Fritz Steuri (born 25 July 1879 in

Grindelwald Grindelwald is a village and Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the Interlaken-Oberhasli (administrative district), Interlaken-Oberhasli administrative district in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Bern (canton), Berne. In additio ...

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

, died 5 September 1950 in Grindelwald, Switzerland) was a

Swiss Swiss most commonly refers to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland * Swiss people Swiss may also refer to: Places * Swiss, Missouri * Swiss, North Carolina * Swiss, West Virginia * Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses * Swiss Café, an old café located ...

mountain climber Mountaineering, mountain climbing, or alpinism is a set of outdoor activities that involves ascending mountains. Mountaineering-related activities include traditional outdoor climbing, skiing, and traversing via ferratas that have become mounta ...

and

Nordic Nordic most commonly refers to: * Nordic countries, the northern European countries of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, and their North Atlantic territories * Scandinavia, a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern ...

and

alpine skier Alpine skiing, or downhill skiing, is the pastime of sliding down snow-covered slopes on skis with fixed-heel bindings, unlike other types of skiing ( cross-country, Telemark, or ski jumping), which use skis with free-heel bindings. Whether ...

. He was a three-time Swiss champion in

cross-country skiing Cross-country skiing is a form of skiing whereby skiers traverse snow-covered terrain without use of ski lifts or other assistance. Cross-country skiing is widely practiced as a sport and recreational activity; however, some still use it as a m ...

. In 1921, he took part in the

first ascent In mountaineering and climbing, a first ascent (abbreviated to FA in climbing guidebook, guide books), is the first successful documented climb to the top of a mountain or the top of a particular climbing route. Early 20th-century mountaineers a ...

of the Mittellegigrat (the northeast ridge of the

Eiger The Eiger () is a mountain of the Bernese Alps, overlooking Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen in the Bernese Oberland of Switzerland, just north of the main watershed and border with Valais. It is the easternmost peak of a ridge crest that extends ...

Skier

Fritz Steuri came into contact with

skiing Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow for basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International S ...

in the early 1890s when he saw the Englishman Gerald Fox (who lived at

Tone Dale House Tone Dale House (or Tonedale House) is a Grade II listed country house built in 1801 or 1807 by Thomas Fox in Wellington, Somerset, England. Wellington lies west of Taunton in the vale of Taunton Deane, from the Devon border. Tone Dale House, ...

) skiing in Grindelwald. In 1898, he bought his first pair of skis from a Grindelwald manufactory. The first ski race was held in Grindelwald before the turn of the century, in which Steuri, who pursued regular ski training, took part with other locals. Even in his job as a

postman A mail carrier, also referred to as a mailman, mailwoman, mailperson, postal carrier, postman, postwoman, postperson, person of post, letter carrier (in American English), or colloquially postie (in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Unite ...

, which he held from 1899 until he became a

mountain guide A mountain guide is a specially trained and experienced professional mountaineer who is certified by local authorities or mountain guide associations. They are considered to be high-level experts in mountaineering, and are hired to instruct or ...

, he rendered valuable services to skiing.''Der Sommer- und Winterkurort'' (Rubi), pp. 83, 149. In 1902, he was among the founding members of the Grindelwald Ski Club.''Der Sommer- und Winterkurort'' (Rubi), p. 155. Fritz Steuri became one of the best skiers in the early days of Swiss ski racing. Especially in endurance or alpine endurance, as cross-country skiing was called, he was a leading athlete in the early twentieth century. In January 1903, Steuri won the Grindelwald ski club's second race in

downhill skiing Alpine skiing, or downhill skiing, is the pastime of sliding down snow-covered slopes on skis with fixed-heel bindings, unlike other types of skiing ( cross-country, Telemark, or ski jumping), which use skis with free-heel bindings. Whether ...

and came second in both

ski jumping Ski jumping is a winter sport in which competitors aim to achieve the farthest jump after sliding down on their skis from a specially designed curved ramp. Along with jump length, competitor's aerial style and other factors also affect the final ...

and endurance.''Der Sommer- und Winterkurort'' (Rubi), p. 157. In January 1904 he won the third club downhill race.''Der Sommer- und Winterkurort'' (Rubi), p. 160. In February 1903, Steuri won the "International Cup in alpine endurance" organized in

Adelboden Adelboden is a mountain village and a municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in Switzerland, located in the Frutigen-Niedersimmental (administrative district), Frutigen-Niedersimmental administrative district in the Bernese Highlands. Geogra ...

by the Ski Club of Bern, which he also won in 1904 (again in Adelboden) and 1905 (in

Zweisimmen Zweisimmen is a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the Obersimmental-Saanen (administrative district), Obersimmental-Saanen administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. History Zweisimmen is first mentioned in 1228 ...

).''Der Sommer- und Winterkurort'' (Rubi), pp. 158-159. From 1904 to 1906, he won three consecutive major Grindelwald endurance ski races. After the founding of the

Swiss Ski Federation Swiss most commonly refers to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland *Swiss people Swiss may also refer to: Places *Swiss, Missouri * Swiss, North Carolina *Swiss, West Virginia *Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses * Swiss Café, an old café located in ...

on 20 November 1904, on 21 and 22 January 1905 the first Swiss ski championships ("Erstes Grosses Skirennen der Schweiz") were held in

Glarus Glarus (; ; ; ; ) is the capital of the canton of Glarus in Switzerland. Since 1 January 2011, the municipality of Glarus incorporates the former municipalities of Ennenda, Netstal and Riedern.Pragel Pass with 560 meters slope and 1160 meters down, he came in first of 32 participants in a time of 1 hour, 54 minutes and 7 seconds. In 1906 in Zweisimmen and 1907 in

Davos Davos (, ; or ; ; Old ) is an Alpine resort town and municipality in the Prättigau/Davos Region in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. It has a permanent population of (). Davos is located on the river Landwasser, in the Rhaetian ...

Steuri was again the Swiss champion in endurance, whereupon he was asked not to participate in this race to offer other athletes a chance to win.''Der Sommer- und Winterkurort'' (Rubi), pp. 159-160, 183. Steuri also worked as a ski instructor. He instructed Hermann and Othmar Gurtner and Walter Amstutz in alpine driving technique and the "classic" snowplough turns

Telemark Telemark () is a Counties of Norway, county and a current electoral district in Norway. Telemark borders the counties of Vestfold, Buskerud, Vestland, Rogaland and Agder. In 2020, Telemark merged with the county of Vestfold to form the county o ...

stem Christie The stem christie or wedge christie, is a type of skiing turn that originated in the mid-1800s in Norway and lasted until the late 1960s. It comprises three steps: 1) forming a wedge by rotating the tail of one ski outwards at an angle to the di ...

and stem turn.''Der Sommer- und Winterkurort'' (Rubi), p. 217. In 1926 Steuri was president of the Grindelwald ski club.''Der Sommer- und Winterkurort'' (Rubi), p. 223. He gave ski lessons into the 1930s.''Der Sommer- und Winterkurort'' (Rubi), p. 219.

Mountain guide

Besides skiing, Fritz Steuri was also a renowned

. In 1905 he earned his leader patent, having previously climbed numerous summits, including the

Jungfrau The Jungfrau (, , , "maiden, virgin"), at is one of the main summits of the Bernese Alps, located between the northern canton of Bern and the southern canton of Valais, halfway between Interlaken and Fiesch. Together with the Eiger and Mönc ...

, the

Finsteraarhorn The Finsteraarhorn () is a mountain lying on the border between the cantons of Canton of Bern, Bern and Valais. It is the highest mountain of the Bernese Alps and the List of prominent mountains of Switzerland, most prominent peak of Switzerland. ...

and the

Wetterhorn The Wetterhorn (3,690 m) is a peak in the Swiss Alps towering above the village of Grindelwald. Formerly known as Hasle Jungfrau, it is one of three summits on a mountain named the "Wetterhörner", the highest of which is the Mittelhorn (3,70 ...

. Steuri worked for 45 years as a mountain guide, mainly around Grindelwald and in the

Valais Valais ( , ; ), more formally, the Canton of Valais or Wallis, is one of the cantons of Switzerland, 26 cantons forming the Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. It is composed of thirteen districts and its capital and largest city is Sion, Switzer ...

and

Grison Alps The Grison Alps are the mountains of the Graubünden canton of Switzerland (Grisons being the English name for the Graubünden region). There are many significant peaks in the Grison Alps, including the Tödi (3,614 m) and the highest peak, Pi ...

. On 10 September 1921 he took part in the

of the Mittellegigrat (the northeast ridge of the Eiger) with the Japanese climber

Yuko Maki Yuko may refer to: * Yuko (judo) (''yūkō''), a score in judo competition * Yuko (Ukrainian band), a Ukrainian band * Yūko, a Japanese female given name (including a list of persons with the name) * Yuko, a Belgian band * Yuko people Yukpa i ...

and fellow guides Fritz Amatter and Samuel Brawand.''Vom Bergbauerndorf zum Fremdenort'' (Rubi), p. 171. The descent of the ridge had been made for the first time in 1885. Shortly beforehand, Steuri had climbed the

Dufourspitze The Dufourspitze is the highest peak of Monte Rosa, an ice-covered mountain massif in the Alps. Dufourspitze is the List of mountains of Switzerland, highest mountain of both Switzerland and the Pennine Alps and is also the List of mountains of th ...

, the

Matterhorn The , ; ; ; or ; ; . is a mountain of the Alps, straddling the Main chain of the Alps, main watershed and border between Italy and Switzerland. It is a large, near-symmetric pyramidal peak in the extended Monte Rosa area of the Pennine Alps, ...

and the

Aletschhorn The Aletschhorn () is a mountain in the Alps in Switzerland, lying within the Jungfrau-Aletsch region, which has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The mountain shares part of its name with the Aletsch Glacier lying at its foot. T ...

with Maki and Brawand. Subsequently, Steuri led many Japanese on Alpine summits, including

Prince Chichibu was the second son of Emperor Taishō (Yoshihito) and Empress Teimei (Sadako), a younger brother of Emperor Shōwa (Hirohito) and a general in the Imperial Japanese Army. As a member of the Imperial House of Japan, he was the patron of seve ...

, with whom Steuri and other guides climbed the Wetterhorn, the Finsteraarhorn, the

Schreckhorn The Schreckhorn (4,078 m) is a mountain in the Bernese Alps, Bernese Swiss Alps, Alps. It is the highest peak located entirely in the canton of Bern. The Schreckhorn is the northernmost List of Alpine four-thousanders, Alpine four-thousander and ...

, the Matterhorn, the summit of

Monte Rosa Monte Rosa (; ; ; or ; ) is a mountain massif in the eastern part of the Pennine Alps, on the border between Italy (Piedmont and Aosta Valley) and Switzerland (Valais). The highest peak of the massif, amongst several peaks of over , is the D ...

and other mountains in September 1926. On 26 May 1926 Steuri, Prince Chichibu, Walter Amstutz,

Arnold Lunn Sir Arnold Henry Moore Lunn (18 April 1888 – 2 June 1974) was a skier, mountaineer and writer. He was knighted for "services to British Skiing and Anglo-Swiss relations" in 1952. His father was a lay Methodist minister, but Lunn was an a ...

and two others first climbed the Grindelwalder Grünhorn on skis. Among other famous clients Steuri counted the writer Konrad Falke, whom he guided in September 1907 in the Jungfrau region. This resulted in Falke's 1909 published book ''Im Banne der Jungfrau'' (''Under the Spell of the Virgin''). From about 1930, Steuri specialized as a

guide. He worked as one of the "Jochführer", the guides who after the construction of the

Jungfrau railway The Jungfrau Railway (, , JB) is a mountain rack railway in the Bernese Alps, Switzerland, connecting Kleine Scheidegg in the Bernese Oberland to the Jungfraujoch, across the Valais border. It is the highest railway in Switzerland and Europe, ru ...

were always stationed at

Jungfraujoch The Jungfraujoch (German language, German: lit. "maiden saddle") is a Saddle (landform), saddle connecting two major Four-thousander, 4000ers of the Bernese Alps: the Jungfrau and the Mönch. It lies at an elevation of above sea level and is dir ...

and led tourists from there to the surrounding peaks. As a result, in his lifetime Steuri made 1139 ascents of the Jungfrau - sometimes twice in a day.''Der Sommer- und Winterkurort'' (Rubi), pp. 51-52. In summer 1938 Steuri led the search party that discovered the body of Italian climber Bartolo Sandri, who had died along with his partner, Mario Menti, in an attempt on the north face of the Eiger.''The White Spider'' (Harrer)
p. 80. Steuri was sometime landlord of the

Konkordia Hut The Konkordia Hut (German: ''Konkordiahütte'') is a mountain hut of the Swiss Alpine Club, located north of Fieschertal in the canton of Valais. The hut lies above Konkordiaplatz, the point of convergence of several glaciers in the great Aletsch ...

and chairman of the Grindelwald mountain rescue.

Family

Fritz Steuri had four sons, the three eldest of whom were also known as mountain guides:''Vom Bergbauerndorf zum Fremdenort'' (Rubi), p. 207. Fritz Jr. (1908-1953), Hermann (1909-2001), Hans (1911-1975) and Rudolf (1913-1987). Fritz Jr. and Hermann scored numerous successes in ski racing. Fritz Jr. represented Switzerland in ski jumping and

Nordic combined Nordic combined is a winter sport in which athletes compete in cross-country skiing (sport), cross-country skiing and ski jumping. The Nordic combined at the Winter Olympics has been held since the first 1924 Winter Olympics, Winter Olympics in ...

at the

1932 Winter Olympics The 1932 Winter Olympics, officially known as the III Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as Lake Placid 1932, were a winter multi-sport event in the United States, held in Lake Placid, New York, United States. The games opened on February 4 ...

. He headed the ski school at

Kleine Scheidegg The Kleine Scheidegg () is a mountain pass at an elevation of , situated below and between the Eiger and Lauberhorn peaks in the Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland. The name means "minor watershed", as it only divides the two arms of the L ...

, but was killed in a climbing accident. Rudolf was also a ski instructor at first, but then worked in regional policy.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Steuri, Fritz 1879 births 1950 deaths Alpine guides People from Grindelwald Swiss male alpine skiers Swiss male cross-country skiers Swiss mountain climbers Swiss male Nordic combined skiers Swiss male ski jumpers