Austrian broadcaster ORF is launching a major multi-platform programming retrospective starting October 4, 2026, to honor what would have been the 80th birthday of late Austropop pioneer Georg Danzer. The tribute spans television documentaries, live concert recordings, and special radio broadcasts celebrating his enduring musical and social legacy.
Broadcaster Retrospective and Television Premieres
Beginning October 4, 2026, the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation is rolling out a comprehensive media tribute ahead of what would have been the 80th birthday of Georg Danzer on October 7. The multi-day programming block features newly produced film portraits, archival performance footage, and artist retrospectives across television channels ORF 2 and ORF III, alongside dedicated streaming coverage on ORF ON.
The television highlights include the premiere of Schurli – Der Liedermacher & Poet Georg Danzer, a documentary directed by Tatjana Berlakovich. Airing October 5 on ORF 2, the film relies on rare archival recordings, personal notes from the artist’s estate held by the Wienbibliothek im Rathaus, and insights from family members and close companions to trace his life from post-war Vienna onward.
Subsequent broadcasts examine different eras of Danzer’s catalog. ORF III will air a special evening on October 8 featuring the documentary Nur a klana Bua im Winter – Georg Danzer, presented by Thomas Stipsits, alongside a recording of the singer’s final appearance at the Vienna Danube Island Festival in 2005.
Musical Milestones and Permanent Memorials
Der ORF erinnert ab 4. Oktober mit einem Programmschwerpunkt an den Musiker – darunter u. a. das neue Filmporträt „Schurli – Der Liedermacher & Poet Georg Danzer“, das am 5. Oktober TV-Premiere in ORF 2 und auf ORF ON feiert, sowie ein vierteiliger Danzer-Abend in ORF III und ORF ON am 8. Oktober. Den Auftakt am 4. Oktober macht Ö1 mit einer Ausgabe „Spielräume spezial“, weitere Beiträge in Ö3 sowie in den ORF-Bundesländerradios würdigen ebenfalls Leben und Werk der Musiklegende. Georg Danzer in Fernsehen – und auf ORF ONMontag, 5. Oktober„Schurli – Der Liedermacher & Poet Georg Danzer“ (22.30 Uhr, ORF 2)In der neuen Dokumentation von Tatjana Berlakovich erzählt „da Schurli“ in seltenen Archivaufnahmen, mit seinen Liedern und Texten – An Danzers Geburtstag wird eine Gedenktafel am Gaudenzdorfer Gürtel 47 enthüllt. Erste Erfolge erlangte er mit Kompositionsaufträgen für u.a. Wolfgang Ambros, Marianne Mendt und Erika Pluhar. The
Georg Danzer Tournee 79, featuring 32 sold-out concerts, marked a milestone in his career in the late 1970s.
With the album
Ruhe vor dem Sturm(1981) he achieved his breakthrough in Germany.
After spending time abroad, Danzer returned to Vienna in the ’90s and recorded the album
Wieder in Wienwith Peter Cornelius, Marianne Mendt, and Wilfried, while the song
Sei imma höflich!became a constant on the radio.
Together with Wolfgang Ambros and Rainhard Fendrich, he formed Austria 3.
Danzer also wrote screenplays, campaigned for
SOS Mitmensch, and released albums such as
13 schmutzige Lieder”, “Persönlichor the US-recorded
Von Scheibbs bis Nebraska” (die Danz”””””””
In addition to broadcast tributes, organizers have scheduled the unveiling of a memorial plaque at Gaudenzdorfer Gürtel 47, the address where the artist spent his youth. Contemporary performers continue to revisit his repertoire. Singer-songwriter Anna-Maria Schnabl, known as AMS, is launching a live program featuring Danzer’s work, while musicians including Konstantin Wecker, Norbert Schneider, and Ina Regen have reinterpreted his catalog for modern audiences, noting that compositions written decades ago retain a stark contemporary relevance.
Radio Tributes and Regional Commemorations
Audio programming mirrors the television schedule with dedicated retrospectives across public radio networks.
Live tribute events extend beyond state broadcaster initiatives. In Stockerau, musicians Chris Molisch and Steve Criss are scheduled to stage a tribute concert on October 2, with proceeds dedicated to the animal welfare organization Animal Help Austria.