This is a loud disappearance of the Polish legend. It was her last trip

She was born in February 1943 in Pluna, Lithuania as the daughter of Zbigniew Błaszkiewicz and Maria née Pietkun. In 1946 she came with her parents to Poland, to Łańcut (Rzeszów Voivodeship), and then to Wrocław. It was there that she studied at the Primary School, the High School, and finally landed at the Wrocław University of Technology. Ending it with the Master’s title of Electronics engineer.

The disappearance of Wanda Rutkiewicz. The 33rd anniversary of the tragic trip to Kanieciendzong

In her student times she played volleyball, being a player of the best in the city of the Guard. Although she started in AZS Wrocław, taking part in, among others at the Universiade in Budapest (1965). Her passion for sport was great. Wanda, Błaszkiewicz at the time, had a talent for sport. She was running, jumping into the distance, threw a disk, she was even … Polish champion of university clubs in shot put. She also trained athletics at the Parasol Wrocław club.

But in the mountains she found everything she loved.

She was extremely hard. On the famous, life trip, i.e. getting Mount Everest, started with anemia. She decided to take a set of iron injections that were to increase hemoglobin, also depending on the height at which she would enter. She didn’t let go again. She conquered the highest peak of the Earth, an eight -thousanders located in the Himalayas, on the border of Nepal and the People’s Republic of China. As the first of Polish climbers and a third woman in the world. Fate deceived again.

Mount Everest was the first European and the first person from Poland. In June 1986, as the first woman in the world and a person from Poland, she conquered the K2 summit, which is the second in height (after Mount Everest) peak of the Earth.

Wanda – already as a married woman – Rutkiewicz, was an outstanding climber. One of the best, and for many the best in history.

She disappeared on the night of May 12-13, 1992. During the peak attack on Kaniecenzonga.

Her story with this peak began before 1992.

In the winter of 1988, Wanda Rutkiewicz and Ewa Pajejko-Pankiewicz, as an independent team, took part in the Polish-German expedition. Their goal was the first female entrance to Yalung Kang, the western tip of Kangczenzong. However, Polish women finished the trip. Reason: unfavorable weather conditions that prevented action. It was the beginning for Wanda. She felt that sooner or later she would come back there.

It happened. Three years later, in 1991, Wanda Rutkiewicz and Ewa Pajejko-Pankiewicz joined the Slovenian expedition “Kanch’91”. The goal this time was to go to the Kanczendzonga summit. The trip was ended because of the tragic death of two climbers.

Wanda did not give up. She tried again. So in 1992, Kanczendzong became her goal for the third time. She returned to implement her project “Caravans to Dreams”. On May 11 at night, Wanda Rutkiewicz reached Camp IV, where Carlos Carsolio was waiting for her. Despite the fatigue, Wanda did not think about giving up the peak attack. After a few hours of sleep, the climbers duo headed towards the top. Unfortunately, for Wanda it was the last trip …

Information about the disappearance of a Polish woman reached Poland after almost two weeks, May 25, 1992. Her bodies were never found.

– The most annoying people are that we risk life for something that seems completely useless, unnecessary to anyone. But maybe this is needed by those who do it! Maybe they just need to live – admitted Wanda Rutkiewicz.

For years since the events of May 1992, several legends have arisen about what happened to Rutkiewicz. It wasn’t until the autumn of 1996 that the court found Rutkiewicz to be deceased at the request of her brother Michał. Although Wanda’s mother, Mrs. Maria Rutkiewicz, did not believe that her daughter had left for the rest of her life.

She just stayed in her beloved mountains.