21.01.2021
Today, January 19, Gian Maestri announced on his social media page the death of his father, the exceptional Italian climber Cesare Maestri (91).
Cesare was born on October 2, 1929 in Trent. In his youth, he lost his mother and was left alone with his father and two brothers. The father, after years as a traveling actor, got a job in public administration. In 1943, after the German occupation, the father was sentenced to death for "anti-Austrian activity".
The family fled to Ferrara ... Cesare joined the communist partisans. Only after two intense and demanding years could he return to his native Trento.
After the war, Cesare's father sent him to Rome to study art history (where he again collaborated with the Italian communist party), but after two years he returned to Trento. And he began looking for a way to redirect himself after the stress of wartime ordeals.
He started climbing and soon devoted himself entirely to this activity.
His first major achievements are from 1951, when he soloed the Detassis-Giordani route on Croz dell Altissimo and was the first to solo descend from Paganella.
In 1952, Cesare was already qualified as a professional mountain guide.
Among his first solo ascents stand out Solleder on Civetti (1952) and the following year Solda-Conforto on the south face of Marmolada, traversing 16 peaks of the central chain in less than 24 hours, and Vinatzer on Sass de Luesa ... He is said to be the first to repeat a VI+ graded route in a solo ascent.
Total ascents, including visits to foreign mountains, around 3500, one third solo.
Cesare became most famous for the Patagonian episode of Cerro Torre 1959.
This story actually marked all alpinism and was not concluded for a long time.**
Cesare Maestri published several autobiographical books (see Amazon.it), and for his mountaineering activity received many important recognitions and awards.*
Source: https://www.gore-ljudje.si/Kategorije/Novosti/umrl-cesare-maestri