In an APA interview before his big birthday on September 17, the mountaineering legend speaks openly about the aging process and his intellectual legacy, sees Europe “in decline”, warns of excessive migration and civil war-like conditions and assumes – although “not my type” – that “Kickl is the chancellor the Austrians want.”
APA: Mr. Messner, on the occasion of your 70th birthday you said: ‘That’s just a number. Nothing changes.’ Does the “80s” have a different quality?
Reinhold Messner: It is definitely different. The aging process is taking a much greater toll and is putting a lot of strain on me. I can feel it is galloping. I admit to it: I can feel aging. I feel like I’m 60, but it’s no use: my strength is waning, my dexterity is slowly declining, and my memory is no longer as sharp. Death is approaching, friends are slowly dying away. I feel the limited time, without regret. I accept death just as I accept the few years that I may still have left.
What role does your 44-year-old wife Diane, whom you married in 2021, play?
Messner: I am grateful that I have been given this chance and so much love again. She looks after me and guides me. It is assisted living, assisted life (laughs, note). She came to my aid in time and takes over everything that I can no longer do. Without her, I would no longer be able to do a lot of things, just the traveling.
You have lived many lives, taken on many roles, and experienced many phases of life. Which one are you in at the moment?
Messner: In any case, it is no longer important to me to create wealth. It is about being able to express myself, to create, to do something that is important to me. My extreme mountaineering was the “conquest of the useless”, even something absurd. As always, I counteract this absurdity with meaning, which I put into my actions. I have founded a start-up with my wife to keep the legacy of traditional mountaineering alive. Next year, a house for the “Messner Mountain Heritage” is to be completed in Sexten in the South Tyrolean Dolomites. Discussions and conferences will take place there. A kind of institute to explain nature to young people. In contrast to the museums I founded, it is a look to the future. The sum of action and narrative, like mountaineering. My form of pushing boundaries no longer exists, it is no longer up to date. I want to do educational work. My wife should one day carry this on as a spiritual legacy.
Would you agree: You were actually Reinhold Messner by profession throughout your life?
Messner: Yes, I have become a brand because I have achieved a lot in several disciplines. A public figure – with advantages and disadvantages. I am fed up with freeloaders and parasites who use my name to make themselves important and torpedo my projects because they would like me to be successful. My “favorites” are the homeland defenders in South Tyrol, who criticize all my projects. Again and again. Many of the characteristics attributed to me also apply. In any case, I am controversial. I do not give in easily. “The freedom to set off wherever I want,” to paraphrase Hölderlin. That could be on my tombstone.
More on the topic
Mountaineer Reinhold Messner has inheritance dispute with his children
Your greatest victory, your greatest defeat?
Messner: The greatest defeat was the loss of my brother on Nanga Parbat. The greatest victory: that I survived everything and am still alive.
How do you feel about the state of the world, Europe, society?
Messner: I, or rather we boomers, had the best possible time. For several years now, the decline has been evident in the West. Europe is in decline. And decadent at the same time. It is losing touch. Is “Made in Germany” disappearing? In the future, there will probably only be one world power: China. In addition, many sects have emerged, especially on the Internet. People no longer speak to each other, democracy is under pressure.
Constantly in focus: migration. Does this worry you?
Messner: This creates a problem that is growing. You cannot simply take in these people, especially from North Africa, and equip them to do nothing almost as well as people who work normally or hard and have to support their families. Migrants must be prepared to learn the culture and language, they must get involved, do something for the country in which they are staying. They are sometimes seen as a threat, and rightly so. You have to understand that many locals will get angry. I fear, and there is a danger, that it will lead to civil war-like conditions. The example of Solingen shows that there is aggression among foreigners who are sworn to a certain behavior. They should be kept away. Free Western society is in danger.
There is currently a shift to the right in Germany. In Austria, the FPÖ is likely to triumph in the elections. What are your thoughts?
Messner: In Germany, Sahra Wagenknecht is showing that you can fish for votes on both the left and right. That will disrupt our system. But I don’t think that this party can currently muster enough capable people to form a government. In Austria, it has always been clear that the FPÖ can and will celebrate great successes. Kickl is the chancellor that the Austrians, a majority of Austrians, want. I assume – it’s just a feeling – that he knows the soul of the people and knows where they want to go. But he’s not my type. He’s too fanatical for me. And I also refuse to allow him to use my mountaineering in the election campaign to make political capital out of it. In Austria, the situation is different from Germany: it was always FPÖ politicians in high positions who learned to only pretend to take responsibility.
What will remain of Reinhold Messner?
Messner: In the end, everything disappears. But as long as someone remembers us, we are still there – in other people’s heads or in their hearts. Sooner or later, however, all people will have disappeared. In some sphere that we do not know.
ePaper
Beyond his climbs into the realms of art, philosophy, and education. He emphasizes the importance of storytelling in mountaineering, believing that every ascent has a narrative that can inspire future generations to appreciate both nature and adventure.
Reinhold Messner: The Mountaineering Legend Reflects on Aging, Legacy, and Europe’s Decline
As Reinhold Messner, the renowned mountaineer, approaches his 80th birthday, he opens up about the challenges of aging, his intellectual legacy, and his concerns about Europe’s future in an exclusive APA interview.
Aging: A New Reality
Messner, who has lived many lives and taken on various roles, is acutely aware of his own mortality. He admits that the aging process is taking a toll on his body, causing his strength, dexterity, and memory to decline. Despite this, he accepts death with no regrets, acknowledging that he has been given a chance at a new chapter in life with his 44-year-old wife, Diane.
Assisted Living and Legacy
Messner credits his wife with helping him navigate the challenges of aging, taking care of him, and guiding him. He expresses gratitude for the love and support she provides, which enables him to continue pursuing his passions. One of his current projects is the creation of a start-up aimed at preserving traditional mountaineering, which he hopes will become a part of his intellectual legacy. He envisions a house in Sexten, South Tyrol, where discussions, conferences, and educational programs will take place, fostering a deeper understanding of nature among young people.
The Sum of Action and Narrative
Messner’s mountaineering feats have made him a brand, but he is more than just a public figure. He is driven by a desire to push boundaries, create, and express himself. His legacy extends
