In Austria, the former racing driver Niki is revered Lauda as a national hero. In Vienna’s St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the coffin was laid out with his corpse. Family members, friends, and Fans gave him the last honor.
The world of the late formula 1 legend Niki Lauda last respects. The simple coffin of the Motorsport size was received in the Morning in front of the St. Stephen’s Cathedral, by the widow Birgit Lauda and his oldest sons, Lukas and Matthias. Then Lauda under the bell was ringing in the transept of the Catholic Cathedral, and publicly lay in state. It is the first such assessment in the St. Stephen’s Cathedral for an athlete at all.
Birgit Lauda put a Laurel wreath on the coffin, Lukas Lauda put a helmet of three-time world champion on it. Photos of Lauda, numerous wreaths of flowers and six large white candles were placed around the coffin. Also, the family of record-breaking world champion Michael Schumacher had a wreath set up. “Once we see us again. Your Schumis”, was read out.
Grieving testify in the Cathedral of racing legend your respect
Thousands of Fans and companions wanted to leave, “Niki National”, as the Austrians called. Even in the pouring rain were formed in front of the Cathedral long queues. To the memory of Lauda, the condole the memorial received pictures with the saying “never start to stop, never stop to begin”.
Requiem and funeral
In the Cathedral Lauda was honoured with a Requiem. On the feeling of well-designed funeral imaginary, many of the celebrities of the former racer. President, Alexander Van der Bellen, said: “He has shown us how far a man can bring it. Goodbye, great Champion.” Even the just-deposed Chancellor, Sebastian Kurz and former racer Gerhard Berger, has taken the word.
At the ceremony, about 300 guests of honour from Germany and abroad took part, among them numerous celebrities from politics and society, such as the formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton, Jackie Stewart and Nico Rosberg, the President of the world automobile Federation, Jean Todt, and the skier Hermann Maier and Franz Klammer. The Austria-born Hollywood Star Arnold Schwarzenegger and actor Daniel Brühl were present, the has embodied the racers in the movie “Rush”.
The funeral took place in the closest family circle. Time and place are not known. The city of Vienna had offered the family a honorary grave at the Central cemetery, the family refused.
Despite the rain, many people were waiting in Vienna to say good-bye to Niki Lauda
Long Medical History
Lauda was on 20. In may at the age of 70 years died. In August of 2018, he had to undergo a lung transplant. Lauda suffered since his dramatic fire accident in 1976 at the Nürburgring to serious health consequences. At the time, his race car was in fire, he barely survived with severe burns. Before he was rescued, was Lauda 55 seconds in the flames and breathed in toxic fumes. His lung was burned. Nevertheless, Lauda fought his way in record time back to life and drove after 42 days of racing. The fire, he scars concealed now under a red cap that was his trademark. The title of world champion Andreas Nikolaus Lauda, won by Niki Lauda, 1975, 1977 and 1984, called. In 1997 and 2005, he had to undergo two kidney transplants under.
After his racing career, Lauda was also as an entrepreneur, a name that, among other things, as the founder of the airline, Lauda Air. Most recently, he was the Supervisory Board chief of the formula 1 team Mercedes.
kle/ww (sid, dpa, afpe, rtre)