Arnold Schwarzenegger - how it all began

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The village Thal is situated about 6 km west of Graz and is currently home to about 2,400 residents. The area re- mains pristine and natural, farmers cul- tivate the meadows, fields and forests, which make the area a popular destina- tion for people from Graz who are look- ing for some rest and recreation. But also many visitors from abroad find their way to Thal to see the unique sights and attractions. The Lake Thalersee offers boating and fishing in the summer and provides a dreamy ambiance for ice skaters in the winter. The golf course with its natu- rally designed 27-hole course and cross-country ski runs are other great attractions. These recreational offers are now an indispensable part of the leisure facilities on the outskirts of Graz. Beautiful hiking trails, such as the Arnold Schwarzenegger trail, that meander through our scenic countryside, invite young and old relaxation seekers to open their hearts and minds. Nature lovers who enjoy biking tours will fall in love with the bike trails, leading from Graz to the Thalersee and all the way to the centre of the village. Gourmets are getting a special treat in Thal. Some local farms produce delicious homemade meat-products and sausages as well as various pumpkin seed oils – a regional specialty of Styria. The delicacies can be bought directly at the farms. Of course the municipality of Thal also offers a very attractive social life to its residents and visitors. More than 20 active clubs and organizations cater to the villager's social, athletic, cultural and economic needs and contribute to the Thal's feeling of mutual respect and selfless service. The various clubs and organizations regularly host a broad variety of events and festivities, ranging from soap box derbies to concerts of the regional "Musikverein" or singing circles, to theater performances by the regionally popular laymen's performance group the "Stern-Thaler." The highlight of Thal's club life, however, is without a doubt the yearly Jacobian Street Fair (Jakobikirtag). This event is organized by a group of members of the regional clubs and takes place in front of our beautiful parish church. Education is also an impor- tant topic in our village. The elementary school Thal currently teaches seven classes of students in four grades and even offers an after-school-care programme. A well trained team of teachers and staff lead the community Kindergarten, which hosts three groups of children in the mornings and two in the afternoons. The Agricultural College Grottenhof-Hardt is known far beyond our municipal borders. I also want to point your attention to our "Volkshochschule" (similar to a community college), which provides a broad variety of classes for adult education. Of course there are also many attractions which draw visitors to Thal. There is the famous parish church St. Jakob (remodeled by Prof. Ernst Fuchs) and the Arnold Schwarzenegger Museum. The privately owned Castle Oberthal and the ruins of the Thal fortress are also well worth a visit. And don't forget to see the Steinberg observatory. 5
Protection of the environment is of crucial importance in our village, because we consider it our responsibility to retain our outstanding quality of life, not just for our own sake, but also for our children. One can see even on the street signs that we take this commitment very seriously: The signs inform that Thal is participating in the e5- Programme. For example, after switching the entire street lighting to more modern LED lamps, we were able to cut the system's energy and power requirement in half, which saves about seven tons of CO2 every year. In addition, the new LED lamps provide better lighting for Thal's streets, which subsequently led to a noticeable increase in traffic safety in the village. The motto is: "See and be seen – in better lighting." The broad variety of activities by the municipality has increased the quality of life for Thal's residents tremendously. To connect the village to the public transportation network, a bus route was created in cooperation with the Holding Graz, a local communal service provider. The social and health organization Gratkorn offers high-quality mobile home car, which allows elderly or sick residents to be able to be cared for in the privacy of their own home. This also ensures that caregiving relatives have medically trained professionals to support them. Well-planned residential construction by the municipality led to a small increase in population and is another reason for the high quality of life in our village. Appropriate athletic offers for Thal's residents are an essential part of our municipal politics. In recent years, the village put special efforts towards the creation of a modern sports and leisure facility. Today, the two soccer fields, the beach volleyball field, and the curling rank are a popular meeting point for Thalers of all ages, be it to participate in an athletic competition, or to simply enjoy the action as a spectator. Visitors and guests can enjoy the high quality of life, the broad variety of athletic and cultural offers in the village, and the beauty of the nature of Thal by checking into one of the various guesthouses, inns or B&Bs at and around Lake Thalersee. One of our most famous residents of the village of Thal is definitely our honorary resident Arnold Schwarzenegger. Former mayor Peter Urdl initiated the remodeling of Arnold's childhood home into a museum, which today is one of the most popular sights in Thal, next to the parish church St. Jakob. Peter Schickhofer Mayor of Thal near Graz 6
Page 2 and 3: WELCOME 1
Page 4 and 5: HOW IT ALL BEGAN Rudolf J. Strutz P
Page 8 and 9: 3 THE FIRST COACH Kurt Marnul was b
Page 10 and 11: Graz where Arnold began to read Ame
Page 28 and 29: ATHLETIK-UNION-GRAZ Hüttenbrennerg
Page 30 and 31: At the competition, which was held
Page 32 and 33: were chosen. Part of the competitio
Page 34: The facade and staircase are sights
Page 37 and 38: HOTEL BRUNNENHOF Schillerstraße 36
Page 39 and 40: At the first major competition in w
Page 41 and 42: 8 HIKING TRAILS The village of Thal
Page 43 and 44: The Arnold Schwarzenegger hiking tr
Page 45 and 46: 9 MUSEUM THAL At the museum, hundre
Page 47 and 48: It has been many years since I at-
Page 49 and 50: KITCHEN During Arnold's childhood a
Page 51 and 52: GOVERNORS ROOM Here his political s
Page 53: RECEPTION Back then, Arnold went to
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At the Hotel Paradies, sport is an
Page 81 and 82:
Over the years, Arnold Schwarzenegg
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11 THE ARNIE-PAINTER Helmut Gombocz
Page 85:
Helmut Gombocz by right is enjoying
Page 99 and 100:
HISTORIC PHOTOGRAPHS At this point
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Arnold Schwarzenegger - how it all began

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