Century of Mountaineering (WE): "Get up or die"

For: Sebastián Álvaro (Photo S. Alvaro and E. M. Piso)
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World War I caused a split in the forms of mountaineering, but, as would happen in WWII, technological advances that led to the later development prompted the sociological changes in mountaineering and mountaineers who thereafter went to the mountains. So the short period of twenty years between the two world wars is one of the most turbulent of Europe and of the most interesting in the history of mountaineering.

Even before Mummery disappear in the Nanga Parbat, A new development was promoted mountaineering clubs and associations in the continent alpine, especially at the universities of Zurich, Vienna, Berna y Munich. In the twenties no one was safe in Europe exacerbated nationalist ideas. Humiliating conditions imposed by the victorious countries to Germany, linked to the economic and social crisis and the extreme poverty in which they lived large segments of the population, fear of the proletarian revolution (as he had brought to power the Bolsheviks in Russia) led to the rise of fascism. A phenomenon that spread like wild fire throughout Europe and the world would end abocando the greatest tragedy known for Humanity.

The short period of twenty years between the two world wars is one of the most interesting in the history of mountaineering

In the early thirties unemployment and lack of prospects prompted much of the German youth choose a type of wandering and adventurous life as an alternative. They were called "wandervögell" (migrant birds). Many were forced to live a life of wandering around the mountain, particularly around Munich. Thus arose a generation of climbers, always looking for extreme hardship, away much of the philosophical discussion about the meaning of the climbs and the values ​​of the bourgeoisie, which had hitherto been dominant in traditional mountaineering. Although they shared, certainly, the adventure of nature and mountains in particular, it was essential for them to test their strength and sense of freedom that were exercising in extreme conditions.

And there was a great base. And 1919 German Alpine Federation was the largest in the world and already had 250.000 affiliates. The ideological contamination in these years was especially corrosive. At this time collapses naturalistic conception of the mountain, the enlightened spirit, scientific and humanistic, and sporty style represented by the knights of the English liberals Alpine Club, who defined himself as a "gentlemen's club that occasionally scalable". This view is replaced by the enthusiasm of a young generation indoctrinated in the duty, courage and struggle.

As I said André Roch, those climbers had no right to choose: "Get up or die"

The publication of the German federation of these years can read sentences like the following: "Go get that courage in the struggle with mountains. Because that day will come in which will need to be trained to fight "As I said André Roch: "Those climbers had no right to choose: "Get up or die". This explains why Anderl Heckmair, the winner of the North Eiger, remembered years later: "By then it was almost normal for someone to fall Sundays. Monday was the rescue and Thursday's funeral. And after the funeral we used to be for the next weekend to do some route as expected ".

In this context, where the mountains give way to difficult routes prominence and exposed, is in which curdles the idea of ​​the "last great problems" of the Alps: northwind faces of Eiger, the Matterhorn and Large Jorasses. Despite the ideological and environmental pollution prewar, which also palpated in the mountains, (for some climbers, Frison-Roche as reflected in one of his books, "The war had begun"), escalations of these years represented a revolution, both its objectives and for its relevant actors: changed their psychology, social background, commitment and daring.

The ideological and environmental pollution was palpable antebellum also in the mountains: for some climbers, the war had begun

And, after many sacrifices human, recent problems are solved. And 1931 is climbing the north face of the Matterhorn by brothers Franz y Toni Schmid who received the gold medal. That same year, other extraordinary German climbers, Willy Merkl y Willo Welzembach made climbing the north face of the Great Charmoz, in particularly harsh conditions and extremely dangerous. These two climbers may well represent this great generation of interwar German climbers. Welzembach, Born in Munich in 1900 and died on Nanga in 1934 (junto con Willy Merkl, Uli Wieland and seven Sherpas), performed 43 first ascents extraordinary, being one of the most formidable climbers this turbulent period. He was the driver of the grading scale and an innovative ice climbing, so it is considered the father of modern ice climbing.

In July 1938 Heinrich Harrer, Fritz Kasparek, Anderl Heckmair y Ludwig PREV they would manage to climb for the first time the fearsome north face of the Eiger that had claimed so many lives. The winners were greeted by Adolf Hitler. Finally, in August 1938, Ricardo Cassin, Gino Esposito y Ugo Tizzoni scale the Espolón Walker, on the north face of the Grandes Jorasses, considered the last great problem of the Alps.

The German climbers who achieved the first ascent of the North Face of the Eiger were received by Adolf Hitler

Of course in those twenty years passed many more things from the point of view of the mountain, (under the political and one can imagine) besides extreme escalations Alps performed by the "sextogradistas" and British expeditions to Everest already reviewed. Without wishing to point out some that itemize, from the analysis of our time, I find most interesting: Italian expedition 1929 the Karakorum, led by the Duke of Spoleto, and was part Ardito Desio who, years later, would be the leader of the expedition to get the top of K2. The expedition 1936 the Nanda Devi (7.826 mts) led Charles Houston and whose summit, hitherto highest, was achieved by Tillman and Noel Odell, the last to see her alive fellow Irvine and Mallory.

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Comments (2)

  • The Pea Green Project

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    Very good! We are not climbers, start from there. Nonetheless, the mountain is a natural element in our life, and whenever we try to climb, a little higher each time. It is difficult to explain why. You have to feel it.
    Seeing the images of the Matterhorn and the "ogre", absorbed the Eiger remember what we were watching them closely, and good because of that trip to the Swiss Alps was the monograph on the Alps of Lonely Planet, and the article by Sebastian Alvaro. To frame.
    Greetings!

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  • Israel

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    Interesting analysis from how to develop mountaineering and its historical…

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