Hubert von Goisern

Activist, composer, and performer Hubert Achleitner, widely recognized under the name Hubert von Goisern, first gained widespread attention as the frontman of Die Alpinkatzen through signature tracks such as “Heast as Nit,” “Koa Hiatamadl,” and “Weit, Weit Weg.” Born and raised in Austria, he mastered the guitar, trumpet, and accordion during childhood. After spending extended periods in South Africa and Toronto, he moved back to his native country in his late twenties to launch a professional music path, establishing Die Alpinkatzen alongside Wolfgang Staribacher in 1986. The ensemble fused electronic Europop textures with age-old Alpine traditions, most notably yodeling, and quickly captured large audiences across Germany and Austria. Their second release, the 1992 album Aufgeigen Stått Niederschiassen, propelled the band into broad commercial success and remains their most enduring recording. One further effort, Omunduntn, appeared before the group disbanded at the close of 1994.

Throughout the next decade von Goisern pursued an array of artistic and social endeavors. He made his screen debut the same year the band dissolved, appearing in the television film Holleisengretl, and later contributed to additional motion pictures both as an actor and as a composer. His commitment to activism deepened after he developed an interest in the Save Tibet foundation; in 1995 he journeyed to Tibet accompanied by Tsen Zochbauer. That experience ignited a lasting engagement with the region, eventually leading him to host the Dalai Lama on a special visit to Austria. He also became an outspoken critic of the domestic music business.

Amid these activities he maintained a steady output of recordings. His debut solo album, Fön, arrived in 2000 and achieved strong chart placement, allowing him to headline sold-out concerts throughout Central Europe once more. A collection devoted to traditional Austrian folk material, Trad, followed and earned him an Amadeus Award in 2001. Trad II appeared two years afterward, after which he concentrated on extensive touring and continued advocacy.