Austria mourns for Peter Rapp: The last universal entertainer died

Austria mourns for Peter Rapp: The last universal entertainer died

Wien, Österreich - Peter Rapp, the popular moderator and entertainer, died on May 16, 2025 at the age of 81. The sad news was confirmed by the "Wiener District Blade". It was not announced more precisely on the cause of death, but it was reported that it was not increasingly not a good health. Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen praised him as a "showmaster of Austria" and emphasized his spontaneity and humor, while Vienna's mayor Michael Ludwig described him as "modern funny Augustin".

Peter Rapp was born in Vienna on February 14, 1944. He started his career as a child with the Viennese singing boy, which demonstrated his musical talent. After his school days, he performed military service for 15 months and reached the corporal rank. Then he started his journalistic career at the daily newspapers "Krone" and "Express". He gave his television debut in 1963 when he appeared as a singer in the program "People of Today". Soon afterwards he was also seen in the cabaret of the "teenage party", which was moderated by Willy Kralik.

an extraordinary career

In 1967, Rapp became a radio spokesman for Ö3 and 1968 moderator of the popular youth pop show "Spotlight", which he headed until 1978. His career included numerous successful formats, including "Hoppala", "The Great Chance" and "Who says A". Rapp was able to reach up to 3.6 million viewers with his shows, which made him one of the most famous faces of Austrian television. He also moderated the "letterless show" from 1990 to the end of 2018, which was very popular in public.

In the 1990s, Rapp was faced with considerable financial difficulties and had to register private bankruptcy. Among other things, these problems were due to an open examination of gambling addiction. Nevertheless, he managed to fight back into public life. In 2013 he suffered a stroke, but managed to return to the spotlight shortly afterwards.

a legacy of the entertainment

Rapp was not only a moderator, but also as a voice actor and was heard in the animation film "The Adventure of Mr. Peabody and Sherman" (2014). His services were recognized in 2013 with a Romy as the most popular moderator of the "Show" category. Most recently, in 2020 he moderated the nostalgia ending "As if it had been yesterday" on ORF. He has been less present in public in recent years, but continued to write regularly for the "Wiener District Blade".

his death not only triggered great dismay among the audience. Minister of Culture Andreas Babler described him as "master of entertainment". The ORF announced that it would change its program to commemorate Rapp. This includes a portrait program and a special edition of "Spotlight", which recognizes Rapps impressive career. The television broadcaster PULS 4 is also planning, special editions of the joke "very funny!?" to radiate with rapp as a star guest.