Arnold Schwarzenegger grew up in the small village of Thal, Austria, under harsh circumstances. While Scharzenegger’s father was the police chief, they were poor. The family didn’t even have access to basic amenities like running water. Arnie fondly recalled how getting a fridge was among the highlights of his childhood. Schwarzenegger’s father’s punishing discipline also didn’t make life any earlier for Arnie.

While Gustav Schwarzenegger gave Arnie some valuable advice, his unsupportive nature made Schwarzenegger desperate to get away from Austria. So in 1968, with his father’s disapproval of his bodybuilding dreams, Arnie arrived in America. Today, the 76-year-old bodybuilding icon released his latest book, decades after his father’s passing. The book’s title is inspired by a teaching Gustav Schwarzenegger instilled in Arnie as a child. The Hollywood action star recently spoke about how his father might’ve felt about him today.

Arnold Schwarzenegger loves his father

The Austrian Oak sat with stand-up comedian and musician Marc Maron. On the 1478th edition of Maron’s WTF podcast, the FUBAR star spoke about his childhood. Maron asked if he had a hard time with the trauma he faced in childhood. However, Schwarzenegger revealed that he didn’t focus on the bad parts of growing up in Austria.

While The Terminator actor didn’t have an easy childhood, he worked incredibly hard to elevate himself. “I don’t feel the negative. Even with all of the trauma that I went through with my father,” said the 76-year-old. In fact, Schwarzenegger lovingly spoke about Gustav Schwarzenegger during the podcast. “I can say that I look back… I love my father,” confessed Schwarzenegger.

To Maron’s surprise, Arnie revealed he had pictures of his father all over his house. “I wish that just for one hour, he could wake up and see what has happened in my life and what is going on in the world,” Schwarzenegger confessed during the conversation. However, that doesn’t mean the seven-time MR. Olympia approved of everything his father did.

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His police chief father faltered in various aspects

Besides being overly critical and not supporting his younger son’s dreams, Gustav Schwarzenegger had many other problems. Arnold Schwarzenegger has spoken several times about his father’s link with the Nazis. He has publicly condemned the police chief’s service in the Third Reich. In fact, Arine didn’t attend his father’s funeral.

However, with age, the 76-year-old has discovered the root cause of his father’s faults. In March 2023, Schwarzenegger talked about the former Sturmabteilung (SA) member. He called his late father a “broken man.” Having come under the influence of Hitler’s regime irreparably damaged men like his father, leading them to vices like alcoholism. Their disillusionment after the Second World War drove many like Gustav Schwarzenegger to become embittered.

Arnold Schwarzenegger feels his father had many faults. However, the 76-year-old is grateful to him for lighting the fire of ambition in him, even if Gustav Schwarzenegger did it unknowingly.

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