“Surrounded by Broken Men Drinking Away Their Guilt”: When Arnold Schwarzenegger Recalled His Sickening Childhood That Forced Him to Leave Austria

All that glitters is not gold. By seeing Arnold Schwarzenegger now, one may think that life was always kind to him, but sadly it was not how it seems now. Growing up in a country that went to war and “a country that suffered the loss of its democracy,” life for Arnold back in Austria was never easy. Born two years after the 2nd World War, Arnie’s childhood was difficult.

Despite being the son of a Nazi-sympathetic father, Arnold never supported his father’s ideologies. Living a childhood wherein, he saw men drinking to get over their guilt of being a part of something so “evil,” was not easy for the young kid. His childhood memories were left more scarred, because of being, “Surrounded by broken men drinking away their guilt.”

Arnold opened up on the painful memory

Back in 2021, when the Nation woke up to the news of “Capitol Hill,” violence, like everyone Arnold too, was jolted by it. The unfortunate events reminded him of the past that he hadlong back. Thus, reminding people of the importance of “staying united,” Arnold recorded a special video message.

To make his fellow compatriots understand what violence can lead to, Arnold walked them through his childhood and talked about his abusive father. He said, “I have never shared this so publicly because it is a painful memory, but my father would come home drunk once or twice a week.”

Gustav Schwarzenegger, a policeman and military officer would, as Arnie quoted, “Scream and hit us and scare my mother.” Though he never entirely blamed his father for his unruly behavior, because that’s what the others in the neighborhood were doing.

Read More: “Steak Is for Men”- Arnold Schwarzenegger Once Busted the Myth Surrounding Meat-Eating People, Preferring Veganism Now

However, his behavior left a deep scar on him. Talking about his father and the experiences that he went through, Arnold further said, “They were in physical pain from the shrapnel in their bodies.” However, the pain was not just physical, but also, “Emotional pain from what they saw or did.”

What prompted Arnold Schwarzenegger to share his childhood horrors?

Past experiences help us transform into better humans. The history book gives a sneak peek into not just what went right, but also what went wrong. Arnold opened up on his past as a cautionary tale. He intended to make the Nation realize the impact of violence.

Being from Europe, he had firsthand experience of how things can spin out of control. As a true administrator, he wanted everyone to be aware of the “Dire consequences of selfishness and cynicism.”

As Arnold fans, what do you make of his message to the Nation? Should he have restrained himself from speaking about his past? Please let us know in the comments section.