"You are not second, you are great."— Reinhold Messner, after Kukuczka summited his 14th eight-thousander
The word "Great" repeats often when speaking of Jerzy Kukuczka. Reinhold Messner used it when Jurek completed his fourteenth eight-thousander. The Italian book, containing the journal from the final Lhotse expedition, is titled "Jerzy Kukuczka — great among the giants of Earth".
Jurek was truly great — in climbing and in life. Great in character, in his way of speaking and presenting himself to people. Great in the modesty with which he treated his achievements.
What others say about him
- "He was a man of incredible inner strength. In extreme weather conditions he could keep going when others gave up."
- "Kukuczka was above all a highlander through and through. He never pretended to be someone he wasn't."
- "His approach to mountains was pure — he climbed for the climbing itself, not for fame."
- "With Jurek you could walk into fire. And in the mountains — into a blizzard."
"In Poland there are schools and universities bearing Jerzy Kukuczka's name. In a mountain cabin in Istebna there is a small museum, visited by thousands each year. Jurek was truly Great — he fully deserved to enter the History of Alpinism."— Mario Corradini, friend and climber
Legacy
Jerzy Kukuczka's legacy is not just 14 eight-thousanders. Above all, it is the books he left behind — "Mój Pionowy Świat" (My Vertical World) and "Na Szczytach Świata" (On the Summits of the World) — in which he captured not only expedition reports, but his entire philosophy of life, mountains, and overcoming one's own weaknesses.
His figure remains constantly present in media, books, films, and academic works. His name is carried by streets, schools, and housing estates. Every year mountain festivals are held in his memory.
For Polish Himalayan mountaineering, Jerzy Kukuczka remains what Messner is for the world — a role model, a legend, and inspiration for subsequent generations of climbers.
Worth knowing
- Kukuczka completed the Crown of the Himalayas in 8 years — Messner needed 16
- He is the only one to have climbed Makalu solo, by a new route
- 4 of his 14 eight-thousanders were climbed in winter — including Annapurna and Kangchenjunga
- 13 of 14 ascents without supplemental oxygen
- His book "Mój Pionowy Świat" was also published in English as "Challenge The Vertical"