Paul Güssfeldt
Encyclopedia
Dr Paul Güssfeldt (14 October 1840 – 18 January 1920) was a German
geologist, mountaineer and explorer.
, where he also died almost 80 years later. After attending the Collège Français
in his home city, he studied natural sciences and mathematics in Heidelberg
(where he joined the Vandalia student corps
), from 1859 to 1865, and then in Berlin, Gießen
and Bonn
.
He made several first ascents in the Alps
, including Piz Scerscen
with Hans Grass and Caspar Capat on 13 September 1877 via the north-west spur (the Eisnase route). He made winter ascents of the Grandes Jorasses
and the Gran Paradiso
, as well as putting up several new routes on Mont Blanc
, including the Peuterey ridge on 15–19 August 1893 (with Emile Rey, Christian Klucker
and César Ollier). Pointe Güssfeldt (4,112 m), the highest summit on the Aiguille Blanche de Peuterey
is named after him, as is the Güssfeldtsattel, the col between Piz Scerscen and Piz Roseg
also known as the Porta da Roseg. This steep ice slope was first climbed by Güssfeldt with guides Hans Grass, Peter Jenny and Caspar Capat on 13 September 1872.
In 1883 Güssfeldt made the first attempt on Aconcagua
by a European. Bribing porters with the story that there was treasure on the mountain, he approached Aconcagua via the Rio Volcan, making two attempts on the peak by the north-west ridge and reaching an altitude of 6,500 metres. The route that he prospected is now the normal route up the mountain.
Between 1889 until 1914 Güssfeldt was invited by the German Emperor Wilhelm II to join him for his annual summer cruise in the North Sea
, which Güssfeldt was given the responsibility of planning as well. The emperor was fond of Güssfeldt and wrote about him in his memoirs.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
geologist, mountaineer and explorer.
Biography
Güssfeldt was born in BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, where he also died almost 80 years later. After attending the Collège Français
Französisches Gymnasium Berlin
The Französisches Gymnasium — Collège Français Berlin is a long-existing francophone gymnasium in Berlin, Germany.-History:It was founded in 1689 by Elector Frederick III of Brandenburg for the children of the Huguenot families who had settled in Brandenburg-Prussia by his invitation, being...
in his home city, he studied natural sciences and mathematics in Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
(where he joined the Vandalia student corps
German Student Corps
Corps are the oldest still-existing kind of Studentenverbindung, Germany's traditional university corporations; their roots date back to the 15th century. The oldest corps still existing today was founded in 1789...
), from 1859 to 1865, and then in Berlin, Gießen
Gießen
Gießen, also spelt Giessen is a town in the German federal state of Hesse, capital of both the district of Gießen and the administrative region of Gießen...
and Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
.
He made several first ascents in the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
, including Piz Scerscen
Piz Scerscen
Piz Scerscen is a mountain in the Bernina Range in Switzerland and Italy, joining the neighbouring Piz Bernina by its north-east ridge via a 3,895 m pass...
with Hans Grass and Caspar Capat on 13 September 1877 via the north-west spur (the Eisnase route). He made winter ascents of the Grandes Jorasses
Grandes Jorasses
The Grandes Jorasses is a mountain in the Mont Blanc massif.The first ascent of the highest peak of the mountain was by Horace Walker with guides Melchior Anderegg, Johann Jaun and Julien Grange on 30 June 1868...
and the Gran Paradiso
Gran Paradiso
The Gran Paradiso is a mountain group between the Aosta Valley and Piedmont regions of north-west Italy. The peak, the 7th highest mountain in the Graian Alps with an elevation of 4,061 m, is close to Mont Blanc on the nearby border with France. On the French side of the border, the park is...
, as well as putting up several new routes on Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc or Monte Bianco , meaning "White Mountain", is the highest mountain in the Alps, Western Europe and the European Union. It rises above sea level and is ranked 11th in the world in topographic prominence...
, including the Peuterey ridge on 15–19 August 1893 (with Emile Rey, Christian Klucker
Christian Klucker
Christian Klucker was a Swiss mountain guide who made many first ascents in the Alps, particularly in the Bernina Range, the Bregaglia and the Pennine Alps.Amongst his first ascents were:...
and César Ollier). Pointe Güssfeldt (4,112 m), the highest summit on the Aiguille Blanche de Peuterey
Aiguille Blanche de Peuterey
The Aiguille Blanche de Peuterey is a mountain of the Mont Blanc massif in Italy. It is considered the most difficult and serious of the alpine 4000-m mountains.There are three tops to the mountain:*Pointe Güssfeldt...
is named after him, as is the Güssfeldtsattel, the col between Piz Scerscen and Piz Roseg
Piz Roseg
Piz Roseg is a mountain in the Bernina Range in Graubünden, Switzerland.There are two summits on its main ridge:*the south-east and higher summit *the north-west summit, known as the Schneekuppe ....
also known as the Porta da Roseg. This steep ice slope was first climbed by Güssfeldt with guides Hans Grass, Peter Jenny and Caspar Capat on 13 September 1872.
In 1883 Güssfeldt made the first attempt on Aconcagua
Aconcagua
Aconcagua is the highest mountain in the Americas at . It is located in the Andes mountain range, in the Argentine province of Mendoza and it lies west by north of its capital, the city of Mendoza. The summit is also located about 5 kilometres from San Juan Province and 15 kilometres from the...
by a European. Bribing porters with the story that there was treasure on the mountain, he approached Aconcagua via the Rio Volcan, making two attempts on the peak by the north-west ridge and reaching an altitude of 6,500 metres. The route that he prospected is now the normal route up the mountain.
Between 1889 until 1914 Güssfeldt was invited by the German Emperor Wilhelm II to join him for his annual summer cruise in the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
, which Güssfeldt was given the responsibility of planning as well. The emperor was fond of Güssfeldt and wrote about him in his memoirs.
Sources
- Johannes E. S. Schmidt: Die Französische Domschule und das Französische Gymnasium zu Berlin. Schülererinnerungen 1848–1861. Herausgegeben und kommentiert von Rüdiger R. E. Fock., published by Verlag Dr. Kovac, Hamburg 2008, ISBN 978-3-8300-3478-0 (German)
- Paul Güßfeldt: Dr. Gussfeldt’s Work in the Andes. Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society and Monthly Record of Geography New Monthly Series, 6, Nr. 11, 1884, S. 658–661.