Interesting Facts About Austria

Interesting Facts About Austria: People

In Braunau am Inn, Austria, Klara Poelzl Hitler gave birth on April 20 1889 to the future Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler.

What does a movie action hero, Mr. Universe, and a United States governor have in common with an Austrian citizen? Ding, ding, you are correct: Arnold Schwarzenegger. Who would have thought some kid born over sixty years ago in Austria would grow up to run California?

Beefed up actors are not the only contribution Austria has given to the entertainment industry. Many classical musicians and composers such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Johann Strauss, and Franz Schubert were born in Austria.

Interesting Facts About Austria: Inventions

You can thank an Austrian citizen and automobile designer, Ferdinand Porsche, for one of the hottest cars as well as one of the cutest cars ever. Of course more than one man was involved with their production and design, but the fact is the world might not have the Porsche or the Volkswagen Beetle without Ferdinand Porsche's innovation.

An Austrian by the name of Eduard Haas III invented the cult candy known as PEZ candy. The name PEZ is a shortened version of the German word for peppermint, or "pfefferminze". PEZ candy was invented in 1927 as an alternative to smoking.

Twenty years later Haas invented the PEZ dispenser, which you may or may not have noticed resembles a cigarette lighter. Considering Eduard Haas' desire to curb smoking, the candy was originally targeted to adults.

In fact, it was not until the 1950s when they began selling PEZ to Americans that they added the cartoon character tops and fruity flavored PEZ to market to children.

Interesting Facts About Austria: Tourist Attractions

A popular tourist attraction when visiting the city of Vienna is Vienna's Central Cemetery. The Vienna Central Cemetery is the burial ground for many famous Austrians and over two million people.

Another interesting tourist attraction is the Sound of Music Tour around the city of Salzburg. Visitors can take a tour of where the movie was filmed, and learn more interesting facts about the Von Trapp family.

Interesting Facts About Austria: Random Interesting Facts

Austria is known as "Oesterreich" in its local German language.

The first postcards used were in Austria.

According to Frommer's, the record for Europe's highest waterfall goes to Austria's Krimml Falls. The water falls 1,250 feet.

The city of Vienna is home to the world's oldest zoo, Tiergarten Schonbrunn. This interesting zoo has been around since 1752.

The voting age in Austria is 16 years old.

Interesting facts about Austria sources:

Jewish Virtual Library, "Adolf Hitler". (url)

Pavla Horakava, "Ferdinand Porsche". (url)

MIT, "Inventor of the Week". (url)

Andrea Guidara, "Introduction: Social History of Postcards in Beverly". (url)

Frommers.com, "Krimml: Attractions". (url)

Wien.info, "Schonbrunn - Zoo". (url)

CIA, "The World Fact Book - Austria". (url)