Günther Messner is born

On 11 December 1946, Günther Messner, a South Tyrolean mountaineer and brother of Rheinold, with whom he shared a passion for mountaineering, was born in Bressanone. He made numerous ascents of the mountains in his home region before setting off for the Karakoram with the expedition that proved fatal. He reached the summit of Nanga Parbat with his brother, but lost his life on the descent down the Diamir face when he was swept away by an avalanche. His body was found a full 35 years later, in 2005.