Translation of the Original German
(See Part 1 for German)
Life and Career (See comments about this text below.)
Born on 30 July 1947 in Graz - Grew up in Graz. His father Gustav, an outstanding athlete with international victories, was the chief of police in Thal. Attended compulsory school and had a business education. In his youth many athletes met in the summer at Lake Thal close to his parents' house, including the weightlifting club of the Athletik Union Graz. The 14-year-old Arnold found that fascinating and he began to take the sport of weightlifting and bodybuilding seriously. In 1965 he fulfilled his military service, at which time he also had the opportunity to train and participate in competitions. In that same year he became European Junior Champion in bodybuilding. In 1966 he went to Munich as a coach at a sport studio. In 1967 he won the title of "Best-Built Athlete" in Europe and won the NABBA Mr. Universe contest for amateurs. In 1968 he emigrated to the USA, where he won the greatest number of world championship titles in his active career, a record that no other athlete has broken to this day. Seven times professional world champion Mr. Olympia, the last time in 1980. He was also successful as an author and published his bestseller about his rise to top athlete in 1977. In the U.S. he attended acting school, Santa Monica College, and the University of Wisconsin, where he graduated in 1979. In 1991 he received an honoray doctorate from that university.
In 1983 he became an American citizen, but also kept his Austrian citizenship. Since 1986 he has been married to Maria Shriver Kennedy and is the father of four children, 2 girls and 2 boys. His acting career began in 1970 with the film "Herkules in New York." Best known of course are his "Terminator" films. That he is also a successful businessman is demonstrated by his enterprises in various fields. Since 1979 he has supported and promoted the Special Olympics. In 1991, in recognition of his support of Holocaust research, he received the National Leadership Award from the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles.
Since 1997 Honorary Citizen of the town of Thal. In 1999 awarded the Ring of Honor of the city of Graz. In 2001 an honorary doctorate from the Austrian-American University. The high point of Arnold Schwarzengger's career is surely his election as governor of California on 7 October 2003.
Comments: It is interesting that the German text on this sign in Thal claims that Schwarzenegger was born in Graz, when he actually was born in his family's home in Thal. For a complete timeline and more about Arnold's life and career, see Arnold Schwarzenegger: Biography - H.F.
FOTO > Sign Photo