Willy Merkl

Biography

Willy Merkl (6 October 1900 – 15/17 July 1934) was a German mountain climber who is most notable for his attempt to lead a German-American team up Nanga Parbat (the Naked Mountain) in the Himalayas in 1932.

His team were known to be very experienced in Alpine and European mountain expeditions. Merkl and Fritz Bechtold had also climbed in the Caucasus in 1929. However, they were unprepared for the trials of the Himalayas. Despite being forced to turn back in 1932, the team did make excellent progress and found a way through the Rakhiot Peak and the main ridge.

In 1934 he led another expedition up the same mountain that proved to be fatal. Although this expedition was better prepared and fi...