Wanda Rutkiewicz – crossing boundaries in women’s mountaineering

Abstract

The Polish computer engineer Wanda Rutkiewicz was a leading figure in Himalayan mountaineering in the 1970s and 1980s. By the time of her disappearance – while climbing Kanchenjunga in 1992 – she had successfully climbed eight of the fourteen 8000 m peaks in the Himalayas. From the beginning of her climbing career she was actively involved in organizing expeditions, particularly for female rope teams. She promoted the separate evaluation of ascents by purely female teams. After becoming the first European woman to scale Mount Everest (in 1978), she continued to extend her transnational contacts in Europe, Asia and the US. This increased her ability to organize mountaineering expeditions, although she always maintained a strong connection to the Polish climbing community and institutions. Furthermore, she actively sought media attention by publishing books and articles and giving interviews. She also produced mountaineering film documentaries.

Notes

1. Many sources used for this article originate from the private collection of Marion Feik, who was – since 1986 – both a friend of Wanda Rutkiewicz and in Vienna/Austria her manager. As it is known for other biographical studies about women in the field of sports the question of sources is often a crucial issue for research (eg Pfister 2005). The estate of Wanda Rutkiewicz is kept in private collections, disseminated mainly in Poland and Austria. Until now, facts about Rutkiewicz’s biography are mostly based on books of two journalists: Polish Matuschewska (2004) and Austrian Reinisch (1998). The first is mainly received by Eastern, the second by Western European scholars. Both books lack scientific methods or approach and involve rather personal accounts.

2. For this article an unpublished German manuscript  (Rutkiewicz and Rusowicz), translated by Daniela Bisanz (Private Collection Marion Feik) was used. Quotations from the German manuscript as well as further sources in German were translated into English by Martina Gugglberger, with proof readings of Ingrid Abfalter.

3. Caravan to Dreams refers to the original English project title created by Wanda Rutkiewicz (Polish: Karawana do marzen). Nevertheless in many texts the English translation Caravan of Dreams of the German title Karawane der Träume is used.

4. The next attempt on an eight-thousander by an all-female team was made by a Japanese women’s expedition which successfully climbed Manaslu (8163 m) in 1974. In the framework of this expedition Naoko Nakaseko, Meiko Mori and Masako Uchida were the first women to summit a 8000 m peak.