Kumari Shreya
Netflix’s ‘Arnold’ sheds light on Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s years in the limelight and provides details of his younger years and how his family dynamics shaped him into becoming the person he is today. The ‘Terminator‘ actor especially talks about how the passing of his father and mother, Gustav and Aurelia Schwarzenegger, and the tragic demise of his older brother, Meinhard Schwarzenegger, affected him. If you want to know more about the same, we have the information you need!
Gustav Schwarzenegger Died After Experiencing a Stroke
Arnold’s relationship with his father, Gustav Schwarzenegger, was far from simple. While the actor credits him for fostering a competitive and determined nature, he has also talked about the physical beating he and his brother often would get from their father. Gustav was part of the Austrian forces and the Nazi party during World War II, which was brought to light after Arnold started his campaign to be the Governor of California.
In 1972, Gustav and his wife, Aurelia Schwarzenegger, visited Arnold to attend Mr. Olympia 1972, which according to the athlete, was a rare occasion. However, the ‘Total Recall‘ actor shared in the Netflix series that his father acted differently. “He was a little slower. He was sometimes slurring things,” he admitted. Gustav had a stroke only a few weeks later, prompting Arnold to fly to Austria to visit his father in a hospital in Weiz, Austria. Unsure his father could make it, the actor flew back to Los Angeles, California. Sadly, Gustav passed away on December 13, 1972.
Aurelia Schwarzenegger Died of a Cardiac Arrest
Aurelia Schwarzenegger, Arnold’s mother, had become close to him in the later years of her life, especially after the death of her husband and one of her sons, Meinhard Schwarzenegger. However, things between the two hit a rough patch in 1997 when Arnold underwent heart surgery to replace a valve in his heart but did not inform his mother, who was living with him and his family then.
Upset, Aurelia returned to Weiz, Austria, and remained at the place where her husband once served as a police chief before his passing. While visiting Gustav’s grave on August 2, 1998, she went into cardiac arrest and was taken to a hospital in Graz, Austria. Unfortunately, Aurelia passed away, and Arnold shared in the Netflix series that the cause was the same heart valve that he himself had gotten replaced in 1997.
Meinhard Schwarzenegger Died in a Car Accident
Talking about his older brother, Meinhard Schwarzenegger, Arnold shared that they were often asked to compete against each other in little competitions put together by their father. He also shared that his brother was the favored child, especially by his father. However, the ‘Conan the Barbarian’ star stated that his brother was “fragile” and had a very artistic soul, which likely led him to feel heavily unhappy in the environment where the brothers grew up.
On May 20, 1971, Meinhard died in a car accident after he struck a telephone pole while driving drunk. His younger brother confessed that he was stunned by the news even though the two had grown distant. Yet, Arnold also believes that his brother likely turned to drink to cope with the experiences of their youth, stating that the very thing that shaped the Hollywood icon probably led to his brother’s demise. At the time of his passing, Meinhard was engaged to a woman named Erika Knapp and had a three-year-old son called Patrick Schwarzenegger. As a loving uncle, Arnold took responsibility for his nephew and has always guided him.
