His life in Carinthia – “Everyone is deeply shocked by Glock’s death”

Arms entrepreneur Gaston Glock has not only left his mark worldwide; He spent his last years mainly in the south of Austria, where, as a Carinthian by choice, he lived in the family villa in Velden am Wörthersee. In July 2023, Glock celebrated his 94th birthday with 80 of his closest friends and companions.

Many things in Carinthia remind us of the arms magnate
Although the gun manufacturer has largely retreated from the public eye in recent years, some of its legacies are shaping the state: in addition to generous donations to animal shelters and hospitals and after a 2022 flood, community gatherings have been held since 2008. For example, near Lake Ossiach is the Glock Horse Performance Center, which is run by Kathrin Glock, who is 51 years younger than Villach and the second wife of the exceptional entrepreneur. The rifle couple regularly invited world stars there for the legendary jumping tournaments.

The industrialist also built properties at Klagenfurt Airport. The Glock aircraft are also housed there. In 2014, Gaston also received the country’s Gold Medal of Honor.

Life in motion
Not surprisingly, the weapons manufacturer was considered controversial in some areas. His name is said to have played a role in a group of investors in the emergency nationalized Carinthian Hypo-Alpe-Adria; which one exactly remains a secret. A few years ago, a real estate deal between the church and the Glock Foundation also made headlines.

Employees are deeply affected
The Glock empire was based in Carinthia – in the famous gunsmith town of Ferlach, where employees were also deeply saddened by the death of the weapons magnate: “Gaston Glock always had an entrepreneurial vision and was able to pass it on to his employees. We are shocked.”