The toughest challenges require the strongest of wills to either be born or be tested, and the people who wield them show just how far they can go to achieve the unachievable. Bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger is a fine example of just how much the harshness of the world can push a man to make themselves the best in the world at anything they put their heart into.
Not only did he leave his mark on the sport of bodybuilding, but he also created a name for himself as one of the premiere Hollywood stars in the industry. But while he may have made it look simple for the majority of the populace, The childhood that the star had to go through was the reason why he turned out the way he did, and just how traumatic that experience was is something that he has revealed.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Reveals The Cruelty Of His Father
Growing up in the mountains of Austria in the small village of Thal, Arnold Schwarzenegger truly encapsulates the term ‘humble beginnings’ from his life. Here, he was also raised by his mother and father Aurelia and Gustav Schwarzenegger along with his elder brother Meinhard. Life was tough as it was in the small village, but it was made a whole lot worse thanks to his father, who was known for being strict and aggressive towards him and his sibling.
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In an interview, the Terminator star revealed that while growing up, he and his brother would have to suffer constant abuse from his dad, who was part of the Austrian Military that had lost World War II. After he was born two years later after the war and a year later after his brother. He said that due to his experiences in the war, his father had become the man that his family feared. He said:
“My father spent three days under the rubble of a bombed building, then they lost the war. They went home so depressed. Austria was a country of broken men. My father really struggled.”
He also detailed the process of how their father used to beat them up with a belt when they did anything wrong or failed to comply with his wishes, something that took a toll on his elder brother.
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How Arnold’s Father Took The Life Of His Elder Brother
After suffering through the undeserved punishment all his childhood from his father, the Predator star decided to find his purpose in life and left for America in 1968 to participate in competitive bodybuilding. Then, two years later, he found out that his elder brother Meinhard had died in a car crash as he was under the influence of alcohol while he was in the driver’s seat. Schwarzenegger revealed that due to the traumatic experiences they had to go through, his brother turned to the bottle to numb the pain. He said:
“I think he started drinking because our upbringing was tough. The brutality we got at home, the beatings . . . all of this he could not sustain. He was much more delicate.”
Therefore, what made Schwarzenegger the man he is known as today is what became the reason for his brother’s untimely death.
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Source: The Sun
