Adventurer. He teamed with Hans Meyer, a German, to be the first humans to reach the top of Kilomnajaro in Afrika in summer of 1889. Meyer's reason for the ascent--the highest peak in Germany should first be climbed by a German and Kilomanjaro was in German East Africa at the time. Born in Innsbruck, Austria, he was first a commerical apprentice in Villach, then became a gymnastics teacher in Klagenfurth for several years before he arrived in Salzburg for a position as gymastics and writing teacher in 1877 where he remained for almost a quarter of a century. He climbed about 100 mountains most years for a lifetime total exceeding 1,700 and is considered to have been instrumental in the opening of the Austrian alps. His trailbook included Austrian peaks such as Mittagskogel, Wildspitze, Sonnblick, Großglockner; Piz Bernina in Switzerland, the Kibo and Kilomanjaro in Africa, Aetna und Vesuvius in Italy, the Elbrus in the Kaukasus, and in 1899 the Montblanc-Gruppe. No other mountain climber of his time conquered 1,700 peaks; 40 of them exceeded 4,000 meters (13,000 feet) in elevation. Cause of death: injuries from a climbing accident while ascending Mount Blanc, in Bern, Switzerland.
Adventurer. He teamed with Hans Meyer, a German, to be the first humans to reach the top of Kilomnajaro in Afrika in summer of 1889. Meyer's reason for the ascent--the highest peak in Germany should first be climbed by a German and Kilomanjaro was in German East Africa at the time. Born in Innsbruck, Austria, he was first a commerical apprentice in Villach, then became a gymnastics teacher in Klagenfurth for several years before he arrived in Salzburg for a position as gymastics and writing teacher in 1877 where he remained for almost a quarter of a century. He climbed about 100 mountains most years for a lifetime total exceeding 1,700 and is considered to have been instrumental in the opening of the Austrian alps. His trailbook included Austrian peaks such as Mittagskogel, Wildspitze, Sonnblick, Großglockner; Piz Bernina in Switzerland, the Kibo and Kilomanjaro in Africa, Aetna und Vesuvius in Italy, the Elbrus in the Kaukasus, and in 1899 the Montblanc-Gruppe. No other mountain climber of his time conquered 1,700 peaks; 40 of them exceeded 4,000 meters (13,000 feet) in elevation. Cause of death: injuries from a climbing accident while ascending Mount Blanc, in Bern, Switzerland.
Bio by: Fred Beisser
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