Jack J.
Reber
P.O.
Box 2239, Ramona, Calif. 92065-0938
APS 70308 Austrian Philatelic Society of
U.S. 1068
Who is the most famous Austrian of the
past 100 years? I’ll express my opinion at the bottom of this article, but
let’s talk about my choice for No. 2.
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (shown on
Scott #1961) was born July 30, 1947. He grew up in Graz, Austria, and the
suburb of Thal. He was not born into wealth. His father was a policeman. He had
been a Nazi and German soldier, but was discharged because of malaria.
According to Arnold, he was a very strict father.
Young Schwarzenegger started
body-building at age 15. In 1965 he reported for the obligatory year in the
Austrian army. He served prison time while in the army because he went AWOL to
compete as a body builder. Arnold left Austria in 1966, spent some time in
London and came to the U.S.in 1968.
His first big movie, “Conan the
Barbarian,” didn’t come until 1982. By that time Arnold had won the Mr.
Universe title four times. Through investments and good business ventures, he
already was a millionaire before his movie career began.
In 2003, Arnold was elected governor
of California. The little boy from Austria was atop the world – famous as a
body-builder, immensely successful in his movies and now a plum political job.
Austrians were immensely proud. But that pride dimmed in 2005, because of
something Arnold refused to do.
Let’s step back. In 1979 gang-banger
Tookie Williams was convicted of four murders. In 1981 Donald Beardslee,
already on parole for murder, was convicted of murdering two women in a botched
drug deal. Williams and Beardslee were sentenced to death.
By 2005, each man had run out of
appeals. They had only one chance. By California law, the last step before an
execution is an automatic appeal to the governor, who has the option to change
the sentence to life in prison without parole.
In each case, Swarzenegger declined to
sign for clemency. This hit Austrians like a ton of bricks. To many, many
Austrians, the phase “Thou shalt not kill” is interpreted to mean “Thou shalt
not kill.” No, Arnold did not personally kill anyone, but he had a chance to
save a life and he refused. That was his crime.
A 15,000 seat stadium in Graz had been
named for him in 1997. Under cover of darkness, the sign with his name came
down. The city council approved a measure to withdraw his name. Before a formal
vote could be taken, Schwarzengger wrote, denying further permission to use his
name.
In Parliament there was a motion to
revoke Arnold’s Austrian citizenship. There is a law permitting that when
someone damages Austria’s reputation.
Arnold’s reputation took another big
hit in later years, of course. In 2011 Maria Shriver, his wife of 25 years,
moved out, a couple of weeks before it was reported that14 years earlier
Schwarzenegger had fathered a son by one of their housekeepers. The birth was
kept secret until people started noticing how much the boy looked like Arnold.
And who was the most famous Austrian
of the past 100 years? My vote goes to Adolph Hitler. I won’t argue with anyone
who wants to add Sigmund Freud into the top three.
regards, Jack
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