Andrzej Zawada

Andrzej Zawada (born Maria Andrzej Zawada; 16 July 1928 – 21 August 2000) was a Polish mountaineer, expedition leader and pioneer of winter Himalayism. Zawada was an organiser and leader of numerous high-mountains expeditions. Author of movies and photographs from expeditions, co-author of Alpinist books. Honorary member of the British Alpine Club, French Groupe de Haute Montagne and American The Explorers Club.

Grandson of Tomasz Rawicz-Zawada young participant of January Uprising in 1863. Son of Filip Rawicz Zawada, Polish legionnaire and consul.

Zawada studied physics and geophysics in Wrocław and Warsaw where he received a degree in seismology. From 1955–1993, he worked at the Institute of Geophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences.

Selected expeditions

 * In 1959, he was part of the expedition team with Kazimierz Olech who made the first successful winter crossing of the main ridge of Tatra Mountains, which took 19 days.
 * In 1971, as chief he led the Polish expedition to make the first ascent to the Khunyang Chhish (7852 m) in the Karakoram. He also reached the summit.
 * With Tadeusz Piotrowski he made the first winter ascent of Noshaq (7492 m) in the Hindu Kush (13 February 1973). It was the world's first winter climb above 7000 m.
 * On 25 December 1974, Zawada became the first man in the world to exceed a height of 8000 m in the winter, alongside Zygmunt Andrzej Heinrich, by reaching a height of 8250 m on Lhotse.
 * In 1977, Zawada made the first crossing of the 1600 m north wall of Koh-i Mandaras (6631 m).
 * In February 1980, Krzysztof Wielicki and Leszek Cichy made the first winter ascent of Mount Everest (8848 m), the highest mountain on Earth. Zawada led the expedition. It was the first winter ascent of a peak above 8,000 m.
 * In May 1980, Zawada led an expedition of Everest with Andrzej Czok and Jerzy Kukuczka and ascended a new route.
 * In February 1985 Maciej Berbeka and Maciej Pawlikowski made the first winter ascent of Cho Oyu. It is the only winter ascent on an eight-thousander using a new route. Zawada led the expedition.
 * On December 31, 1988 Zawada led the expedition where Krzysztof Wielicki made the first successful winter ascent of Lhotse.