From 1947 until 1966 Arnold Schwarzenegger lived with his family in an upper floor flat in the Austrian village of Thal, not far from Graz. With no amenities and an outside toilet these humble origins underline the distance the bodybuilder, Hollywood star and governor of California has travelled. His childhood home has now opened as a museum dedicated to the village's most famous son (see http://www.arnieslife.com).
Schwarzenegger remarks in the film, Last Action Hero (1993): "This hero stuff has its limits". This seems to be borne out when it comes to the birthplace museum, which takes a critical stance on Schwarzenegger's support for the death penalty. In addition, the BBC reports that Schwarzenegger's name was once removed from a sports stadium in Graz when he refused to stop the execution of a California gang leader (see Bell, Bethany (2011) "Arnold Schwarzenegger museum opens in Austrian hometown", BBC News, 30/07, accessed 30/07/2011 at, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14352384).
Schwarzenegger remarks in the film, Last Action Hero (1993): "This hero stuff has its limits". This seems to be borne out when it comes to the birthplace museum, which takes a critical stance on Schwarzenegger's support for the death penalty. In addition, the BBC reports that Schwarzenegger's name was once removed from a sports stadium in Graz when he refused to stop the execution of a California gang leader (see Bell, Bethany (2011) "Arnold Schwarzenegger museum opens in Austrian hometown", BBC News, 30/07, accessed 30/07/2011 at, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14352384).
