Polish mountain climbers

Martyna Wojciechowska (born 28 September 1974 in Warsaw as Marta Eliza Wojciechowska) is a Polish TV presenter, mountaineer, traveller, journalist, sportswoman and writer. In 2010, she completed the Seven Summits. She presents the television series Kobieta na krańcu świata (Woman at the Edge of the World), and is the editor in chief of National Geographic Poland.

Wanda Rutkiewicz (née Błaszkiewicz) (4 February 1943 – 12–13 May 1992) was a Polish mountain climber and computer engineer. She was the first woman to reach the summit of K2 and the third woman to climb Mount Everest.

Józef Jerzy Kukuczka (24 March 1948 in Katowice, Poland – 24 October 1989 Lhotse, Nepal) was a Polish alpine and high-altitude climber. Born in Katowice, his family origin is Silesian Goral. On 18 September 1987, he became the second man (after Reinhold Messner), to climb all fourteen eight-thousanders in the world; a feat which took him less than 8 years to accomplish. He is the only person in the world who has climbed two eight-thousanders in one winter. Altogether, he ascended four eight-thousanders in winter, including three as first ascents. Along with Tadeusz Piotrowski, Kukuczka established a new route on K2 in alpine style (the so-called "Polish Line"), which no one has repeated.

Kinga Baranowska (born 17 November 1975 in Wejherowo) is a Polish mountaineer. She made ascents of eight eight-thousanders and is the first Polish woman to have climbed Dhaulagiri, Manaslu and Kangchenjunga. She currently lives in Warsaw.

Bronisław "Bronek" Czech (July 25, 1908 – June 4, 1944) was a Polish sportsman and artist. A gifted skier, he won championships of Poland 24 times in various skiing disciplines, including Alpine skiing, Nordic skiing and ski jumping. A member of the Polish national team at three consecutive Winter Olympics, he was also one of the pioneers of mountain rescue in the Tatra Mountains and a glider instructor. He perished in the Auschwitz concentration camp.

Andrzej Zawada (born Maria Andrzej Zawada; 16 July 1928 – 21 August 2000) was a Polish mountaineer, pioneer of winter Himalayism. Zawada was an organiser and leader in numerous high-mountains expeditions. Author of movies and photographs from expeditions, co-author of Alpinist books. Honorary member of the British Alpine Club, French Groupe de Haute Montagne and American The Explorers Club.

Adam Radosław Bielecki (born 12 May 1983) is a Polish alpine and high-altitude climber, known for the first winter ascents of the eight-thousanders: Gasherbrum I and Broad Peak. In his book Spod zamarzniętych powiek written with co-author Dominik Szczepański, Bielecki tells the story of his climbings, memories from Himalayan expeditions, and the effort the highest mountains demand.

Andrzej Leszek Bargiel (born April 18, 1988 in Rabka, Poland) is a Polish ski mountaineer, backcountry skier, mountain runner and climber. Raised in Łętownia, he is a three-time Polish ski mountaineering champion and held third place in the overall World Cup. He is the current record holder in taking the least amount of time to achieve the Snow Leopard award. He is also the current record holder in the Elbrus Race. Since 2013, he has been running his original HIC SUNT LEONES (“here are lions” in Latin) project, the goal of which are speedy, oxygenless ascents and ski descents from the highest mountain peaks on Earth. He lives in Zakopane, Poland.

Zygmunt Andrzej Heinrich (21 July 1937 in Łbowo, central Poland – 27 May 1989 in Mount Everest) was a Polish mountaineer. He died in an avalanche on the northwest slopes of Mount Everest in 1989.

Artur Henryk Hajzer (28 June 1962 – 7 July 2013) was a Polish mountaineer. Hajzer climbed seven eight-thousanders, several via new routes (Manaslu’s NE face in 1986, Shishapangma’s east ridge in 1987) and made the first winter climb of Annapurna on February 3, 1987. He also summited Annapurna East (8010m) via a new route up the SE face in 1988. All these climbs were done together with Jerzy Kukuczka, without supplemental oxygen or Sherpa support. Artur also attempted Lhotse South Face three times, reaching 8200 m in 1985, 8300 m in 1987 and 7200 m (alpine style) in 1989. He also organised a rescue operation on Mount Everest’s West Ridge for Andrzej Marciniak in 1989. On September 30, 2011, he summited Makalu with Adam Bielecki and Tomasz Wolfart. In July 2013 he died after falling in the Japanese Coloir after an attempt to reach the summit of Gasherbrum I.