Emilio Comici Explained

Emilio Comici
Birth Name:Leonardo Emilio Comici
Birth Place:Trieste, Italy
Birth Date:21 February 1901
Death Place:Sëlva, Val Gardena, Italy
Occupation:Mountain climber, caver
Nationality:Italian

Leonardo Emilio Comici (21 February 1901 – 19 October 1940) was an Italian mountain climber and caver.[1] [2] [3] He made numerous ascents in the Eastern Alps, particularly in the Dolomites (where he made over 200 first ascents during his career) and in the Julian Alps.[2] [3] [4] Comici was nicknamed the "Angel of the Dolomites".[2] [3] [5]

In the 1930s and 1940s Comici and other climbers (including Riccardo Cassin, Raffaele Carlesso and Alvise Andrich) represented the Italian answer to the achievements of German climbers. Comici perfected the Bavarian technique of mountain climbing, and began the era of "sixth grade" climbing (at that time the highest climbing grade considered humanly surmountable).[1] [6] He was the inventor and proponent of using multi-step aid ladders, solid belays, the use of a trail/tag line, and hanging bivouacs, contributing greatly to the techniques of big wall climbing.[6]

Biography

Emilio Comici was the son of Antonio Comici and Regina Cartago. A longshoreman in his youth, he began mountain climbing after caving for ten years (1918-1927), following the Trieste tradition of mountaineering represented by Napoleone Cozzi and Julius Kugy. As a caver, Comici set a world depth record of near Trieste.[3] [6] [7] He began climbing at the suggestion of friends from the Trieste chapter of the Italian Alpine Club, gaining his first experience in the nearby Val Rosandra.[2]

In 1932 Comici moved to Lake Misurina in the municipality of Auronzo di Cadore, where he opened a climbing school. Comici's students included Riccardo Cassin, later a prominent climber.[2] [3] [8] From 1938 to 1940 he served as podestà (mayor) of Sëlva in Val Gardena, where he also directed the ski school.[3] [4] He was a supporter of the Fascist regime of Benito Mussolini, which promoted him by sending him on lecture tours.[2]

He died in an accidental fall caused by a frayed rope on the training cliffs of the Sëlva climbing area in Val Gardena.[1] [2] [3] [4] [9] For a long time the precise circumstances were not reported by the Fascist authorities, who did not want to cast a shadow on the famous figure of Comici.

In addition to his talents as a climber, Comici is remembered for his aesthetic concept of climbing, perceiving it as a means of self-expression through harmonious movement.[3] It was Comici who originated the concept of climbing direttissima routes, following the path a drop of water would take down the mountain.[1] [6] Comici's book Alpinismo Eroico employs rhetoric characteristic of the era in which it was written.

The Rifugio Zsigmondy-Comici, or Zsigmondyhütte, in the Sexten Dolomites is named for Comici and Emil Zsigmondy. The Rifugio Emilio Comici and the Campanile Comici, both in the Langkofel Group, are also named for Comici. A wooden monument memorializes Comici at the foot of the wall in Vallunga where he died.[4]

Ascents

North face of Cima Grande

From 13 to 14 August 1933 Comici and the brothers Angelo and Giuseppe Dimai made the first ascent of the north face of the Cima Grande di Lavaredo,[1] [2] thus opening the eponymous Via Comici-Dimai (Comici-Dimai Route) or Comici route.[10] [11] In this climb of 400 meters, they used rope, 150 meters of cord, 90 hooks, climbing slings, 40 carabiners[12] and 80 pitons.[13] There had been several previous failed attempts on the face by other climbers. However, the technique used by Comici's party, and specifically their use of pitons, became the subject of debate among mountaineers.[2] [3] [7] [12] In September 1937, Comici repeated his route as a solo climber in just 3.5 hours.[2] [3] [12] [14] The route was then rated at a difficulty of VI. Today, the rating is VI/A0 (UIAA) or in free climbing VII (UIAA).[7]

Other ascents

Bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Frison-Roche. Roger. Jouty. Sylvain. Trans. Deke Dusinberre. A History of Mountain Climbing. 1996. Flammarion. Paris, New York. 2-08013-622-4. 96-85980. 36019037. 100, 302.
  2. Book: Douglas, Ed. Mountaineers: Great Tales of Bravery and Conquest. Smithsonian Institution. New York. DK Publishing. 2011. 978-0-7566-8682-6. 288–289.
  3. Web site: Italian. Emilio Comici (1901-1940). 2012. Pareti Verticali. 20 March 2013.
  4. Web site: Mountain Climber Emilio Comici. Gardena.Net. Winter 2012–2013. 14 March 2013. IT01619310210.
  5. Web site: Italian. Civetta. paretiverticali.it. 19 March 2013.
  6. Middendorf. John. John Middendorf. The Mechanical Advantage. Ascent. 1999. 19 March 2013.
  7. Book: Rabanser, Ivo. German. Reinhold Messners Kletterfavoriten. Bruckmann Verlag GmbH. München. 2011. 978-3-7654-5440-0.
  8. Book: Auffermann, Uli. German. Entscheidung in der Wand. Schall Verlag GmbH. 2010. 978-3-900533-62-5. 113 ff.
  9. German . Die Nordwand der großen Zinne - Emilio Comici . https://archive.today/20130210130937/http://www.bergsteiger.de/zeitschriftenartikel-427.html?nav=0&show=seite1 . dead . 2013-02-10 . Bruckmann Verlag GmbH . February 2008 . 19 March 2013 . Bergsteiger . 88 .
  10. A History of Mountain Climbing (Frison-Roche and Jouty), pp. 148-149, 158.
  11. Web site: Italian. Via Comici - Dimai. Mountain Network. 14 March 2013.
  12. Book: Messner, Reinhold. Reinhold Messner

    . German. Vertical - 150 Jahre Kletterkunst. Reinhold Messner. BLV Buchverlag . München. 2008. 2. 978-3-8354-0380-2.

  13. A History of Mountain Climbing (Frison-Roche and Jouty), p. 320.
  14. A History of Mountain Climbing (Frison-Roche and Jouty), pp. 132, 302.
  15. Web site: Sorapiss. summitpost.org. 19 November 2007. 19 March 2013.
  16. Web site: Italian. Zuccone Campelli Fessura Comici/ Comici-Cassin. gulliver.it. 4 May 2009. 19 March 2013.
  17. Web site: Italian. Spigolo Giallo. Mountain Network. 19 March 2013.
  18. Web site: Italian. Frida (Punta di) 2792 m Via Comici. gulliver.it. 2 September 2009. 19 March 2013.
  19. Web site: Italian. Torre Piccola di Falzarego Via Comici. gulliver.it. 18 April 2010. 19 March 2013.
  20. Web site: Italian. Torrione Comici. paretiverticali.it. 19 March 2013.
  21. Web site: German. Salami "Comici". topoguide.de - der interaktive Bergverlag. topoguide.de. 19 March 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20110913204134/http://www.topoguide.de/Alpen_Band_I/Touren-Downloads/Dolomiten/Salami__Comici_/salami__comici_.html. 13 September 2011. dead.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Emilio Comici".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.