Waltraut Haas

From the 1970s, she focused on the stage again and remained active as an actress and singer well into her 90s.

• Name — Waltraut Haas • Born — 9 June 1927 • Birthplace — Vienna, Austria • Died — 23 April 2025 • Place of death — Vienna, Austria • Occupation — * Actress • Singer • Children — Marcus Strahl • Awards — Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art

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. • Illustration — In Otello darf nicht platzen, 2016 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 Gerald Pichowetz. She appeared in 2020 in Catalina Molina's television film Das Glück ist ein Vogerl.

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 Marcus Strahl 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.

• Year — Title — Role — Director — Cast — Notes — Ref. • 1947 — Der Hofrat Geiger — Mariandl — Hans Wolff — Paul Hörbiger, Hans Moser • 1949 — Kleiner Schwindel am Wolfgangsee — Trixi Gundacker — Franz Antel — Hans Holt • 1952 — Hallo, Dienstmann — Hansi Scheidl — Antel — Hörbiger, Moser, Annie Rosar • 1952 — Ideale Frau gesucht — Luise — Antel • 1952 — Knall und Fall als Hochstapler — Bettina Brandtner — Hubert Marischka • 1952 — Du bist die Rose vom Wörthersee — Kate Smith — Marischka • 1952 — Der Obersteiger — Nelly Lampl — Antel • 1952 — 1. April 2000 — Mitzi — Wolfgang Liebeneiner — Science fiction film • 1953 — The Story of William Tell — Mary — Jack Cardiff — Errol Flynn — Unfinished film project • 1953 — Der keusche Josef — Hilde Wolf — Carl Boese • 1953 — Südliche Nächte — Eva — Robert A. Stemmle • 1953 — Der Onkel aus Amerika — Elisabeth Hartung — Boese — Moser, Georg Thomalla, Grethe Weiser • 1954 — Der Zigeunerbaron — Empress Maria Theresa — Arthur Maria Rabenalt — Operetta film after Der Zigeunerbaron • 1954 — Das Licht der Liebe — Franzi Zeller — Stemmle — Paula Wessely — Family drama • 1955 — Wenn der Vater mit dem Sohne — Gerti — Hans Quest — Heinz Rühmann • 1955 — Der fröhliche Wanderer — Toni Peters — Quest — Rudolf Schock • 1955 — Das Mädchen vom Pfarrhof — Annerl — Alfred Lehner — Erich Auer, Attila Hörbiger — Heimatfilm, based on the 1870 play Der Pfarrer von Kirchfeld by Ludwig Anzengruber • 1956 — Die Stimme der Sehnsucht — Carola Berger — Thomas Engel — Schock • 1956 — Lumpaci the Vagabond (1956 film) — Pepi Hobelmann — Antel — Hörbiger, Gunther Philipp, Joachim Fuchsberger — Based on the 1833 play by Johann Nestroy • 1956 — Der Bettelstudent — Komtesse Laura — Werner Jacobs — Operetta film based on Der Bettelstudent • 1957 — Jede Nacht in einem anderen Bett — Dr. Maria Kraemer — Paul Verhoeven — Gerhard Riedmann, Harald Juhnke • 1958 —... denn keiner ist ohne Sünde — Mrs. Robbé — Maurice Cloche — Georges Marchal • 1958 — Immer die Radfahrer — Tilla Büttner — Hans Deppe — Heinz Erhardt, Hans-Joachim Kulenkampff, Christiane Hörbiger, Mady Rahl • 1958 — Der schwarze Blitz — Uschi Bauer — Toni Sailer, Dietmar Schönherr, Gustav Knuth — Heimatfilm • 1958 — Eine Reise ins Glück — Renate — Wolfgang Schleif — Rudolf Prack, Oskar Sima and Theo Lingen • 1960 — Im weißen Rößl — Josepha Vogelhuber — Jacobs — Peter Alexander • 1961 — Junge Leute brauchen Liebe — Barbara Hagen — Géza von Cziffra — Cornelia Froboess, Johannes Heesters, Senta Berger • 1961 — Mariandl — Marianne Mühlhuber — Jacobs — Froboess, Moser, Prack, Peter Weck, Susi Nicoletti • 1961 — Saison in Salzburg — Theres Stolzinger — Franz Josef Gottlieb — Alexander • 1962 — Hochzeitsnacht im Paradies — Regine Roeders — Alexander, Marika Rökk and Philipp — Operetta film based on the 1941 Hochzeitsnacht im Paradies • 1962 — Mariandls Heimkehr — Marianne Mühlhuber — Jacobs — Froboess, Moser, Prack, Weck, Nicoletti • 1971 — Außer Rand und Band am Wolfgangsee — Rössl-Wirtin — Antel

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Waltraut Haas is recorded as actress, singer and musician.