BIOGRAPHY

Franziska Bruno was born in Vienna, Austria-Hungary (now Austria) on 19 December 1911. After a challenging childhood in foster care, she moved to France following World War II, where she settled in Fréjus with her husband, Jean-Baptiste Bruno, whom she met in Austria during the war. They arrived in France in 1945, and Bruno later worked as a chambermaid at the Excelsior Hotel in Saint-Raphaël for nearly three decades, retiring in 1972.

Known for her dedication and resilience, Bruno was remembered for climbing multiple flights of stairs daily while carrying luggage, as the hotel had no elevators at the time. Her work ethic and fond memories of the Courjon family and hotel guests left a lasting impression. Even in her later years, Bruno expressed a desire to revisit her old workplace, which she did at the age of 110, escorted by staff from her nursing home.

Bruno, who never had biological children, was surrounded by her extended family, including grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She attributed her longevity to love—both for people and animals. She had a particular fondness for animals, often participating in therapy sessions with them and reminiscing about her beloved pet tortoise, Sophie.

Bruno celebrated her 110th birthday at the Hermitage retirement home, she was honored with the Medal of the City of Saint-Raphaël.

Franziska Bruno passed away in Saint-Raphael, Var, Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur, France on 5 March 2023 the age of 111 years, 76 days.

RECOGNITION

At the time of her death, Franziska Bruno was the second-oldest known living person in Provence-Alpes-Cote-d’Azur, behind Aline Blain.

She was also the oldest known living person in Var department and the third oldest known living Austrian-born person, behind Margarete Trostl and Stefanie Kurner.

Bruno’s age was verified by Cyril Depoudent and validated by the ESO on 4 March 2023, one day before her death.

ATTRIBUTION

GALLERY