Last round of applause

Austria bids farewell to Otto Schenk

Mourners at Otto Schenk's coffin in St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna(Bild: APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER)

On Wednesday, the late actor and director Otto Schenk was bid a solemn farewell at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna. The former director of the Theater in der Josefstadt, who died at the age of 95, will be buried in a grave of honor at Vienna's Central Cemetery on 30 January.

After mourners were able to bid farewell at the coffin and sign a book of condolence, the official funeral service began in St. Stephen's Cathedral in the afternoon, which lasted around an hour. Cathedral priest Toni Faber took over the liturgical opening and said a prayer.

"Otto Schenk was a child of the city center," the cathedral priest explained the theater legend's close connection to St. Stephen's Cathedral. From each of his various apartments, he would have looked out over "St. Stephen's Cathedral and his beloved Steffl." 

Vienna's mayor. Michael Ludwig condoles Konstantin Schenk.(Bild: APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER)

(from left) Vienna's Mayor Michael Ludwig, Herbert Föttinger, Sandra Cervik and City Councillor for Culture Veronica Kaup-Hasler(Bild: APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER)

Maria Rauch-Kallat and Alfons Mensdorff-Pouilly at the funeral service for the late actor Otto Schenk(Bild: APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER)

"Otti, we will miss you"
His son, Konstantin Schenk, recalled the life of the great theater maker and actor with moving words. After the words "Otti, we'll miss you", he recited what is probably his father's most famous encore, swallowing but still with a firm voice: "Once upon a time there was a boomerang; it was a little too long. Boomerang flew a bit, but never came back. The audience - for hours - waited for Bumerang."

Konstantin Schenk remembers his late father in a moving speech: "Otti, we will miss you."(Bild: APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER)

Last round of applause
Among the mourners were Vienna's mayor Michael Ludwig and former minister Maria Rauch-Kallat, who shared fond memories of the great actor and his beloved wife Renée. 

At the end of the ceremony, son Konstantin asked that "Otti" be given a big round of applause as a farewell gift - a wish that was granted by those present - before the coffin was carried out of the church to the waltz "Wiener Blut". 

Burial at the Vienna Central Cemetery
On Thursday, January 30, Otto Schenk was buried in a grave of honor at Vienna's Central Cemetery. His wife Renée was already buried there after her death. 

Schenk spent more than 75 years on stage as an actor and made a name for himself as a theater and opera director far beyond Austria's borders. He will also be remembered as the director of the Theater in der Josefstadt, which he ran from 1988 to 1997.