Messner

Messner is a surname of Germanic origin. It may refer to individuals with this name, most notably Reinhold Messner, a prominent Italian mountaineer and author.

Reinhold Messner (born 1944) is widely regarded as one of the most influential climbers of the 20th century. He and his brother Günther survived the 1970 Nanga Parbat expedition, during which Günther died, an event that significantly shaped his later career. In 1978, Messner and Peter Habeler completed the first ascent of Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen. He then made the first solo ascent of Everest without oxygen in 1980. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Messner pursued climbs around the world, and by 1986 he had ascended all fourteen eight-thousand-meter peaks, a milestone achieved through a combination of solo and paired ascents.

Beyond climbing, Messner has been a prolific writer, publishing numerous books on mountaineering, exploration, and mountain culture. He has also contributed to the broader discourse on high-altitude climbing and the relationship between people and mountains.

In addition to his climbing career, Messner founded the Messner Mountain Museum (MMM), a network of museums in South Tyrol dedicated to the history, culture, and significance of mountains. The MMM projects aim to present mountain life from multiple perspectives, integrating natural history, culture, and personal narratives. The surname Messner thus evokes both a family history in mountaineering and a broader cultural interest in mountains.