Famous People Born In Salzburg

A child prodigy, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is regarded as one of the greatest classical composers ever. A prolific composer, he had a profound influence on Western music. Many of his works are considered pinnacles of choral, symphonic, operatic, chamber, and concertante music. Before his death, at the age of 35, he had composed over 600 works.

The principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic for over 3 decades, Herbert von Karajan was a piano prodigy in childhood. Though a Nazi Party member, he later claimed he had not been too keen on joining the party. The three-time Grammy winner was also an avid sports lover.

Felix Baumgartner is an Austrian skydiver, BASE jumper, and daredevil. He is best known for jumping from the stratosphere to the Earth as part of the Red Bull Stratos project. Baumgartner set the world record for gaining an estimated top speed of Mach 1.25, becoming the first person without vehicular power to break the sonic barrier relative to the surface.

Austrian Formula One racing driver Roland Ratzenberger was in his teens when he first showed an interest in racing. He was killed while qualifying for the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, while uncannily, Brazilian world champion racer Ayrton Senna died during the race the next day.

Otto of Greece was a Bavarian prince who reigned as the king of Greece from 1832 to 1862. He was largely unpopular throughout his reign as he failed to resolve Greece's poverty. He was deposed in 1862 and died in exile in 1867.

Ferdinand Habsburg is an Austrian motor racing driver who is currently driving with Team WRT in the FIA World Endurance Championship. He won the FIA World Endurance Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2021. Ferdinand Habsburg is also known as an heir apparent to the primacy of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine. 

Eleonore von Habsburg is an Austrian gemologist, jewelry designer, and one of the most popular members of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine. Renowned for her good looks, Habsburg is also known for her work as a fashion model. Apart from walking the runway for popular brands like Dolce & Gabbana, Eleonore von Habsburg has also been featured in many advertisement campaigns.

Christian Doppler was an Austrian physicist and mathematician best remembered for describing a phenomenon which came to be known as the Doppler effect. The color of binary stars was explained by Doppler with the help of the Doppler effect. Christian Doppler's discovery of the Doppler effect is considered an important contribution to physics.

Mathias Lauda is an Austrian racing driver who is currently racing as a factory driver for Aston Martin Racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship. He is best known as the son of the famous three-time F1 world champion, Niki Lauda.

Georg Trakl had had a tumultuous early life, having been addicted to drugs, apart from being attracted to his own sister. He initially aspired to be a pharmacist but later became one of Austria’s finest elegists. The Expressionist poet wrote masterpieces such as Grodek. He died of a drug overdose.

Austrian Roman Catholic priest and writer Josephus Mohr is best-known for writing lyrics of the popular Christmas carol Stille Nacht (Silent Night), which was composed by Austrian primary school teacher, church organist, and composer Franz Xaver Gruber. A manuscript in Mohr's handwriting discovered in 1995 states that Mohr penned the poem in 1816 and Gruber composed its music in 1818.

Alex Manninger is an Austrian retired football player who played for the Austria national football team from 1999 to 2009 as a goalkeeper. He also played for various popular clubs like Arsenal, Red Bull Salzburg, Juventus, and Liverpool. Alex Manninger is best known for his association with Arsenal as he helped them win the 1998 Premier League and FA Cup.    

Austrian painter Hans Makart is best known for his colorful historical paintings. He also founded the Makartstil or Makart style of decorating public spaces. He designed furniture and clothes, too. His lack of factual accuracy and his reliance on female nudity were both despised by academics.

Robert Hoffmann is an Austrian actor best known for his title role in the children’s television drama series The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe. Following the success of this series, he ventured into films as well and appeared in numerous horror thrillers. He has worked with prominent directors, such as Marcel Carné, Robert Siodmak, and Antonio Pietrangeli.  

An electrical engineer professor at the Princeton Institute of Materials, Claire F. Gmachi is best known for her research on quantum devices, such as lasers, and their use in the health and environment sectors. She also heads the education program of MIRTHE, a group of 6 universities, as its director.