Monzino Guido

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Biografie:
Guido Monzino 1928-1988
Guido Monzino was born in Milan on 2 March 1928. At a very early age he joined the firm La Standa Grandi Magazzini which his father had established throughout Italy. After a hard apprenticeship, which started at the bottom of the ladder, by 1953 he found himself in charge of the business. His rise demonstrated early and exceptional organizing ability coupled with outstanding drive.
At that stage of his life - 1955 - his passion for mountaineering began. His bold, restless spirit displayed itself in ever-changing enterprises: alpine raids, expeditions to Africa, Patagonia, the Karakoram and the Arctic. The means employed varied, but his expeditions always included numerous alpine guides from the Aosta valley.
Early on, Guido Monzino had become aware of the intellectual and physical potential of this new generation of alpinists, distinguished by their passion for mountaineering - a potential which only required a co-ordinator in order to be realized, allowing these men to put themselves to the test in major new undertakings.
Under Monzino's influence the expeditions had an exploratory and scientific character, besides having formative and cultural value for the guides and the various companions whom he selected on different occasions.
A modern explorer whose qualities rested on his overpowering enthusiasm and his capacity for meticulous organization, he had a personal authority which allowed him to obtain optimum results from all who were pledged to his enterprises.
He had the strongest human interest in the people of the countries he visited, and thus his work was one of loyalty, education and proselytism which left a lasting mark.
Monzino had the character of a man of the Italian Renaissance, partaking of the austerity, pragmatism and daring of the great British navigators and explorers. Without any doubt he was one of the elect amongst explorers.
His successes at the North Pole in 1971 and on Everest in 1973, after 10 Arctic expeditions and nine to the Italian Alps, Africa, South America and the Himalaya, bear ample witness to his worldwide designs and his determination in carrying them out. In some cases his exploits were set within the cultural frame, in others the scientific, but always within the human context. Personal honours he spurned, carrying ahead that tradition of courage, professionalism and dedication characteristic of the mountain men chosen by him so as to set an example to all.
In Italy, as sometimes happens,"Guido Monzino's achievements received little recognition. Indeed, there was criticism of the large scale of the means employed on the Italian Everest expedition, the critics overlooking the spirit which infused Monzino's ventures.
There is a secure place in the history of exploration and mountaineering for this man, who generously gave all he had - his inspiration, skill and personal qualities - for a goal which served both to raise the human spirit and to offer eternal challenge to nature.
Laurent Ferretti
(Translation of a biographical notice kindly communicated by Efisio Noussan.)

Guido Monzino's Expeditions
Gradatim conscenditur ad alta (Monzino's motto)
1. West Africa (1955)
2. Grandes Murailles (1956)
3. Cerro Paine and Torri del Paine (1957-58)
4. Kanjut Sar (1959)
5. Kilimanjaro (1959-60)
6. West Greenland (66°) (1960)
7. Mount Kenya (1960-61)
8. West Greenland (74°) (1961)
9. Ruwenzori (1961-62)
10. West Greenland (72°, with sledges) (1962)
11. West Greenland (70°) (1962)
12. Staunings Alps (East Greenland) (two expeditions, 1963 and 1964)
13. Tibesti (1963-64)
14. Hoggar (1964-65)
15. West Greenland (nautical) (two expeditions, 1968 and 1970)
16. Jacobshavn-Kanak (with sledges) (1969)
Quelle: Alpine Journal Volume 95, 1990-91, Seite 297-299


Geboren am:
02.03.1928
Gestorben am:
1988