Andrzej Zawada's beginnings in Tatra mountains
1950-1966
© 2020 Fundacja Himalaizmu Polskiego im. Andrzeja Zawady
During interviews, Andrzej Zawada tells a story from before the war, when he "with a rich Jew, in a Rolls-Royce drove from Rabka to Tatra". It was then that he supposedly saw mountains for the first time and was amazed by the chairlift on Kasprowy Wierch. Is it true? We don't know. What we know for sure, is that he set foot in Tatra mountains for the first time in 1950. He was 22 then, persuaded by Elżbieta Kowalska (his friend from university, a member of Cracow Mountaineering Club) and together with Roman Teisseyre he went hiking in Tatra. Elżbieta showed them climbing techniques, how to use climbing ropes and then she took them for their first real climb - on Mnich. Zawada, who was then fascinated by extreme sports (he took parachuting and gliding courses) took to climbing instantly. He wanted more. When in 1951 he finished his climbing course (theory and practice in Tatra) he could start developing his mountaineering career. But it wasn't meant to be then. After a few first seasons in Tatra, Zawada was in two minds about devoting his life to mountaineering. In the end, he decided to take part in the 3rd International Geophysical Year, during which he went on scientific expeditions to Vietnam and Spitsbergen. He came back to Tatra in 1959 with a spectacular success - together with his team he was the first to climb Tatra main ridge in winter. In the 1960s, Zawada was climbing Polish and Slovakian Tatra mountains. He was quickly noticed as a responsible mountaineer and began working as an instructor. He led climbing courses in summer and winter and was active in Tatra and Alps till 1968, when he became fascinated with climbing the highest mountains in the world.
1950
July 27
Andrzej Zawada became a member of Polskie Towarzystwo Tatrzańskie (Polish Tatra Society), accepted by the chairman, Justyn Wojsznis.
August 2-3
Zawada's first time in Tatra (with Elżbieta Kowalska and Roman Teisseyre). Hikes: Kasprowy Wierch peak, Zawrat mountain pass, Pięć Stawów valley, Świstówka valley, Morskie Oko lake. At that time he climbed his first paths in Tatra: on Mnich through western wall and Rzepeccy path on Granaty massif.
1950 -
first hiking in Tatra
1951
July 25
Mountain hike with Elżbieta and Roman from
Bustryccy shelter through Zielony Staw Gąsienicowy
lake, Karb mountain pass and further Mały Kościelec ridge.
July 31
Hike with Jerzy Wehr on Kościelec peak,
through northeast slope.
August 1-10
Climbing course led by Stanisław "Moses" Groński, Tatra
mountains. Zawada climbed for example, Świnica through
ridge from Niebieska Przełęcz (mountain pass) and Zawartowa
Turnia peak (southwest wall).
1952
August 14-17
Hiking in Tatra with Jerzy Wehr and Karol Gabryś.
They climbed (among others) Mnich using classic path
and the south wall of Wielka Buczynowa Turnia.
1953
August 14-17
Hiking in Tatra with Barbara Vertun. They climbed
(among others) Kościelec (east wall), Żółta Igła and the arête
of Zadni Kościelec.
1954
February 10
Zawada's first winter climbing. Together with Leszek
Łącki he climbed Żabi Szczyt Niżny.
April 12-13
Late-winter climbing: Cubryna, Niżne Rysy, Żabia Czuba peaks.
August 5-14
Andrzej Zawada takes part in an advanced course in Tatra as an assistant instructor. He climbs (among others) Korosadowicz path on Wołowa Turnia, classic path on northwest wall of Mnich, Żabi Wierch peak, Mięguszowiecki Szczyt Wielki (peak) through northeast pillar.
1955
February 22 -
March 6
Together with Czesław Momatiuk, Stanisław Biel and Jerzy Wala, Andrzej Zawada takes part in Tatra climbing course led by Wawrzyniec Żuławski. They climb many paths, for example southeast path to Opalony Wierch peak, Mięguszowiecki Szczyt Czarny (peak) and Mnich.
August 3-25
Zawada's longest climbing season; he works as an assistant instructor in Tatra. He climbs many classic routes to: Kościelec, Mały Kościelec, Zadni Kościelec, Mnich, Świnica, Wielka Buczynowa Turnia, Kozi Wierch, Zamarła Turnia and Granaty.
1956
April 26
Together with Władysław Malinowski he climbs northeast
wall of Rumanowy Szczyt (peak). This was the first
Polish winter summiting.
1959 - the first winter climb of Tatra main ridge.
1960
April 6
Together with Czesław Mrowiec and Kazimierz Olech
they climb Niżne Rysy peak through west pillar.
April 13
Together with Czesław Mrowiec they climb Żabi
Szczyt peak through Orłowski's path.
1961
August 27 -
September 6
Hiking in Tatra with Władysław Malinowski, for example
Kazalnica Mięguszowiecka peak using Łapiński and Paszucha's
path and Galeria Gankowa slope using Łapiński and Paszucha's path.
1962
August 7-10
Hiking in Tatra with Anna Milewska and Halina Kruger, among others.
December 20
Together with Jerzy Krajski they climb southeast wall of Kościelec.
1963
April 6-7
The first winter climb on Ganek through the east wall; with Krzysztof Cielecki and Jerzy Krajski.
April 17
First witer climb on Kačia veža through the right pillar on east wall; with Krzysztof Cielecki and Janusz Polkowski.
1964
March
Andrzej Zawada leads mountaineering camp in Kačacia
dolina in Slovakian High Tatra.
1966
March 20
Climbing Piotrowski - Rewajowie path on Velická
stena in Slovakian High Tatra.
Andrzej Zawada didn't become famous in Tatra mountains. But this lack of success, due to work and taking part in scientific expeditions made him decide to achieve something great, show his skill in Tatra, and have a chance to climb in Alps. The possibility of joining central alpine camps was based on the quality and quantity of summer and winter climbs in Tatra. Zawada stopped actively climbing in Tatra in the middle of 1960s. He concentrated on Alps, and then the highest mountains. But he was always fond of Tatra - it was where he sharpened his skills and began his mountaineering career.
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