Achille Compagnoni has died

A recent photograph of Achille Compagnoni Achille Compagnoni, aged 94, mountaineer and hotelier, passed away in the early hours of Wednesday 13 May at the “Parini Hospital" in Aosta, where he had been admitted at the beginning of April. A recent photograph of Achille Compagnoni Achille Compagnoni, aged 94, mountaineer and hotelier, passed away in the early hours of Wednesday 13 May at the “Parini” Hospital in Aosta, where he had been admitted at the beginning of April. Compagnoni, who lived in Cervinia, where he ran the hotel of the same name, was the first to reach the summit of K2, the world’s second-highest mountain, as part of the Italian expedition in 1954. Originally from Santa Caterina Valfurva, he served in the military for 18 years in the 5th Alpine Regiment and, in 1953, was called up by Ardito Desio to join the Italian expedition which, thewould attempt the ascent of K2 the following year, reaching the summit on 31 July, together with Lino Lacedelli. On this occasion, he suffered frostbite to several of his fingers, which resulted in a lengthy hospital stay upon his return from the expedition. He was also an Italian Nordic skiing champion and climbed the Matterhorn several times via different routes: “the ‘Alpine Training Centre’ in Aosta,” recalled General Claudio Berto, commander of the most important unit of theItalian Army for Alpine training – joins in the mourning of the family of a truly great man of the mountains and mountaineer who, for a period of his life, was part of the Alpine family, having also served at the “‘Alpine Military School’, where he was always a guiding light thanks to his exceptional technical and personal qualities’. In a telegram sent to his wife, Elsa Massini, Augusto Rollandin, President of the Aosta Valley, also paid tribute to the mountaineer: “It was with deep emotion that I learnt of the passing of the great Achille Compagnoni – he wrote – an expert mountaineer, he will be remembered for the numerous achievements of his long career, known worldwide thanks in particular to his exceptional feat as the first person to climb K2. He leaves a great void in the lives of all those who had the privilege of appreciating his human and moral qualities, which were, moreover, honoured by the high distinction of “Knight Grand Cross” conferred upon him by the President of the Republic in 2003. At this sad time, I wish to express to you, to your son Giordano and to your family the condolences and sympathy of the Government of the Autonomous Region of Valle d’Aosta and my own personal sympathies’. The Municipal Council of Valtournenche, in a statement, “joins all the residents of Valtournenche in rallying round the family to bid a final farewell to Achille Compagnoni, one of its most illustrious citizens”. The mayor, Domenico Chatillard, emphasised that Compagnoni had been “a pioneer, who had carried the Italian flag to the summit of K2 and always held the name of Breuil in high esteem. A figure much loved by his fellow citizens, he stood out for the love he had always had for the mountains, both in his profession as a mountain guide and as a hotelier”. The President of the Republic, Giorgio Napolitano, upon hearing the news of Achille Compagnoni’s death, also sent a message of ‘heartfelt sympathy for the family’s grief’ and condolences ‘on the passing of theintrepid leader of the K2 ascent during the historic 1954 expedition, whose valour was recognised with the Gold Medal for Civil Valour”. Napolitano’s sentiments were echoed by the Mayor of Rome, Gianni Alemanno, a keen mountaineer: “It is with deep sorrow that I have learnt of the death of Achille Compagnoni,” declared the capital’s mayor, “one of the great veterans of Italian mountaineering. For all mountaineering enthusiasts, he has always been an example and a point of reference, not only for theexceptional conquest of K2 in 1954 but for his constant dedication to the spirit of mountaineering, which led him, even at the age of ninety, to take part in the 50th-anniversary expedition to mark the conquest of K2, of which I was the honorary expedition leader. Compagnoni’s example inspires us all to strive constantly to remain true to the great values and the profound sporting spirit of mountaineering’. On the evening of Thursday 14 May, Compagnoni’s achievements will be commemorated in a special programme broadcast at 8.00 pm on “RaiTre”. The funeral will take place on Friday 15 May at 2.30 pm in the church in Cervinia.