Reinhold Messner

Reinhold Messner, born September 17, 1944 in Bressanone/Brixen in South Tyrol, is a German-speaking Italian mountaineer, considered by many to be one of the best of the 20th century. A great defender of the alpine style and destroyer of the expedition style, he is notably known for having made the first ascent of Everest without oxygen supply with Peter Habeler, in May 1978, and was the first to have climbed the fourteen peaks more 8,000 meters in 1986.

Reinhold Andreas Messner was born on September 17, 1944 in Bressanone (Brixen in German), in the autonomous province of Bolzano in Trentino-Alto Adige in Italy. He has seven brothers and one sister. He spent his youth roaming the Alps, with his father, Josef, a teacher, who took him to his first summit, the Sass Rigais, when he was five years old. In 1964, at the age of 20, he had already made five hundred ascents in the Eastern Alps.

From the 1960s, he was considered, along with his brothers Günther and Hubert, as one of the best climbers in Europe. Inspired by Hermann Buhl and by Walter Bonatti, he became one of the first and most ardent defenders of the alpine style in the Himalayas. He considers that the usual practice of mountaineering, which he describes as “siege tactics”, with its Sherpas, camps and equipment, is disrespectful of nature and the mountains. In 1966, he climbed the Grandes Jorasses by the north face and in 1968, he climbed the Eiger by its northeast face with Günther Messner, Toni Hiebeler and Fritz Maschke. These routes are reputed to be the most difficult in the Alps, along with the Matterhorn. In 1969, he reached Mont Blanc via the Pillar of Frêney and made his first extra-European expedition to Peru.

On June 29, 1970, his brother died on the descent of Nanga Parbat, two days after opening a new route and reaching the summit in difficult weather conditions. The 2010 film Nanga Parbat, directed by Joseph Vilsmaier, is based on his account of events. The following year, he went back to look for his brother’s body, but it was not found until 2005. It was at this time, when he considered himself a climbing specialist, that he became professional mountaineer.

Reinhold Messner has accomplished many “firsts”, including climbing Everest without oxygen in 1978 (with Peter Habeler), then solo in 1980, the 14 peaks over 8,000 meters (all without oxygen), the Seven summits, i.e. the highest points of the seven continents (North America, South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, Antarctica and Oceania). Thereafter, he will space out his ascents and will practice for twenty years in trekking the crossing of large desert areas with sometimes extreme climatic conditions.

First mountaineer to have insisted on the importance of strict preparation (endurance sports, diet) before going to face high altitudes. His interest in nature will also lead him to be elected Member of the European Parliament from 1999 to 2004, under the label of the Greens. He also devotes most of his time to the creation of museums dedicated to mountaineering and high mountains, in writing, with some sixty works to his credit, and in conferences.