Reinhold Messner is a well-known mountain climber (Alpinist) and Arctic explorer. Reinhold Messner is well-known for his daring and arduous ascents of the world’s highest peaks.
Surprisingly, he and the Austrian Peter Habeler were the first to reach the summit of Mount Everest in 1978. Let’s talk about his personal life and children.
Reinhold Messner Children
Reinhold Messner tied the knot with Uschi Demeter in 1972. Uschi Demeter is a photographer from Canada. The couple had a daughter named Layla Messner, born in 1981. Unfortunately, they got divorced in 1977.
Later, Reinhold Messner married his long-term partner, Sabine Stehle, in 2009. Sabine Stehle is a textile designer based in Vienna. The couple has three children together – Magdalena, Anna, and Gesar Simon. However, they eventually got divorced in 2019.
Reinhold Messner married Diane Schumacher, a Luxembourg lady living in Munich, in May 2021.
Layla Messner
Layla Messner is a thought leader in neurodiversity and invisible disabilities and a heart-based inventor and keynote speaker.
Láyla is an autistic artist who founded Painted Love Co. and is the author of DEMOLITION LOVE.
She went on to receive a Master’s degree in trauma recovery from Goddard College after surviving complicated trauma.
She is now a multidisciplinary inventor and keynote speaker. Her presentation, “5 Things You Need To Live With More Joy During Turbulent Times,” was published in Authority Magazine and Thrive Global.
She discusses neurodiversity, invisible disabilities, and the creative process. Along the way, she proves that love truly does triumph.
Magdalena Messner
Magdalena Messner was born in 1978 to a world-renowned mountaineer and explorer, Reinhold Messner, and his second wife, Sabine Stehle.
She grew up in Villnöß, a comune in South Tyrol in northern Italy.
Magdalena Messner earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Trento and a master’s degree in international relations from the University of London.
Magdalena Messner is a respected professional in the field of humanitarian work. She holds the position of Regional Coordination Officer for Western Europe and also serves as the Director of Global Development and Partnerships. Recently, she has been appointed as the Head of Staff for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees in Geneva.
Aside from her work with the UNHCR, Magdalena Messner is an avid mountaineer who has scaled several of the world’s highest peaks.
Gesar Simon Messner
Simon Messner, born on November 8, 1990, and his three sisters have been mountaineers since they were little.
Like his father, he is passionate about preserving the climbing tradition, taking all required precautions to safeguard the mountain environment by using as little equipment as possible and never utilizing supplemental oxygen on his expeditions.
While mountaineering, many goals can be made, but the most essential thing for Simon is the experience obtained.
The idea of racing to all of the world’s summits is not what drives him the most; it is more about getting as close to the mountain as possible in the purest sense.
To demonstrate his appreciation for climbing and the environment, he ascended Mont Blanc last month, returning to the origins of the German brand with the Montblanc 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen LE1786 watch affixed to his wrist.
He started from France’s L’Aiguille du Midi and climbed to the Mont Blanc via Mont Blanc du Tacul and Mont Maudit—a route that is mapped out on the case back of this limited-edition timepiece using Montblanc’s three-dimensional laser engraving technique, which is so realistic, it resembles a photograph of the Mont Blanc at sunset.
Furthermore, Simon also tested the Montblanc 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen LE1786 and its zero-oxygen construction up to the 4,810-meter summit, making it only the second model to be oxygen-free after the Montblanc 1858 Geosphere Chronograph 0 Oxygen LE290.
The absence of oxygen has various advantages for explorers who require their equipment to function in the hardest situations.
With no oxygen inside the watch, it eliminates fogging—which can occur when temperatures change dramatically at altitude—and prevents oxidation.
Without oxygen, all components will last much longer and deliver more precision over time.
The LE1786 watch features the brand’s new blue glacier pattern dial, inspired by a journey to the Alps and the glacial lakes of the Mont Blanc Massif.
Montblanc’s MB 29.25 automatic movement powers the clock and comes with a blue Sfumato calf leather strap with beige stitching. It has a 42mm bronze case and a bi-directional knurled ceramic bezel with cardinal points.
Not only that, but Simon has chronicled his expedition and videotaped the last stretch to the summit—Montblanc consumers will be able to join him in the brand’s boutiques and see this astounding feat via virtual reality glasses, giving them the sensation of being on the mountain with him.
Anna Juditha Messner
On January 1, 2001, Anna Juditha Messner was born. Anna Juditha Messner has two younger siblings. Magdalena and Simon. She is the last of Reinhold Messner’s children.
The table below provides information about each Reinhold Messner child.
| Name | Date of Birth | Occupation/Activity | Parents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Layla Messner | 1981 | Thought leader in neurodiversity, inventor, keynote speaker, and author | Reinhold Messner and Uschi Demeter (first wife) |
| Magdalena Messner | 1978 | Humanitarian worker, Regional Coordination Officer for Western Europe, Director of Global Development and Partnerships, Head of Staff for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees in Geneva | Reinhold Messner and Sabine Stehle (second wife) |
| Gesar Simon Messner | November 8, 1990 | Mountaineer, passionate about preserving the climbing tradition, tested Montblanc watches on expeditions. | Reinhold Messner and Sabine Stehle (second wife) |
| Anna Juditha Messner | January 1, 2001 | Information about occupations not provided in the article | Reinhold Messner and Sabine Stehle (second wife) |
Reinhold Messner and Career
Reinhold Messner was born in the alpine region of South Tyrol in Northern Italy. Messner was born in the German town of Brixen, also known as Bressanone in Italian. He was raised in the nearby municipality of Vilnöß, known as Funes in Italian.
He was one of nine children—eight boys and one girl—born to a local schoolteacher who was an avid mountain climber.
South Tyrol was previously part of Austria, and most of the population still speaks German.
The Dolomite mountain range, a southern extension of the Alps, flows through the region, and Messner began climbing mountains with his family at a young age.
He had already climbed a 3,000-meter peak when he was five years old. At 13, he started climbing challenging Dolomite summits with his younger brother, Günther.
Messner was ultimately able to conquer the Himalayan Mountains in 1970. This climb was a success for him and his brother.
Unfortunately, Gunther perished as they descended the Diamir face, and Reinhold lost six of his toes to frostbite.
Reinhold was chastised for bringing his brother on this excursion despite Gunther’s lack of experience.
Reinhold returned to this mountain in 1971 to hunt for his brother, but he could not locate him.
His brother was discovered in 2005 after much of the snow on the mountain had melted due to the warm weather.
Peter Habeler was an Austrian climber who shared Messner’s climbing interests and ideals.
He wanted to climb Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen in 1970 because he considered it unethical.
Reinhold agreed to accompany him, and in 1978, they both reached the summit of Everest without additional oxygen.
Messner planned to repeat the climb in 1980, but this time, he approached the summit from the Tibetan side during the monsoon season. This was Reinhold’s first solo summit, and it went well.
Reinhold planned to climb solo up Nanga Parbat’s Diamir Face in 1978 before his solo summit of Everest.
This went well, and he did not sustain injuries like on his first Himalayan climb.
He also embarked on a cross-country trek in Antarctica alongside explorer and mountaineer Arved Fuchs.
Reinhold has completed almost 500 climbs in his lifetime. He’s also recognized as one of Europe’s top climbers, having completed many climbs that no one thought were feasible.
Reinhold has climbed the following mountains: Manaslu, Gasherbrum, K2, Shishapangma, Kangchenjunga, Gasherbrum 2, Broad Peak, Cho Oyu, Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Makalu, and Lhotse.
Reinhold even established the Messner Mountain Museum. Its mission is to educate people about mountain climbing culture.
Reinhold wrote over 63 works, still available in various languages today. He devoted most of his time to his museum and helped establish the Mountain Wilderness Group, which works to protect mountains.