Anecdotes

Has two more illegitimate children, Sonja Jürgens (b. 11 January 1966) and Gloria Burda (b. 29 November 1994).

Has composed more than 900 songs and sold about 105 million units to date.

On 2 December 2007, the musical Ich war noch niemals in New York (I've never been to New York) opened in Hamburg's Operettenhaus. It weaves songs by Jürgens into a familial storyline, similar to the treatment of ABBA songs in Mamma Mia!, the musical it succeeded at the venue.

Pictured on an 70c Austrian postage stamp issued to celebrate his 80th birthday, issued 18 October 2014, about two months before his death.

Father of Jenny Jürgens

Father of actor John Jürgens.

First and only Austrian winner of Eurovision Song Contest in 1966 with "Merci, cherie".

After recording West Germany's official 1978 World Cup song "Buenos dias, Argentina" together with the national soccer team, the song's country version was quite successful in the US.

Born to a wealthy family, he grew up in the Austrian Ottmanach Castle in with his brothers John (1931-2006), later a businessman, and Manfred Bockelmann (born in 1943), now a respected painter.

Has been a successful singer and composer in the German speaking countries for decades. His most popular songs include "Griechischer Wein" (Greek wine), "Mit 66 Jahren" (At 66), "Ich war noch niemals in New York" (I've never been in New York) or "Aber bitte mit Sahne" (I'll have whipped cream with that).

Wrote Shirley Bassey's 1960 world hit "Reach for the Stars".

Sang "Vielen Dank für die Blumen" (Thanks a lot for the flowers), the German title song of "Tom and Jerry" (1965).

The musical "Ich war noch niemals in New York", containing his most successful songs, premiered in Hamburg (2007).

His 1992 concert in Vienna was attended by 220,000 spectators.

In 2007 he additionally obtained Swiss citizenship.

In 1950, he won a composer contest organized by Austria's public broadcasting channel ORF with the song "Je t'aime".

In one of his last recording sessions, Bing Crosby covered an English version of Jürgens' "Griechischer Wein" called "Come Share The Wine." The song was released after Crosby's death in 1977 as the title track of a compilation album and was later recorded by Al Martino.