Ernst Hinterseer
An Austrian ski racer who seized a last-minute Olympic chance in 1960, defying expectations to snatch slalom gold from the favorites.
Born 1932 (age 94)·Austrian alpine skier·Birthday: February 28·The Silent Generation
Biography
Ernst Hinterseer's Olympic story is a classic tale of the understudy stealing the show. Heading to the 1960 Squaw Valley Games, he was not even slated to start in the slalom, placed on the team as a reserve. When a teammate fell ill, Hinterseer got his shot. After a first run that left him in fifth place, far from the podium conversation, he attacked the second run with nothing to lose. His blistering time stood as one favorite after another failed to match it, culminating in a stunning, come-from-behind gold medal. He added a bronze in the giant slalom for good measure. This Olympic triumph capped the career of a skier from Kitzbühel, a town that breeds racers with a natural feel for icy, technical courses. His victory was a moment of pure, unexpected joy for Austria and cemented his name in Olympic folklore.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Ernst was born in 1932, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ernst Was Born
The biggest hits of 1932
#1 Movie
Grand Hotel
Best Picture
Grand Hotel
Ernst's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1932Born
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1937Started school
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1945Became a teenager
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1948Could drive
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1950Could vote
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1953Turned 21
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1962Turned 30
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1972Turned 40
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1982Turned 50
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 60
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 70
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 80
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2026Age 94 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won a gold medal in the slalom at the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley.
- Earned a bronze medal in the giant slalom at those same 1960 Games.
- His Olympic gold was achieved after being a substitute who only entered the race due to a teammate's illness.
Did You Know?
His son, Hansi Hinterseer, became a famous pop singer and television host in German-speaking Europe.
He comes from the famed ski resort town of Kitzbühel, home of the Hahnenkamm race.
After skiing, he worked as a ski instructor and in the tourism industry.
“You must attack the mountain, or it will attack you.”
