BIOGRAPHY

Anna Wiesmayr was born in Franckstraße in the city of Linz, Upper Austria, Austria, on 23 July 1908.

During the Second World War, she worked at the post office in Kleinmünchen. Her first husband died in Russia during the war. After the war, she married Rudolf Wiesmayr, an ÖBB employee, in Lustenau, and gave birth to their son, Rudolf. She also worked as a maid and went from farm to farm begging for food to survive. Once the worst of the poverty had passed, she focused on raising her son and managing their household. Her husband passed away at the age of 88.

Wiesmayr lived independently in her house in Linz until her 98th birthday, handling all household chores—cooking, cleaning, washing, and caring for the garden. Her son remarked that the vegetables she grew might have been a secret to her longevity, along with her “good genes.” According to him, she never paid much attention to her health, often joking that she ate everything the doctor later forbade her. She would even put generous amounts of sugar on cakes, coffee, and even salad. At 108, she remained very active, insisting on cleaning her room to the best of her ability. She used a walker to move around the house.

According to her son, her health had only declined steadily in the final three weeks of her life. She passed away on 23 September 2019, at 7:30 p.m. in the palliative care unit of Elisabethinen Hospital.

RECOGNITION

On 1 April 2018, following the passing of 111-year-old Anna Medwenitsch, she became the oldest living person in Austria, at the age of 109 years, 252 days. Upon her own passing, she was succeeded by Luise Pompe.

Her age has not been validated.

ATTRIBUTION

* “Älteste Oberösterreicherin feierte 108. Geburtstag” – OÖNachrichten, 24 July 2016

* “Alles Gute! Heute ist Anna Wiesmayr 109 Jahre alt” – OÖNachrichten, 23 July 2017

* “Älteste Österreicherin feiert heute Geburtstag” – Kleine Zeitung, 23 July 2018

* “Älteste Österreicherin mit 111 Jahren gestorben” – Kurier, 24 September 2019

GALLERY