Khergiani Michael

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Biografie:
Michael Khergiani
I first met Misha, Honoured Master of Sport of the Soviet Union, with his bosom companion Josef Kachiani, at the Spartak training Camp in the Adyl-Su gorge of the Northern Caucasus, beneath Elbruz, in 1958. A swarthy, handsome, tough and naturally friendly person, he struck me at once as a typical Georgian--every inch a man. My companions and I warmed to this splendid pair during the following ten days, during which we climbed Pik Kavkaz and Pik Shchurovski together and spent an unforgettable three days, marooned in a blizzard, on the 'Pillow' of Ushba, only a 1000 ft below its northern summit.
Misha and Josef hailed from Svanetia, a high valley reputedly flowing with milk and honey-and good red wine-on the opposite side of the mountains from our camp. During the summer months they were employed as mountaineering instructors at this trade union-controlled centre. At the time of our visit both Josef and Misha had won the Championship for the best ascent of the Soviet mountaineering season, and they had been chosen as members of the Soviet group which was to join with Chinese climbers in an attempt on Everest from the north, which was planned to take place in 1960; the project subsequently foundered, however, with the deterioration in political relations between the two countries, leaving the Chinese to go it alone.
Four years later, when we met in the Pamirs, Misha had succeeded to the coveted title of Rock-climbing Champion, a title which he won several times. A number ofour own climbers can testify to his prowess at that time, for he came to Britain in 1960 with a group of Soviet mountaineers at the invitation of our 1958 Caucasus party. I have a photo of him on the top pitch of the Direct Route on Dinas Mot, but he did a number of much harder climbs with our hard men. What is more important, he made many friends while over here (Climbers' Club Journal 1960 247).
In 1962 we had a joyous reunion at the Base Camp of the British-Soviet Pamirs Expedition below the Garmo glacier in the Western Pamirs (A.J. 68 94). Misha had come, with fresh laurels after taking part in a first ascent by a direct route of the North face of Pik Shchurovski, to participate in the biggest Soviet mountaineering enterprise of the year-an assault on the redoubtable South face of Pik Communism. Those of us who knew him, found the same dear Misha, a simple countryman despite his fame. I have a picture of him there, armed with a shot gun and holding a partridge which he had brought in for our supper.
We parted in mutual sadness over the deaths of Wilfrid Noyce and Robin Smith, who fell while descending from the summit of Pik Garmo. Seven years later, it was Misha's turn to fall, swept down by a heavy rock fall near the top of a Grade VI route on the Cima Su Alto in the Dolomites. We mourn him and we are the poorer for his passing. He was not only every inch a man; he was a 'Tenzing' among men.
Hunt
Quelle: Alpine Journal Volume 75, 1970, Seite 344-345