Anna Wagner

Anna Wagner (née Salzmann and later Offenberger; 6 June 1914 – 12 May 2026) was an Austrian supercentenarian.^[1] She was the oldest person living in a German-speaking country from 17 January 2025 until her death.^[2]

Anna Wagner was born on 6 June 1914, just before the beginning of World War I.^[3] She was born in the market town of Euratsfeld in the district of Amstetten, as the illegitimate daughter of the unmarried daughter of master bricklayer Amalia Salzmann (born 8 July 1882 in Euratsfeld; died 6 May 1933 in Amstetten). She was baptized on 8 June 1914.^[2] The farmer Augustin Offenberger (born 22 April 1890 in Euratsfeld),^[4] only acknowledged his paternity in later years and was subsequently recorded in his daughter's baptismal register (where her first name was spelled August). On 2 June 1923, Anna Wagner was confirmed in the Mostviertel municipality of Viehdorf. A few months earlier, on 12 February 1923, her mother had married August Offenberger, a postman, in Oberndorf an der Melk.^[5]

Wagner grew up with her younger sister Amalia (born 13 June 1923; died 14 September 2005) on a small farm in Euratsfeld, where she lived until her death.^[6][7] After attending the Euratsfeld elementary school for eight years, she transferred to a domestic science school in Amstetten, which she travelled to daily by bicycle and where she completed her schooling.^[8] Afterwards, she worked as a farmer.

Her mother died of sepsis on 6 May 1933 at the age of 50 and was buried in the Euratsfeld Cemetery on 8 May 1933:

A mother's heart stopped beating unexpectedly quickly. Mrs. Amalia Offenberger was transferred to the Amstetten hospital about 14 days ago; on Sunday, May 7th, during the Mother's Day celebrations, the hearse brought her back. On Monday, May 8th, she was laid to rest.

On 28 May 1951, Anna married Franz Wagner in a civil ceremony in Amstetten and in a church ceremony at the pilgrimage church of Maria Taferl [de], and took his surname. With her husband, who predeceased her, she had a daughter named Margarete and a granddaughter.^[10]

She retired in the early 1980s. Until she was over 90 years old, she undertook several trips abroad each year. At the age of 90, she boarded a plane for the first time in her life for a trip to Lourdes.^[8] Even at 100, she met regularly with a group of Euratsfeld residents over 80 and participated in an annual excursion.^[8] Wagner was an active member of the Lower Austrian People's Party [de]^[11] and organized several trips for the Austrian Senior Citizens' Association [de]. She was reportedly the oldest member of the Lower Austrian People's Party.^[12]

After Margarete Tröstl [de], Anna Wagner was the second oldest person living in Austria.^[13] With her 110th birthday in June 2024, Wagner became a supercentenarian.^[10] In an interview on her 110th birthday, she attributed her longevity to her decidedly positive outlook on life and her decades of physical activity.^[14] From the death of Margarete Tröstl on 17 January 2025, Wagner, who was confined to a wheelchair in her later years, was the oldest person living in Austria and in a German-speaking country.^[2]

Wagner died on 12 May 2026, at the age of 111 years and 340 days in the house where she had spent almost her entire life.^[2]