Sacher Wien

1816, 16 December: Franz Sacher is born as the son of a Viennese citizen († 11/03/1907). He works as a kitchen apprentice in various houses (reputatly at the court of Prince Metternich, later Esterhazy. At the court of Metternich he invented a chocolate cake, later known as Sacher Torte.

1840, 6 October: Franz Sacher marries Rosa Wieninger. He works in Bratislava (chef at Adeligen Casino, Pressburg, Slovakia), operates the kitchens of the Danube Steamshipcompany (Donau Dampschifffahrtsgesellschaft) and later runs his first own restaurant, the "Casino" in Budapest.

1843, 8 February: Eduard Sacher is born

1849: Franz Sacher returns to Vienna and opens a "Tratieurshop", a delicatessen, at the corner Weihburggasse / Rauhensteingasse in the inner city. According to some sources it was there where he invented the Sacher Torte (the cake). Other sources say it was alreday at the court of Metternich. Eduard Sacher works in London (Hotel Royal), in Paris (Grand Hotel), in Berlin and in Hamburg.

1866: Eduard Sacher opens a small restaurant in the Palais Todesco (opposite the opera house, today a shoeshop)

1867: Eduard Sacher operates the Dreher Bierhalle at the Paris Exhibiton and earns himself a great reputation as an exquisite restaurateur (an interesting footnote in this respect: at the 1873 exhibition in Vienna, Swiss Cesar Ritz works as a waiter). 1876: Eduard Sacher's hotel opens under the name Hotel de L'Opera.

1892: Eduard Sacher dies. From now on his wife Anna manages the hotel. Anna Sacher becomes the synonym for the Hotel Sacher in Vienna. Visit the exhibition Anna Sacher.

She meets the trustee of the Rothschild estates, Mr Schuster, her true and great love. After Schuster's death after World War I, the decline of the Austrian-Hungaro Empire and the subsequent loss of a number of her former regular guests, the desperate Anna Sacher takes to horsebetting. Business is bad, within no time Anna Sacher and her hotel are deep in debts.

1929/03/16: Anna Sacher placed under disability (entmündigt).

1930: Anna Sacher died. During the following years the Viennese families, Hans & Poldi Guertler and Josef & Anna Siller, took over the hotel.

The hotel goes through the Second World War. After the war, it houses for a brief period Russian troops. During these days Russian ballet star Vaslav Nijinsky visits the Sacher.

Later in 1945 the hotel is occupied by British forces. It now acts as a British Officers Transit Club. 

1953: the hotel is returned to its owners and operates as Hotel Sacher again.

1970: Hans Gürtler died. His son Rolf takes over. He is followed by Peter Gürtler, who invested 30m Schillings (EUR 21m). He married Elisabeth Mauthner.

1989: Peter Gürlter buys the famous hotel Österreichischer Hof in Salzburg.

1991: After the death of Peter Gürtler, Elisabeth Guertler-Mauthner becomes managing director of the hotel.

2006: extensive renovation and adding of penthouse floor, opening of Sacher Spa.

2008: French designer Pierre Yves Rochon and the lady of the house, Elisabeth Gürtler (mother of the current owner Alexandra Winkler) renovate the Anna Sacher restaurant.

Please enjoy a small excerpt of the Sacher's VIP list: Royal Count Albert Apponyi Count Rudolf Kinsky Count Gyula Széchenyi Duchess Sophie von Hohenberg HRH Archduke Franz Ferdinand HRH Archduke Johann Salvator HRH Archduke Otto von Habsburg HRH Queen Beatrix (Netherlands) HRH Crown Prince Rudolf HRH Edward VIII, Duke of Windsor HRH King Leopold (Belgium) HRH King Milan (Serbia) HRH King Osman Fuad (Egypt) HRH Philip, Duke of Edinburgh HRH Prince Peter (Greece) HRH Princess Caroline (Monaco) HRH Prince Rainier III & Princess Grace (Monaco) HRH Queen Elizabeth (British Isles and Commonwealth) HRH Queen Juliana (Netherlands) Lady Pauline Metternich Prince and Princess Michael of Kent Princess Maria Francisca of Hohenlohe Wallis Simpson, Duches of Windsor Baron Hans Adam v. Liechtenstein Conrad Adenauer Prince Albert v. Belgien Prinzessin Anne Prince Henrik von Dänemark Königin Sonja von Norwegen Madeleine Albright Michail Gorbatschow Politicians Conrad Adenauer (Germany) Willy Brand (Germany) Prime Minister Cyrankiewicz Reichsverweser Nikolaus Horthy (Hungary) Prime Minister Indira Gandhi (India) George Mc Govern Secretary General Trygve Lie Marshal Malinovsky (USSR) President Mikojan (USSR) Prime Minister Pandit Nehru (India) Minister Henri Spaak (Belgium) Jimmy Carter Willy Brandt J Perez de Cuellar SH Dalai Lama King Faisal Theodor Heuss Leopold Figl Jean & Josephine v. Luxemburg King Hussein Jordan Juliana v Holland Prinz Majed Bin Abdul Aziz Richard Nixon Ba Lipede Alake v. Egbaland, Nigeria Hillary Clinton Indira Gandhi Jawaharlal Nehru Skriabin Molotov Edward Kennedy John F Kennedy Eleonore Roosevelt Premierminister Körber Koloman Szell Premierminister hungary Yassir Arafat Präsident Khatami, Iran Pilar de Bourbon Erzherzog Michael von Habsburg Lothringen Artists

Graham Greene

Wolf Albach-Retty Fritz Albrecht Peter Alexander Muhammed Ali Mina von Alt Robert Altman Lale Andersen Franz Antel Karel Appel Armin Assinger Christian L Attersee Erich Auer Michael Aufhauser Elisabeth Augustin Vivi Bach Wilhelm Backhaus Paul Badura Skoda Agnes Baltsa Pippo Bando Elley Barkin Gary Barlow Shirley Bassey Ralf Bauer Wolfgang Bauer Myriel Baumeister Emanuelle Beart Gilbert Becaud Andrea Bocelli Paul Bedura Skoda Erica Beer Harry Belafonte Jean Paule Belmondo Ralph Benatzky Martin Benrath Iris Berben Helmut Berger Ingrid Bergman Thomas Bernhard Leonard Bernstein Walter Berry Willy Birgel James Blake Roberto Blanco Hedwig Bleibtreu Moritz Bleibtreu Karl Böhm Karlheinz Böhm Maxi Böhm Kurt Böhme Manfred Bockelmann Hannelore Bollmann Andi Borg Hans von Borsody Dieter Borsche Claus-Maria Brandauer Aric Brauer Wernher von Braun Lola Braxton Pierre Brice Ruth Brinkmann Heidi Brühl Yul Brynner Rudolf Buchbinder Horst Buchholz Detlev Buck Viktor Bunzl Max Burckhardt Grace Bumbry Montserrat Caballé Maria Callas Pierre Cardin Rudi Carell Leslie Caron José Carreras Barbara Cartland Yvonne Catterfeld Nino Cerruti Roe McClanahan Charlie Chaplin Marlene Charell Hans Clarin Hillary Clinton Glenn Close Jean Cocteau Luz Colani Joan Collins Phil Collins Gary Cooper David Copperfield Franco Corelli Noel Coward Bing Crosby Jolliot Curie Armin Dahl Claudia Dallinger David Cameron Karli Decker Alain Delon Walt Disney Gabi Dohm Christoph von Dohnányi Placido Domingo Donovan Karin Door Sky Dumont Angèle Durand Friedrich Dürrenmatt Kirk Douglas Clint Eastwood Fritz Eckgart Martha Eggert Gottfried von Einem Franck Elsner Franz Endler Erich Engel Simon Estes Renate Ewert Peter von Eyck Anton Faistauer Karl Farkas Herta Feiler Verona Feldbusch Heino Ferch Gianfranco Ferré Veronika Ferres Eugenio Fernandi Josef Fiedler Ralph Fiennes Wolfgang Fierek Helmut Fischer Ottfried Fischer O.W. Fischer Friedrich Flick Elisabeth Flickenschild Katja Flint Sonsee Ahray Floethmann Paul Flora Glenn Ford Frederick Forsyth Albert Fortell Silvio Francesco Mirella Freni Gottlob Frick Conny Froebes Gert Fröbe Ernst Fuchs Joachim Fuchsberger Louis de Funes Wilhelm Furtwängler Harry Fuss Zsa Zsa Gabor Greta Garbo Ava Gardner Jean-Paul Gaultier Bee Gees Leonard Gelber Bob Geldorf Valerie Gergiek George Gershwin Paul Getty Alexander Girardi Nicolai Ghiarov Uschi Glas Karel Gott Thomas Gottschalk Hugh Grant Wolfgang Gratschmaier Juliette Greco Graham Greene Linda Grey Chris Griscon Edita Gruberova Ernst Haeussermann Larry Hagman Mikka Hakkinen Bill Haley Jerry Hall Guy Hamilton Thomas Hampson Comedian Harmonists Rex Harrison Ernst Hartmann Hans Hass O.E. Hasse Sylvia Hatschek-Reith Elisabeth Hauer Goldie Hawn Randolph Hearst Johannes Heesters Andre Heller Michael Heltau Ernest Hemingway Audrey Hepburn Andreas Herzog Ernst Heuberger Thor Heyerdahl Margot Hielscher Anthony Higgins Paul Hindemith Martina Hingis Hansi Hinterseer Paul Hogarth Heinz Holecek Melanie Holliday Renate Holm Wilhelm Holzbauer Clemens Holzmeister Attilla Hörbiger Christiane Hörbiger Paul Hörbiger Anthony Hopkins Dennis Hopper Paul Hubschmid Herbert Hübner Wolfgang Hübsch John Hunt Sir Tab Hunter Fritz Imfhoff Jörg Immendorf Manfred Inger Emil Ivanov Gabriele Jacobi La Toya Jackson Friedrich Jahn Hans Jaray Al Jarreau Billy Joel Gwyneth Jones Elisabeth Julek Curd Jürgens Udo Jürgens Selma Junrinac Elisabeth Kales Emmerich Kalman Aga Khan Herbert von Karajan Gerhard Karplus Helmut Käutner Adnan Kashoggi Stacy Keach Marthe Keller Grace Kelly Julia Kent Imre Hertesz Jean Claude Killy James King Sonja Kirchberger Franz Klammer Katharina Klayberg Erich Kleiber Towje Kleiner Hildegard Knef Gustav Knuth Paul Klinger Hans Knappersbusch Pavel Kohut Oskar Kokoschka Ossi Kolmann Alexander Korda Gundula Korte Mijou Kovacs Victor de Kowa Jeroen Krabbé Harald Krassnitzer Peter Kraus Werner Krauss Peter Kreuder Sylvia Kristel Uwe Kröger Anja Kruse Raffael Kubelik Ruth-Maria Kubitschek Hans Kulenkampff Karl Kumpf Topsy Küppers Karl Lagerfeld Jan Lathan-Koenig Niki Lauda Oskar Larsen Zarah Leander Vicky Leandros Christopher Lee Franz Lehar Leherb Annie Leibowitz Janet Leigh Vivian Leigh Robert Lembke Jack Lemmon John Lennon Rudolf Lenz Elisabeth Leonskaja Ruth Leuwerick James Levine Jan Josef Liefers Luis Lima Hera Lind Udo Lindenberg Astrid Lindgren Theo Lingen Karl Löbl Helmut Lohner George London Sophia Loren Giovanni di Lorenzo Loriot Siefried Lowitz Christa Ludwig Günther Lüders Silvia Lydi Roe McClanahan Collin McCullough Marie McLaughlin Enrico Mainardi Jimmy Makulis Vladimir Malakhov Erni Mangold Thomas Mann Nelson Mandela Josef Manowarda Diego Maradona Hubert Marischka Jimmy Markus Winnie Markus Nan Martin Henri Maske Marcello Mastroianni Mireille Matthieu Johanna Matz Sandra Mazzola Somerset Maugham Brian May Richard Mayr Zubin Mehta Josef Meinrad Sunny Melles Marianne Mendt Yehudi Menuhin Hannes Messemer Vittorio Mezzogiorno Josef Mikl April Mills Sherill Milnes Milva Liza Minelli Peter Minich Martha Mödel Anna Moffo Gunnar Möller Mario del Monaco Jane Monheit Montavi Roger Moore Olive Moorefield Michèle Morgan Hans Moser Rudolph Moshammer Nana Mouskouri Fritz Muliar Audie Murphy Käthe Musil Ornella Muti Wencke Myhre Gianna Nannini Hermann Nehlsen Christine Neubauer Brigitte Neumeister Anna Netrebko Hubert Neuper Helmut Newton Susi Nicoletti Birgit Nielsen Vaslav Nijinsky Walentina Nikolajewa-Tereschkowa Lucia Nistler Lawrence Norfolk Roger Norrington Jamila Novotna Rudolf Nurejev Matti Nykänen Laurence Olivier Rolf Olsen Valentin Oman Yoko Ono Peter O’Toole Elfriede Ott Seji Ozawa Michael Palin Max Pallenberg Lili Palmer Elio Pandolfi Michel Pastor Luciano Pavarotti Sean Penn Bernard Picasso Auguste Piccard Luigi Pizzi Gunter Philipp Ferdinand Porsche Rudolf Prack Marcel Prawy Otto Preminger André Previn Alain Prost Hermann Prey Herbert Prohaska Liselotte Pulver Will Quadflieg Anthony Quinn Gianni Raimondi Siegfried Rauch Carol Reed Steve Reeve Caroline Reiber Georg Reimers Max Reinhardt Heinz Reincke Erich Maria Remarque Marie Renard Chris Renolds Otto Retzer Walter Reyer Catherine Rich Katja Richarelli Cliff Richard Lionel Richie Hans Richter Karl Ridderbusch Marina Ried Jochen Rindt Nina Rindt Luise Rinser Rockefeller Familie Eva Röesler Armin Rohde Marika Rökk Annie Rosar Rothschild Familie Anneliese Rothenberger Fritz Rotter Albert Ruprecht Ian Ruskin Margit Saad Ferdinand von Saar Gabriela Sabatini Verna Sadock Toni Sailer Erol Sander Adele Sandrock Jukka-Pekka Saraste Deborah Sasson Wolfgang Schaidt Max Schautzer Maria Schell Maximilian Schell Otto Schenk Emil Jakob Schindler Volker Schlöndorff Max Schmeling Dolores Schmidinger Sybille Schmitz Walter Schmögner August Schmölzer Magda Schneider Romy Schneider Rudolf Schock Ingeborg Schöner Marianne Schhönauer Dietmar Schönherr Michael Schönwandt Gretl Schörg Peter Schreier Siegfried Schürenberg Vera Schwarz Arnold Schwarzenegger Elisabeth Schwarzkopf Til Schweiger Harald Serafin Omar Sharif Ralph Siegel Amha Silla Hugo Simon Peter Simonischek Joplin Sinclair Albin Skoda Leo Slezak Walter Slezak Sir George Solti Elke Sommer Bud Spencer Carl Spiehs Mark Spitz Robert Stack Hans Staudacher Giuseppe di Stefano Rod Steiger Dave Stewart James Stewart Hilde von Stolz Robert Stolz Oscar Straus Joan Sutherland David Suchet Max von Sydow George Tabori Robert Taylor Elizabeth Taylor Renata Tebaldi Shirley Temple-Black Elisabeth Teissier Dolores Tettamanti Friedrich von Thun Jane Tilden Nadja Tiller Alberto Tomba Peter O’Tool Vico Torriani Gerhard Tötschinger Peter Townsend Sir Eiji Toyota John Travolta Luis Trenker Alexander Troyan Mark Twain Underzo Luise Ulrich Vägas Ulvang Peter Ustinov Catharina Valente Lino Ventura Eduard Veith Gianni Versace Josef Vilsmeyer Wolfgang Völz Gert Voss Louis Vuitton Eberhard Wächter Ernst Waldbrunn Richard Waldemar Otto Waalkes Judith Walker Bruno Walter Charlotte Walter Peter Weck Bernd Weikel Grethe Weiser Heidelinde Weiss Orson Welles Gerhard Wendland Senta Wengraf Fritz Wepper Oskar Werner Paula Wessely Vivienne Westwood Bernhard Wicki Richard Widmark Billy Wilder Klaus Wildbolz Gösta Winbergh Paul Wittgenstein Adolf Wohlbrück Reimo Wukonig Fritz Wunderlich Barbara Wussow Mara Zampieri Sonja Ziemann Carl Zuckmayer Other VIPs Jolliot Curie Paul Getty Randolph Hearst Sir John Hunt Elisabeth Julek Adham Kashoggi Auguste Piccard Eleonore Roosevelt Max Schmeling Valentino

Emperor Franz Joseph paid the hotel various visits.

So did his relatives, like Otto, Archduke of Austria [1865-1906], in this photograph seen with his brother Ferdinand Karl [1868-1915], at one of Sacher's Separees (private dining rooms).

After World War 2, the arriving allied forces moved into the hotels that were left: at first the Russian troops took the Sacher and put their horses into what'stoday the restaurant Rote Bar. A few weeks later, British forces took over the Hotel Sacher and established an English ­Senior Officers Transit Club at the hotel. American officers were stationed at the Bristol, the Soviet High Commission took the Imperial, Soviet staff officers were quartered in the Grand Hotel.

Graham Greene invented the plot of THE THIRD MAN while staying at the Sacher.
The Sacher was the set for a popular TV series called “Hotel Sacher, Portier”.