115 years of TOPR: Tatra Mountain Rescue’s enduring legacy of life-saving service in Poland’s Tatra mountains.
October 29, 2024, marks the 115th anniversary of the Tatra Volunteer Search and Rescue (TOPR), a mountain rescue organization dedicated to aiding those in the Polish Tatra mountains. The tragic 1909 avalanche death of mountaineer Mieczysław Karłowicz hastened the formal establishment of this vital organization. Registered in Lwów, Kazimierz Dłuski became its first president, and Mariusz Zaruski, a pioneering climber, served as chief. The group’s recognizable symbol—a blue cross on a white field—still endures.
From an initial rescue in 1908, TOPR quickly organized and conducted numerous missions before official recognition. Today, TOPR comprises over 300 members, with around 200 active rescue specialists, including 48 full-time professionals. Supported by sponsors and the TOPR Foundation since 1990, TOPR also benefits from public and governmental backing, which enables it to continue saving lives across challenging mountain terrain.
TOPR’s legacy shines brightly as it celebrates over a century of brave and unwavering service, bringing safety to the Tatra mountains’ visitors.