, Villnöß, near Brixen in South Tyrol, which is part of Italy. According to his sister, his delivery was difficult as he was a large baby and the birth took place during an air raid. His mother Maria (1913–1995) was the daughter of a shop owner and 4 years older than her husband. His father Josef (1917–1985) was drafted to serve the German army and participated in World War II on the Russian front. After the war, he was an auxiliary teacher until 1957, when he became the director of the local school. Messner was the second of nine children – Helmut (born 1943), Günther (1946–1970), Erich (born 1948), Waltraud (born 1949), Siegfried (1950–1985), Hubert (born 1953), Hansjörg (born 1955) and Werner (born 1957), and grew up in modest means.

Messner spent his early years climbing in the Alps and falling in love with the Dolomites. His father was strict and sometimes severe with him. He led Reinhold to his first summit at the age of five.

Since the 1960s, Messner, inspired by Hermann Buhl, was one of the first and most enthusiastic supporters of alpine style mountaineering in the Himalayas, which consisted of climbing with very light equipment and a minimum of external help. Messner considered the usual expedition style (which he dubbed "siege tactics") disrespectful toward nature and mountains.

Career

Before his first major Himalayan climb in 1970, Messner had made a name for himself mainly through his achievements in the Alps. Between 1960 and 1964, he led over 500 ascents, most of them in the Dolomites. In 1965, he climbed a new direttissima route on the north face of the Ortler. A year later, he climbed the Walker Spur on the Grandes Jorasses and ascended the Rocchetta Alta di Bosconero. In 1967, he made the first ascent of the northeast face of the Agnèr and the first winter ascents of the Agnèr north face and Furchetta north face.

In 1968, he achieved further firsts: the Heiligkreuzkofel middle pillar and the direct south face of the Marmolada. In 1969, Messner joined an Andes expedition, during which he succeeded, together with Peter Habeler, in making the first ascent of the Yerupaja east face up to the summit ridge and, a few days later, the first ascent of the Yerupaja Chico. He also made the first solo ascent of the Droites north face, the Philipp-Flamm intersection on the Civetta and the south face of Marmolada di Rocca. As a result, Messner won the reputation of being one of the best climbers in Europe.

In 1970, Messner was invited to join a major Himalayan expedition that was going to attempt the unclimbed Rupal face of Nanga Parbat. The expedition, which was the major turning point in his life, turned out to be a tragic success. Both he and his brother Günther reached the summit but Günther died two days later on the descent of the Diamir face. Reinhold lost seven toes, which had become badly frostbitten during the climb and required amputation. Reinhold was severely criticized for persisting on this climb with the less experienced Günther. The 2010 movie Nanga Parbat by Joseph Vilsmaier is based on his account of the events.

While Messner and Peter Habeler were noted for fast ascents in the Alps of the Eiger North Wall, standard route (10 hours) and Les Droites (8 hours), his 1975 Gasherbrum I first ascent of a new route took three days. This was unheard of at the time.

In the 1970s, Messner championed the cause for ascending Mount Everest without supplementary oxygen, saying that he would do it "by fair means" or not at all. In 1978, he reached the summit of Everest with Habeler. This was the first time anyone had been that high without supplemental oxygen and Messner and Habeler achieved what certain doctors, specialists, and mountaineers thought impossible. He repeated the feat, without Habeler, from the Tibetan side in 1980, during the monsoon season. This was Everest's first solo summit.

thumb|upright=1.35|Location of the eight-thousanders

In 1978, he made a solo ascent of the Diamir face of Nanga Parbat. In 1986, Messner became the first to complete all fourteen eight-thousanders (peaks over 8,000 metres above sea level).

Messner has crossed Antarctica on skis, together with fellow explorer Arved Fuchs. about his experiences, a quarter of which have been translated. He was featured in the 1984 film The Dark Glow of the Mountains by Werner Herzog. From 1999 to 2004, he held political office as a Member of the European Parliament for the Italian Green Party (Federazione dei Verdi). He was also among the founders of Mountain Wilderness, an international NGO dedicated to the protection of mountains worldwide.

In 2004 he completed a expedition through the Gobi Desert.

| 1972 || Manaslu () || First ascent of the unclimbed South-West Face and first ascent of Manaslu without supplemental oxygen.

| 1975 || Gasherbrum I () || First ascent without supplemental oxygen with Peter Habeler.

| 1979 || K2 () || Ascent partially in alpine style with Michael Dacher on the Abruzzi Spur.

| 1980 || Mount Everest () || First to ascend alone and without supplementary oxygen – from base camp to summit – during the monsoon. He established a new route on the North Face.

| 1981 || Shishapangma () || Ascent with Friedl Mutschlechner.

| 1982 || Kangchenjunga (), Gasherbrum II (), Broad Peak () || New route on Kangchenjunga's North Face, partially in alpine style with Friedl Mutschlechner. Gasherbrum II and Broad Peak: Both ascents with Sher Khan and Nazir Sabir. Messner becomes the first person to climb three 8000er in one season. Also a failed summit attempt on Cho Oyu during winter.

| 1983 || Cho Oyu () || Ascent with Hans Kammerlander and Michael Dacher on a partially new route.

| 1984 || Gasherbrum I (), Gasherbrum II () || First traverse of two eight-thousanders without returning to base camp (with Hans Kammerlander).

| 1985 || Annapurna (), Dhaulagiri () || First ascent of Annapurna's unclimbed North-West Face. Both ascents with Hans Kammerlander.

| 1986 || Makalu (), Lhotse () || Makalu: Ascent with Hans Kammerlander and Friedl Mutschlechner, Lhotse: Ascent with Hans Kammerlander. Messner becomes the first person to climb all 14 eight-thousanders.

Other expeditions since 1970

thumb|Reinhold Messner in 1985 in Pamir Mountains.

1971 – Journeys to the mountains of Iran, Nepal, New Guinea, Pakistan and East Africa;
1972 – Noshaq () in the Hindu Kush;
1973 – Marmolada West Pillar, first climb; Furchetta West Face, first climb;
1974 – Aconcagua south wall (), partially new "South Tyrol Route"; Eiger North Face with Peter Habeler in 10 hours (a record that stood for 34 years, for a roped party);
1976 – Denali (), "Face of the Midnight Sun", first climb;
1978 – Kilimanjaro (), "Breach Wall", first climb;
1979 – Ama Dablam rescue attempt; first climbs in the Hoggar Mountains, Africa;
1981 – Chamlang () Centre Summit-North Face, first climb;
1984 – Double-Traverse of Gasherbrum II and I with Hans Kammerlander;
1985 – Tibet Transversale with Kailash exploration;
1986 – Crossing of East Tibet; Mount Vinson (, Antarctic), on 3 December 1986, thus becoming the first person to complete Seven Summits without the use of supplemental oxygen on Mount Everest;
1987 – Bhutan trip; Pamir trip;
1988 – Yeti-Tibet solo expedition;
1989–1990 – Antarctic crossing (over the South Pole) on foot, trek with Arved Fuchs;
1991 – Bhutan crossing (east-west); "Around South Tyrol" as a positioning exercise, where he was peripherally involved in the Ötzi find, being among the groups who inspected the mummy on-site the day after its initial discovery;
1992 – Ascent of Chimborazo (); crossing of Taklamakan Desert in Xinjiang;
1993 – Trip to Dolpo, Mustang and Manang in Nepal; Greenland longitudinal crossing (diagonal) on foot, trek;
1994 – Cleaning project in North India/Gangotri, Shivling region (); to Ruwenzori (), Uganda;
1995 – Arctic crossing (Siberia to Canada) failed; trip to Belukha (), Altai Mountains/Siberia;
1996 – Trip through East Tibet and to Kailash.
1997 – Trip to Kham (East Tibet); small expedition into Karakoram; filming on the Ol Doinyo Lengai (holy mountain of the Maasai) in Tanzania
1998  – Trip to the Altai Mountains (Mongolia) and to Puna de Atacama (Andes)
1999 – Filming: San Francisco Peaks, Arizona (Holy mountain of Navajo); trip into the Thar Desert/India
2000 – Crossing of South Georgia on the Shackleton Route; Nanga Parbat Expedition; filming on Mount Fuji/Japan for the ZDF series Wohnungen der Götter (~"Homes of the Gods")
2001  – Dharamsala and foothills of the Himalayas/India; ZDF series Wohnungen der Götter on Gunung Agung/Bali
2002 – In the "International Year of the Mountains" visit by mountaineers into the Andes and ascent of Cotopaxi (), Ecuador
2003 – Trekking to Mount Everest (fiftieth anniversary of the first successful climb); trip to Franz Joseph Land/Arctic; on 1 October opening of the "Günther Mountain School" in the Diamir Valley on Nanga Parbat/Pakistan
2004 – Longitudinal crossing of the Gobi Desert (Mongolia) on foot, about trek

Because of severe frostbite, especially on his feet—seven toes were amputated—Messner was not able to climb quite as well on rock after the 1970 expedition. He therefore turned his attention to higher mountains, where there was much more ice.

Solo climb in 1978

On 9 August 1978, after three unsuccessful expeditions, Messner reached the summit of Nanga Parbat again via the Diamir Face.

Manaslu

In 1972, Messner succeeded in climbing Manaslu on what was then the unknown south face of the mountain, of which there were not even any pictures. From the last high-altitude camp he climbed with Frank Jäger, who turned back before reaching the summit. Shortly after Messner reached the summit, the weather changed and heavy fog and snow descended. Initially Messner became lost on the way down, but later, heading into the storm, found his way back to the camp, where Horst Fankhauser and Andi Schlick were waiting for him and Jäger. Jäger did not return, although his cries were heard from the camp. Orientation had become too difficult. Fankhauser and Schlick began to search for him that evening, but lost their way and sought shelter at first in a snow cave. Messner himself was no longer in a position to help the search. The following day, only Horst Fankhauser returned. Andi Schlick had left the snow cave during the night and disappeared. Thus, the expedition had to mourn the loss of two climbers. Messner was later criticised for having allowed Jäger go back down the mountain alone. Before this ascent, it was disputed whether this was possible at all. Messner and Habeler were members of an expedition led by Wolfgang Nairz along the southeast ridge to the summit. Also on this expedition was Reinhard Karl, the first German to reach the summit, albeit with the aid of supplemental oxygen.

Two years later, on 20 August 1980, Messner again stood atop the highest mountain in the world, without supplementary oxygen. For this solo climb, he chose the northeast ridge to the summit, where he crossed above the North Col in the North Face to the Norton Couloir and became the first man to climb through this steep gorge to the summit. Messner decided spontaneously during the ascent to use this route to bypass the exposed northeast ridge. with pioneering climber Tom Hornbein saying it "transformed mountaineering as we know it." Author Jon Krakauer calls Messner's 1980 ascent of Everest alone, without relying on oxygen, established camps, fixed ropes, or a support team, "still the greatest mountaineering feat of all time".

K2

thumb|[[K2 seen from Concordia.]]

For 1979, Messner was planning to climb K2 on a new direct route through the South Face, which he called the "Magic Line". Headed by Messner, the small expedition consisted of six climbers: Italians Alessandro Gogna, Friedl Mutschlechner and Renato Casarotto; the Austrian, Robert Schauer; and Germans Michael Dacher, journalist, Jochen Hölzgen, and doctor Ursula Grether, who was injured during the approach and had to be carried to Askole by Messner and Mutschlechner. Because of avalanche danger on the original route and time lost on the approach, they decided to climb via the Abruzzi Spur. The route was equipped with fixed ropes and high-altitude camps, but no hauling equipment (Hochträger) or bottled oxygen was used. On 12 July, Messner and Dacher reached the summit; then the weather deteriorated and attempts by other members of the party failed.

Shishapangma

During his stay in Tibet as part of his Everest solo attempt, Messner explored Shishapangma. A year later, Messner, with Friedel Mutschlechner, Oswald Oelz, and Gerd Baur, set up a base camp on the north side. On 28 May, Messner and Mutschlechner reached the summit in very bad weather; part of the climb involving ski mountaineering.

The Seven Summits

In 1985 Richard Bass first postulated and achieved the mountaineering challenge Seven Summits, climbing the highest peaks of each of the seven continents. Messner suggested another list (the Messner or Carstensz list) replacing Mount Kosciuszko with Indonesia's Puncak Jaya, or Carstensz Pyramid (). From a mountaineering point of view the Messner list is the more challenging one. In May 1986 Pat Morrow became the first person to complete the Messner list, followed by Messner himself when he climbed Mount Vinson in December 1986 to become the second. As of 2021, Messner is the second highest record holder of "World's Firsts" (after Icelandic oceanic rower Fiann Paul, who has 13). Messner's world firsts are:

First ascent of Manaslu without supplementary oxygen
First solo summit of Everest
First ascent of Everest and K2 without supplementary oxygen
First ascent of the top three highest mountains without supplementary oxygen
First 8,000-metre mountain hat-trick
First ascent of Everest without supplementary oxygen
First ascent of Gasherbrum I without supplementary oxygen

Guinness World Records changed the status of First ascent of all fourteen 8000 metre plus peaks following research by German Himalayan chronicler, Eberhard Jurgalski, which suggested Messner did not reach the true summit of Annapurna in 1985.

Record controversy

For nearly 37 years, Guinness World Records (GWR) recognized Messner as the first person to climb all 14 of the world's mountains over 8,000 m; starting in June 1970 and concluding on 16 October 1986. Messner, however, never claimed the record as many top mountaineers have stated they do not chase such records not only because that is not the purpose of their endeavors but also because of the unavoidable and natural imprecision in proving many of these records.

Nevertheless, on 18 September 2023, GWR stripped Messner of the record and awarded it to Ed Viesturs. Messner retorted: "I don’t care if my name is in the Guinness World Records book. You cannot take a record I never claimed away from me." On 11 June 2006, the Messner Mountain Museum (MMM) opened, a museum that unites within one museum the stories of the growth and decline of mountains, culture in the Himalayan region and the history of South Tyrol.

The MMM consists of five or six locations:

MMM Firmian at Sigmundskron Castle near Bozen is the centerpiece of the museum and concentrates on man's relationship with the mountains. Surrounded by peaks from the Schlern and the Texel range, the MMM Firmian provides visitors with a series of pathways, stairways, and towers containing displays that focus on the geology of the mountains, the religious significance of mountains in the lives of people, and the history of mountaineering and alpine tourism. The so-called white tower is dedicated to the history of the village and the struggle for the independence of South Tyrol.
MMM Juval at Juval Castle in the Burggrafenamt in Vinschgau is dedicated to the "magic of the mountains", with an emphasis on mystical mountains, such as Mount Kailash or Ayers Rock and their religious significance. MMM Juval houses several art collections.
MMM Dolomites, known as the Museum in the Clouds, is located at Monte Rite () between Pieve di Cadore and Cortina d'Ampezzo. Housed in an old fort, this museum is dedicated to the subject of rocks, particularly in the Dolomites, with exhibits focusing on the history of the formation of the Dolomites. The summit observation platform offers a 360° panorama of the surrounding Dolomites, with views toward Monte Schiara, Monte Agnèr, Monte Civetta, Marmolada, Monte Pelmo, Tofana di Rozes, Sorapis, Antelao, Marmarole.
MMM Ortles at Sulden on the Ortler is dedicated to the theme of ice. This underground structure is situated at and focuses on the history of mountaineering on ice and the great glaciers of the world. The museum contains the world's largest collection of paintings of the Ortler, as well as ice-climbing gear from two centuries.
MMM Ripa at Brunico Castle in South Tyrol is dedicated to the mountain peoples from Asia, Africa, South America and Europe, with emphasis on their cultures, religions, and tourism activities.
MMM Corones, opened in July 2015 on the top of the Kronplatz mountain (Plan de Corones in Italian), is dedicated to traditional climbing.

Political career

In 1999, Messner was elected Member of the European Parliament for the Federation of the Greens (FdV), the Italian green party, receiving more than 20,000 votes in the European election. He fully served his term until 2004, when he retired from politics.

Messner was officially a member of South Tyrolean Greens, a regionalist and ecologist political party active only in South Tyrol, which de facto acts as a regional branch of the FdV.

Electoral history

{|class=wikitable style="width:55%; border:1px #AAAAFF solid"

! width=12%|Election

! width=25%|House

! width=25%|Constituency

! width=5% colspan="2"|Party

! width=12%|Votes

! width=12%|Result

! 1999

| European Parliament

| North-East Italy

| bgcolor="" |

| FdV

| 20,291

Personal life

From 1972 until 1977, Messner was married to Uschi Demeter. With his partner, Canadian photographer Nena Holguin, he has a daughter, Làyla Messner, born in 1981. On 31 July 2009, he married his long time girlfriend Sabine Stehle, a textile designer from Vienna, with whom he has three children. They divorced in 2019. In late May 2021, Messner married Diane Schumacher, a 41-year-old Luxembourgish woman living in Munich, at the town hall in Kastelbell-Tschars near his home in South Tyrol.

In media

The Dark Glow of the Mountains (Gasherbrum – Der leuchtende Berg), a 1985 Werner Herzog television documentary
Portrait of a Snow Lion, a BBC/France3 1992 documentary on Messner; part 4 of the series The Climbers
Messner, a 2002 feature documentary about Messner by Les Guthman
Lissi und der wilde Kaiser, an animated comedy movie from 2007 by Michael Herbig that ends with a photo of the Yeti with his new buddy, Reinhold Messner
Nanga Parbat, a 2010 film based on Messner's achievements
Messner, a 2012 documentary film about Messner's life and personality, directed by Andreas Nickel
14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible, a 2021 Netflix documentary film about Nirmal Purja and his mountaineering team's world record breaking ascent of the 14 highest mountains in the world. Reinhold Messner provides commentary in several interview segments. The New York Times described his contribution to the film as "the alpine legend Reinhold Messner waxing beautifully existential".
The Alpinist, a 2021 documentary film with commentary by Messner

Ben Folds Five named their 1999 alt-rock album The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner without being aware of the real Messner at the time; a school friend of drummer Darren Jessee suggested using the name on fake ID's.

References

Selected bibliography (English translations)

Sources

https://guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/746531-first-true-summit-ascent-of-the-8-000ers

External links

Official site
Discovery of remains ends controversy about the death of Reinhold Messner's brother
[https://thediplomat.com/2017/04/reinhold-messner-on-the-future-of-climbing-mount-everest/] Reinhold Messner on the Future of Climbing Mount Everest - an interview with Saransh Sehgal

Interviews

Gaia Symphony Documentary series (Japanese production).
Reinhold Messner Biography and Interview on American Academy of Achievement.