Elisabeth Gürtler
Encyclopedia
Elisabeth Gürtler-Mauthner (born May 7, 1950) is an Austria
n businesswoman. She is managing director of the Hotel Sacher
, Vienna
's most famous hotel
.
Born in Vienna, Gürtler attended a Catholic
gymnasium
in her home town, took her Matura
exams in 1968 and then studied economics
, graduating in 1972. In 1990, on the suicide of her ex-husband, Peter Gürtler, she took over the management of the Hotel Sacher, with 500 employees under her, as he had left the hotel to their two children, at that time still minors.
From 1995 until 2000 she was Vice-President of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber. From 2001 until 2007 she chaired the Vienna Opera Ball
. In that capacity, in 2005, she introduced a smoking ban
for the first time in the history of that event.
In 2005 Mrs. Gürtler became director of the Spanish Riding School
in Vienna
.
Her partner is actor Helmuth Lohner
. Her daughter, Alexandra Winkler, is one of the owners of the Hotel Sacher.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n businesswoman. She is managing director of the Hotel Sacher
Hotel Sacher
The Hotel Sacher is a five-star hotel in the Innenstadt district of Vienna, Austria, next to the Staatsoper. It is famous for the specialty of the house, the Sachertorte, a chocolate cake with apricot filling. There is also an art gallery in the hotel with works from the 19th century...
, Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
's most famous hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
.
Born in Vienna, Gürtler attended a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
gymnasium
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
in her home town, took her Matura
Matura
Matura or a similar term is the common name for the high-school leaving exam or "maturity exam" in various countries, including Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia,...
exams in 1968 and then studied economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
, graduating in 1972. In 1990, on the suicide of her ex-husband, Peter Gürtler, she took over the management of the Hotel Sacher, with 500 employees under her, as he had left the hotel to their two children, at that time still minors.
From 1995 until 2000 she was Vice-President of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber. From 2001 until 2007 she chaired the Vienna Opera Ball
Vienna Opera Ball
The Vienna Opera Ball is an annual Austrian society event which takes place in the building of the Vienna State Opera on the Thursday preceding Ash Wednesday. Together with the New Year Concert, the Opera Ball is one of the highlights of the Viennese carnival season...
. In that capacity, in 2005, she introduced a smoking ban
Smoking ban
Smoking bans are public policies, including criminal laws and occupational safety and health regulations, which prohibit tobacco smoking in workplaces and/or other public spaces...
for the first time in the history of that event.
In 2005 Mrs. Gürtler became director of the Spanish Riding School
Spanish Riding School
The Spanish Riding School of Vienna, Austria, is a traditional riding school for Lipizzan horses, which perform in the Winter Riding School in the Hofburg...
in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
.
Her partner is actor Helmuth Lohner
Helmuth Lohner
Helmuth Lohner is an Austrian actor, theatre director, and from 2004 to 2006 director of the Theater in der Josefstadt....
. Her daughter, Alexandra Winkler, is one of the owners of the Hotel Sacher.
External links
- Her entry at the aeiou EncyclopediaAeiou EncyclopediaAEIOU is a free online collection of reference works in both German and English about Austria-related topics.-Background:...
- History of the Hotel Sacher