1970 Messner Nanga Parbat Postcard

Postcard for “Sigi-Löw-Gedächtnis-Expedition” with blue R/S for “German Rupal-Expedition to Nanga Parbat Gilgit – Astor – W. Pakistan” Leader Karl Helligkoffer. Summited on 27 June 1970 by Reinhold and Günther Messner. PC signed, including Sherpa thumbprint. G (Singer and Gould).

This was Reinhold Messner’s first expedition to the Himalaya. His brother Günter Messner was to be his summit partner as he attempted the first of his 8000 meter peaks. The Messner bothers reached the summit via a direct route on the huge, difficult Rupal Face; this was the third ascent of the mountain. Their descent was epic: they were unable to descend their ascent route, and instead made the first traverse of the mountain, going down the Diamir Face. Unfortunately Günther was killed in an avalanche on the Diamir.

After he returned to base camp, Reinhold was accused of abandoning his brother before reaching the summit, as it was widely believed that Günther was not as strong a climber as his brother and Reinhold’s obsessive ambition was already well known. When Reinhold reported that his brother was suffering from altitude sickness prior to the summit, many accused Reinhold of abandoning his brother for the sake of making the first ascent of the Rupal Face. Reinhold stuck to his story that his brother had summited and had been lost on the other side of the mountain. Günther’s body wasn’t found for over 30 years, leaving many to openly criticize Reinhold for abandoning his brother. This criticism haunted Messner for many years. In 2005, Günther’s body was finally discovered on the Diamir Face, collaborating Reinhold’s story and ending 35 years of controversy.tunately Günther was killed in an avalanche on the Diamir.

Expedition members include Peter Scholtz, Hans Saler, Karl M. Herrligkoffer, Peter Volger, Reinhold Messner, Max von Kienlin, Alice von Hobe, Gerhard Baur, Gert Mändel, Michl Anderl, Werner Haim, Günter Kroh, Felix Kuen, Wolf Bitterling, Elmar Raab, Dr. Hermann Kühn, Jürgen Winkler, and Günther Messner.

This postcard holds special interest to me as it contains signatures from both Reinhold and Günther Messner. The PC cancel is dated barely a month prior to Gunther's death.