Peter Taugwalder

Gravestone in Zermatt

Peter Taugwalder (born April 4, 1820 in Zermatt ; † July 11, 1888 at Schwarzsee , Zermatt) was a Swiss mountaineer and mountain guide .

First ascent of the Matterhorn

Peter Taugwalder found his place in the history of mountaineers with the first ascent of the Matterhorn on July 14, 1865, together with Edward Whymper , Francis Douglas , Charles Hudson , Michel Croz , Douglas Hadow and his son over the Hörnligrat from Zermatt to the summit.

As the rope team descended, four men fell to their deaths over the north face. Hadow slipped and fell on Croz, pulling Hudson and Douglas with him. When Taugwalder tried to hold the falling, the rope broke. Whymper and his father and son Taugwalder returned safely to Zermatt.

Further life

In addition to a few other first ascents, Taugwalder led the Schlagintweit brothers as a second ascent to the eastern tip of Monte Rosa in 1851 .

The accident on the Matterhorn and the following accusations weighed heavily on him. He was still a mountain climber for a few years, but eventually he emigrated to North America for a few years. After his return he died at Schwarzsee near Zermatt.

Peter Taugwalder had two sons, Peter and Joseph Taugwalder. His parents were mountain farmers .

Movie

In June 2018, SRF DOK showed the documentary film Death on the Matterhorn - The tragic story of the first ascent , which reconstructs the events of that time.

Web links

Bernard Truffer: Taugwalder, Peter. In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland . March 8, 2011 .
Thomas Karny : Matterhorn 4478 m - Wallis -: The first ascent of the Matterhorn ended in a disaster. In: Swiss Pages. Eric Fischbach, November 1, 2019 .; accessed on January 4, 2020

Individual evidence

^ Bernard Truffer: Taugwalder, Peter. In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland . March 8, 2011 , accessed January 4, 2020 .
↑ Gieri Venzin, Tilman Remme: death on the Matterhorn - The tragic story of the first ascent. (Video on YouTube, 1:30 hours) SRF DOK, 2015, accessed on January 5, 2020 .

personal data
SURNAME	Taugwalder, Peter
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Swiss mountaineers and mountain guides
DATE OF BIRTH	April 4, 1820
PLACE OF BIRTH	Zermatt
DATE OF DEATH	July 11, 1888
Place of death	Schwarzsee , Zermatt

[1] Bernard Truffer: Taugwalder, Peter. In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland . March 8, 2011 , accessed January 4, 2020 .

[2] Gieri Venzin, Tilman Remme: death on the Matterhorn - The tragic story of the first ascent. (Video on YouTube, 1:30 hours) SRF DOK, 2015, accessed on January 5, 2020 .