born in 1946, mountaineer, alpinist, explorer of polar regions and traveller, metallurgist by profession; co-founder of Alpinus and Mount Company (HiMountain brand). He started climbing in 1964 in the rocks of Jura Krakowsko-Częstochowska, where in the following years he climbed a number of new routes, and in the Tatra Mountains. Later, he climbed in the Alps (e.g. ascent of Mont Blanc), the mountains of Wales, Scotland (in winter) and the Caucasus (Elbrus).
In 1976 he reached the top of Noshak in the Hindu Kush. Majer was the organizer, leader or a participant of several expeditions to the Himalayas and the Karakoram, like: Nanga Parbat (1977), Dunagiri (1979), Lantang Lirung (1982), Ganesh II (1983), Broad Peak (1984, he reached the peak), south face of Lhotse (1985), K2 (1986 expedition made the first ascent of the route Magic Line, Janusz reached the height of 8200 m), Shisha Pangma (1987), Annapurna East (1988, he came to the distance of 10 m from the summit), Mount Everest (1989) and Gasherbrum II (2006). In 1980 he lead the expedition to the Peruvian Andes (he climbed inter alia Nevado Tsacra Chico) and climbed in Yosemite in the USA (participated in the 1st Polish ascent of The Nose on El Capitan). He was also interested in the polar areas: climbed Vinson Massif in Antarctica (1998) and Newtontoppen (Newton Peak), Spitsbergen (2000). In 2008 he led the exploration of mountain ranges in the central part of the Tibetan Highlands (Mayer Kangri and Jomori), in the years 2011-2012 explored the rarely visited regions of the Karakoram range.
Janusz Majer was President of the Mountaineering Club in Katowice (1980-92), member of the Polish Alpine Association (a vice- chairman between 1987-93). Currently is the head -after Arthur Hajzer-of the Polish Winter Himalaism program.
He was one of the main organizers of three International Mountain Film Festivals in Katowice and a frequent member of the jury of Polish and European festivals. He has published articles in Polish and foreign mountain magazines. Co-author of studies on little-known mountain regions (together with Jerzy Wala).
On the basis of: Wielka Encyklopedia Gór i Alpinizmu, tom VI „Ludzie Gór”, pod redakcją Małgorzaty i Jana Kiełkowskich, Stapis, Katowice 2013, published with the permission of the publisher