Waltraut Haas (9 June 1927 – 23 April 2025) was an Austrian actress and singer who appeared in around 70 films. She gained recognition in her first film, as Mariandl in Der Hofrat Geiger in 1947, and starred alongside Peter Alexander in 1960 in Im weißen Rößl. She was regarded as one of Austria's most popular actresses for decades. From the 1970s, she focused on the stage again and remained active as an actress and singer well into her 90s.
Life and career Born in Vienna on 9 June 1927, Haas grew up at Schloss Schönbrunn, where her mother was a restaurateur. Her father, a teacher, died when she was 5 years old. She first trained for three years at a fashion school during World War II, but after the war studied acting at the Konservatorium für darstellende Kunst (Conservatory for Performing Arts) and also privately with Julia Janssen, an actress at the Burgtheater.
Haas made her stage debut in Linz in 1946 and performed in Vienna at the Bürgertheater, the Stadttheater municipal theater, and the Raimund Theater. She appeared in plays and singspiels, both classical and contemporary. She also performed in Germany at the Titania-Palast theater in Berlin and the Deutsche Theater in Munich. She first appeared at the Burgtheater in 1948, and later performed at the Renaissance-Theater in Vienna.
Haas was soon drawn to the big screen. She achieved fame and recognition with her first film, discovered by Willi Forst, the cult classic Der Hofrat Geiger (1947), in which she played Mariandl alongside Maria Andergast, Hans Moser, and Paul Hörbiger. Following its success, she received many offers to play Viennese girls, appearing alongside Franz Antel, Johannes Heesters, and Curd Jürgens. She appeared in Kleiner Schwindel am Wolfgangsee, Gruß und Kuß aus der Wachau, in Hallo, Dienstmann with Moser and Hörbiger in 1952, in Der Zigeunerbaron with Gerhard Riedmann in 1954, in Wenn der Vater mit dem Sohne with Heinz Rühmann in 1955, and in Immer die Radfahrer with Heinz Erhardt and Hans-Joachim Kulenkampff in 1958. She also appeared in films directed by her husband Erwin Strahl, such as Keine Angst Liebling, ich paß schon auf. Her second signature role was Josepha Vogelhuber in the 1960 film The White Horse Inn (Im weißen Rößl) alongside Peter Alexander. She also made recordings as a singer, including Im Weißen Rössl and Wiener Lieder.
Haas said in interviews that Moser was like a father to her. He was her partner again in the sequels to her first film, Mariandl (1961) and Mariandls Heimkehr, in which she now played the role of Mariandl's mother. She received international offers but rarely appeared in international films. After 70 films, mainly comedies and musicals, she stopped making films around 1970 as the Heimatfilm genre declined. Thereafter, she focused again on stage work, often directed by her husband, and also appeared on television. In 2016, she appeared in Ken Ludwig's comedy Otello darf nicht platzen at the Gloria Theater in Vienna, alongside . She appeared in 2020 in Catalina Molina's television film Das Glück ist ein Vogerl.
Personal life Haas was married to actor and director Erwin Strahl from 1966 until his death in 2011; they performed together on stage and in films. They lived in Vienna's Hietzing district. Their son became an actor and director.
In 2018, she published a memoir, Jetzt sag ich's (Now I tell you), which included accounts of meetings with Hollywood stars such as Errol Flynn and memories of working with her husband, covering both successes and disappointments.
Haas died in Vienna on 23 April 2025, at the age of 97.
Filmography Year Title Role Director Cast Notes Ref.1947Der Hofrat GeigerMariandlHans WolffPaul Hörbiger, Hans Moser1949Kleiner Schwindel am WolfgangseeTrixi GundackerFranz AntelHans Holt1952 Hallo, DienstmannHansi ScheidlAntelHörbiger, Moser, Annie Rosar1952Ideale Frau gesuchtLuiseAntel1952Knall und Fall als HochstaplerBettina BrandtnerHubert Marischka1952Du bist die Rose vom WörtherseeKate SmithMarischka1952Der ObersteigerNelly LamplAntel19521. April 2000MitziWolfgang LiebeneinerScience fiction film1953The Story of William TellMaryJack CardiffErrol FlynnUnfinished film project1953Der keusche JosefHilde WolfCarl Boese1953Südliche NächteEvaRobert A. Stemmle1953Der Onkel aus AmerikaElisabeth HartungBoeseMoser, Georg Thomalla, Grethe Weiser1954Der ZigeunerbaronEmpress Maria TheresaArthur Maria RabenaltOperetta film after Der Zigeunerbaron1954Franzi ZellerStemmlePaula WesselyFamily drama1955Wenn der Vater mit dem SohneGertiHans QuestHeinz Rühmann1955Der fröhliche WandererToni PetersQuestRudolf Schock1955Das Mädchen vom PfarrhofAnnerlAlfred LehnerErich Auer, Attila HörbigerHeimatfilm, based on the 1870 play Der Pfarrer von Kirchfeld by Ludwig Anzengruber1956Carola BergerThomas EngelSchock1956Pepi HobelmannAntelHörbiger, Gunther Philipp, Joachim FuchsbergerBased on the 1833 play by Johann Nestroy1956Der BettelstudentKomtesse LauraWerner JacobsOperetta film based on Der Bettelstudent1957Jede Nacht in einem anderen BettDr. Maria KraemerPaul VerhoevenGerhard Riedmann, Harald Juhnke1958... denn keiner ist ohne Sünde Mrs. RobbéMaurice ClocheGeorges Marchal1958Immer die RadfahrerTilla BüttnerHans DeppeHeinz Erhardt, Hans-Joachim Kulenkampff, Christiane Hörbiger, Mady Rahl1958Der schwarze BlitzUschi BauerToni Sailer, Dietmar Schönherr, Gustav KnuthHeimatfilm1958RenateWolfgang SchleifRudolf Prack, Oskar Sima and Theo Lingen1960Im weißen RößlJosepha VogelhuberJacobsPeter Alexander1961Junge Leute brauchen LiebeBarbara HagenGéza von CziffraCornelia Froboess, Johannes Heesters, Senta Berger1961MariandlMarianne MühlhuberJacobsFroboess, Moser, Prack, Peter Weck, Susi Nicoletti1961Saison in SalzburgTheres StolzingerFranz Josef GottliebAlexander1962Hochzeitsnacht im ParadiesRegine RoedersAlexander, Marika Rökk and PhilippOperetta film based on the 1941 Hochzeitsnacht im Paradies1962Mariandls HeimkehrMarianne MühlhuberJacobsFroboess, Moser, Prack, Weck, Nicoletti1964Happy End am WörtherseeStefanie WendtPrack, Hörbiger1966Happy End am WolfgangseeHilde MollAntelErwin Strahl1971Außer Rand und Band am WolfgangseeRössl-WirtinAntel
Awards
1987: in Gold 2001: 2001: Rose vom Wörthersee as best actress 2002: Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art 2006: Golden Harp, from Friends of the Operetta association 2008: Honorary member of the Europäische Kulturwerkstatt Berlin-Wien (EKW) 2010: Gold for services to the state of Vienna 2016: of Vienna, on the occasion of her 70th stage anniversary 2017: Ehrenplakette of Lower Austria, on the occasion of her 90th birthday 2018: Dr.-Friedrich-Wilhelm-Prinz-von-Preußen-Preis from the Europäische Kulturwerkstatt, as the first recipient of the award
References
Further reading Haas, Waltraut, Watteck, Marina C.: Jetzt sag ich’s: Erinnerungen. Amalthea Signum, Vienna 2018, Huber, Hermann J.: . Deutschland. Österreich. Schweiz (in German). Albert Langen • Georg Müller Verlag, Munich • Vienna 1986, , p. 338. Weniger, Kay: . Die Schauspieler, Regisseure, Kameraleute, Produzenten, Komponisten, Drehbuchautoren, Filmarchitekten, Ausstatter, Kostümbildner, Cutter, Tontechniker, Maskenbildner und Special Effects Designer des 20. Jahrhunderts (in German). vol. 3: F. H. Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf, Berlin 2001, , p. 467.
Obituaries
External links
Photographs of Waltraut Haas film.virtual-history.com