Arnold Schwarzenegger’s tragic childhood from belt beatings to homophobic slurs

Arnold Schwarzenegger has done it all. A world champion bodybuilder, a glowing Hollywood career and even turning his hand to State politics.

But life wasn’t always easy for the muscle-clad megastar.

His success was built upon shaky foundations after receiving beatings from his father and his parents demonising his love of the male form.

Arnie, 75, lifted the lid on his tumultuous upbringing in his new three-part Netflix mini-series, aptly called Arnold.

READ MORE: Arnold Schwarzenegger reveals easy trick ‘every bodybuilder uses’ for rippling physique

In its first part, the former Governor of California peeled back the layers and gave viewers a never-before-seen look into his childhood.

Gustave Schwarzenegger, Arnie’s “tough” and “tyrannical” father, was Chief of Police for the state of Styria, Austria, before becoming a member of the Nazi’s SA group.

The Terminator star described him as somewhat “schizophrenic” due to one minute showing love and compassion, before quickly turning volatile after episodes of drinking.

After the Second World War, Arnie described how “Austria was a country of broken men”.

His father was burdened with PTSD after being buried under rubble for three days, and he came back to Arnold’s home town of Thal a different man.

Gustave was now “beating” the young Austrian Oak, and his “more muscular brother”, Meinhard, with a “belt”.

Arnie was looking for a “way out” of his hostile environment – and ultimately Austria – which is where he saw bodybuilding as his golden ticket to America.

The Hollywood star was in awe of Hercules actor and three-time Mr Universe winner, Reg Park, who inspired him to start pumping iron.

Arnie said: “I would be working out in my house and there was no sound. Nothing.

“And I could think and concentrate and visualise how I’m going to be a bodybuilding champion, move to America. How I’m going to make millions of dollars.”

His father however mistook his son’s obsession with getting muscular and ripped for self-obsession and slammed his supposed narcissism.

“‘And you’re looking into the mirror when you train. What is that all about?’”, Arnie recalled his father telling him.

“‘If you want to use your muscles, then go chop wood.’”

In the early 1960s, Arnie’s whole life became dedicated to lifting weights in order to fulfil his American dream.

Aged 16, just before competing at his first competition called Mr Steiermark, Arnold said that he put up pictures of his idols, including Reg Park, on his bedroom wall.

But his parent thought his adoration and admiration for their physiques was in fact lusty, branding their son a homosexual.

Arnie revealed: “My mother was freaked out. All these friends had girls above their bed.

“‘My son doesn’t have one girl up here. It’s only naked men. Where did we go wrong?’”

But the verbal and physical abuse was just fuel to the fire, Arnie claimed, and helped him reach the heights he’s at today.

“My father gave me that drive, gave me the fire in my belly,” he said.

Arnie however faced tragedy when his brother, Meinhard, died in a drink driving accident in 1971.

Arnold puts his brother’s alcoholism down to his “gentle” soul not being able to withstand his father’s violence and “the brutality that there was at home”.

Philosophical Arnie added: “Nietzche was right. The dad that does not kill you will make you stronger.

“The very thing that made me who I am today was the very thing that destroyed him.”

Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk