Heinrich Harrer was born in Austria 6th July 1912 and died in 2006. He lived a rather extrodinary life, from escaping POW camp in India and becoming a friend to the current Dali Lama to trecking across Papua New Guinea living with tribal cultures. He was also one of four mounatineers to achive the first ever accent of the North Face of the Eiger in the alps in 1936. His being in India, in order to climb mountains in the Himalayas at the outbreak of WW2, and his Austrian heritage, earned him a place in POW camps for much of the war.
In 1944 he escaped from the internment camp at Deharadun, his 3rd attempt, and managed to make his way across the boarder into Tibet. It was there he remained for seven years, later writing his book ‘Seven Years in Tibet’, which went on to be made into film staring none other than Brad Pitt as Harrer himself. His other publications, notiably, ‘The White Spider’, a tale of the ascent of the north face of the Eiger, ‘I Come From The Stone Age’, his exploration of Papua New Guinea, ‘Return to Tibet’ and ‘Beyond Seven Years in Tibet’ have all being influental reading for myself regarding both travel and travel writing.
I was first introduced to Harrer when I watched the film ‘Seven Years in Tibet’ when I was younger. It wasn’t until my brother mentioned the book many years later and how it was far better than the film that I gave it a go. Since then I have found Harrer’s writing style fantasic to read and purchased almost all of his publications.
The situations he found himself in and the actions he took in travelling in his epic adventure are truly inspiring. The work he did after his internment in India and subsequent escape to and from Tibet are truly facinating and I would encourage anyone to take a look at his work.
If you are a mountaineer fan check out ‘The White Spider’, an adventure fan then ‘Seven Years in Tibet’, or a travel and exploration fan then ‘I Come From The Stone Age’. Though there are plenty more books and stories for you to look at. Put simply Harrer is one of the reasons I love to travel and write about it, even if only one person reads it.
195wanderer.com 