Inside Arnold Schwarzenegger's childhood home in Austria where he lived with his 'tyrant' father without running water or electricity
Lydia Warren
- Arnold Schwarzenegger lived in an apartment in Thal, Austria, from his birth in 1947 until 1966.
- It overlooked a castle and farmland but had no running water or electricity, and used a pit toilet.
Arnold Schwarzenegger's incredible story — from bodybuilder to Hollywood actor to American politician — all began in Thal, Austria.
In a new three-part Netflix docuseries, "Arnold," Schwarzenegger returns to Thal, his childhood home, and the bedroom where he first dreamed of becoming a star.
The home, a one-floor apartment, overlooked a castle and surrounding forests and farmlands. "It was absolutely beautiful," Schwarzenegger said in the docuseries, which was released on Wednesday.
But it was also where he experienced a "tough" childhood at the hands of his "tyrant" father, who would beat him and his older brother, he said.
Here's a closer look at Schwarzenegger's childhood home in Thal, Austria.
Schwarzenegger grew up in Thal, Austria. The village is just west of Graz, the country's second-biggest city after Vienna.
In "Arnold," Schwarzenegger called Thal "a beautiful, beautiful place."
The forest-covered hills of Thal were first settled in the 10th century. Today the village has a population of around 2,300 people.
It's a 20-minute drive from Graz. Schwarzenegger recalled how venturing to the city in 1961 was an eye-opening experience — it was there that he first saw a movie-theater poster for "Hercules," featuring bodybuilder Reg Park.
"I was in a trance," he said.
He lived in an apartment in this 19th-century home from his birth in 1947 until 1966, when he left to pursue his bodybuilding dreams.
The home, which is surrounded by farmland, was built in the early 1800s. His family lived upstairs while the forest ranger lived downstairs, he said in "Arnold."
"We had a castle across the street built in the 1100s, so this was our playground," Schwarzenegger said. "So it was absolutely beautiful."
Schwarzenegger returned to the home for his new Netflix docuseries, "Arnold."
"I always like coming back here," he said of Thal. "I think it's always good to stay in touch with your roots and where you come from."
The home now operates as the Arnold Schwarzenegger Museum. Schwarzenegger gave his blessing to the project before it opened on his 64th birthday in July 2011.
He also revisited his old childhood bedroom. Its walls were adorned with photos of bodybuilders he aspired to emulate, like Reg Park.
While in his bedroom, he recalled dreaming of a life of bodybuilding, starring in movies, and making millions of dollars.
Today, the bed he used is still in the room.
The bed is in the corner of a large room that also features a closet and desk.
He shared the home with his mother Aurelia, father Gustav, and older brother Meinhard. Schwarzenegger called his childhood "tough."
In the docuseries, he revealed his father, who served as a member of the Nazi Party's paramilitary wing, the Sturmabteilung (SA), came home from World War II "suffering post-traumatic stress syndrome," Insider previously reported.
He called his father a "tyrant," and said he'd smack and beat his sons with belts and make them "compete against each other." Schwarzenegger said his father's behavior became worse when he drank.
Meinhard died in a car wreck in 1971, and their father died the following year. Aurelia died in 1998.
The home didn't have any running water or electricity, according to the BBC. Today, visitors can see its 1950s kitchen, and the home's original pit toilet.
There is also a washstand, alongside jugs that they used to collect water, the BBC reported.
He first started bodybuilding while living in the home and dreamed of moving to America.
Today, his original dumbbells and workout machine — a pulley with weights attached — are on display at the museum, the BBC reported.
"I would be working out in my house and there was no sound, nothing," Schwarzenegger said in "Arnold." "And I could think and concentrate and visualize how I'm going to become a bodybuilding champion, how I'm going to move to America, how I'm going to get in the movies, how I'm going to make millions of dollars."
The museum has memorabilia from the various stages of Schwarzenegger's life, from his blockbuster movies to his time as California governor.
There's a replica of his governor's desk in the museum, as well as a collection of his movie memorabilia, including a Harley Davidson motorbike from one of the Terminator films.
Outside the home is a large bronze statue depicting Schwarzenegger in the 3/4 back pose — a pose he made famous.
The bronze statue by sculptor Ralph Crawford was unveiled in 2011, when the museum opened to the public, according to its website.
Schwarzenegger left the home in 1966 to pursue his dream of becoming Mr. Universe, and the following year, at the age of 20, he became its youngest-ever winner. He would eventually leave Austria in 1968, at the age of 21.
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