Margarete Tröstl

BIOGRAPHY

Tröstl was born in Gmund, Lower Austria, Austria, on 26 February 1911. She was the youngest of five children of the locksmith Franz Ecker (1885–c.1989) and Anna Meindl (1887–1959). She was baptized in March 1911. She grew up in Böhmzeil.

Tröstl worked at the Bobbin furniture factory in Gmünd, where she met her future husband at Café Schneider. He was both an officer and a carpenter. After the birth of their son, Horst, the family relocated to Vienna. There, she spent 35 years as a travel assistant at the Persil factory and developed a passion for traveling to other countries. Staying active was important to her, so she would walk or cycle to work regularly. Her father died at the age of 104.

Tröstl loved living in Gmünd and remained there well into her old age. In 2014, she moved into a nursing home in Schrems. At the age of 108, when asked about the secret to her longevity, she responded that she had none, saying: “You can only talk to the Heavenly Father about that. If He wants you to live to that age, then you will.” She consistently avoided cigarettes and alcohol, only occasionally raising a toast on her birthdays. In her later years, her favorite dish was roast pork with dumplings, though she had rarely eaten meat throughout most of her life.

Tröstl passed away in Schrems, Lower Austria, Austria, on 17 January 2025, at the age of 113 years, 326 days.

RECOGNITION

On 14 March 2022, at the age of 111 years, 16 days, she surpassed the final age of Anna Medwenitsch (1907–2018), becoming the oldest-person ever to have lived in the state of Lower Austria.

On 11 November 2022, following the passing of 114-year-old Luise Pompe, she became the oldest living person in Austria, at the age of 111 years, 258 days.

Her age was verified by Stefan Maglov, and validated by LongeviQuest on 28 January 2023. Her age was previously validated by the European Supercentenarian Organisation (ESO).

On 24 August 2023, at the age of 112 years, 179 days, she surpassed the final age of Maria Mika (1882–1994), becoming the second-oldest person ever to have lived or died in Austria, second only to Pompe.

At the time of her passing, she was the sixth-oldest living person in Europe, after Ethel Caterham (UK), Marie-Rose Tessier (France), Lucia Laura Sangenito (Italy), Klavdiya Gadyuchkina (Russia), and Andrée Bertoletto (France).

Upon her passing, Anna Wagner succeeded her as the nation’s oldest living resident.