Curiosidades

His father was a fire fighter.

Decorations: "Goldene Ehrenmedaille der Bundeshauptstadt Wien" (1995), "Österreichisches Ehrenkreuz für Wissenschaft und Kunst" (1999), "Großes Goldenes Ehrenzeichen für Verdienste um das Bundesland Niederösterreich" (2002)

Some years after his legendary success as Viennese butcher "Bockerer", the anti-Nazi-resistance fighter, in 3 sequels he was the anti-Soviet resistance fighter "Bockerer" (kind of Austrian "Rambo"), a considerable effort of qualifying and downplaying Nazism subsequently.

In 1996 he received The Golden Romy as the most popular actor.

He first wanted to become a carpenter.

From 1999, Merkatz was chairman of the human rights group SOS Mitmensch.

After World War II he was an active Boy Scout in Wiener Neustadt.

He started to enroll in acting lessons in Salzburg, Vienna and Zurich. Then he found employment in theaters, most notably in Munich, Salzburg, Hamburg and Vienna (Theater in der Josefstadt).