Austrian Distinction for Actor Christoph Waltz
On June 6, 2012 world-famous and internationally sought-after actor Christoph Waltz was awarded the Austrian Decoration for Science and Art by the President of the Republic of Austria. Waltz received the Austrian distinction from Ambassador Dr. Ralph Scheide during a ceremony at the Austrian Embassy in Berlin.
In his speech the Ambassador referred to Christoph Waltz as being in the first league of internationally successful Austrian actors after WW II, continuing the tradition of actors Oskar Werner, Curd Jürgens, Maximilian Schell and Klaus Maria Brandauer.
The Ambassador credited Waltz’s artistic skills, his success and his commitment to Austria, as an invaluable contribution to Austria’s international image of a “country of film."
Waltz, who gained international fame with his role as Col. Hans Landa in Quentin Tarantino's Inglorious Basterds, is the only artist from the German-speaking area apart from Maximilian Schell to have won the Academy Award in one of the actor categories. Photo ©Zadi Diaz
Christoph Waltz as Col. Hans Landa in Quentin Tarrantino's "Ingloriuos Basterds." (Universal Pictures).