This article appeared in the Summer 2009 edition of the Austrian publication 'Rotweissrot'

Liesl Müller-Johnson

As a genuine Viennese Liesl Müller-Johnson is Austria’s best Diplomat in the

Anglo-Saxon world.

Michael Heltau

Michael Heltau says of Liesl Müller Johnson: “ I met Liesl Müller-Johnson three years ago and have kept in contact with her ever since. I admire Liesl Müller-Johnson because she - a genuine Viennese - is Austria’s and Vienna’s best diplomat you could imagine to have in the large Anglo-Saxon world. “

Several journeys to Vienna during the last 18 months led me to search for the past. Year after year I had felt more and more like a stranger in this beautiful town But – after all - I was Viennese! and so it was now a question of re-discovering the town and to reflect on my heritage. I was born hereand am closely connected to Vienna’s theatre history.

My mother was the renowned and popular soubrette Rosl Berndt, the Shirley Temple of her days. She was discovered in Singer’s Dance Academy as a great up-and-coming young talent by the well-known composer and cabaret artist Hermann Leopoldi. Her stage debut – at 9 years old - was in the Carl Theatre, in the “Rastelbinder”, Lehar’s popular first operetta. During the first World War, aged 3, she sang before the Austrian Emperor Karl during the last hours of the monarchy. As a well-known soubrette and cabaret artist she married my father, Karl Müller, who in the early 1920s was the owner of the legendary “Kabarett Simpl” in Vienna which still flourishes to-day.

With such a strong theatrical background the stage seemed to be my first career choice. I showed an early talent when, aged two, I escaped from my grandmother’s supervision and climbed the stage of the “Simpl” to present a song-and-dance solo. My performancce was a great success, - not with my grandmother, however!

But I did not choose a career on the stage – studied modern languages - speak six fluently, – married Tom, at the time a Royal Air Force officer in the Control Commission in Romania (my stepfather was Romanian), later a wine importer and author of several books, and I became Elizabeth Johnson in Hampshire, England. I could have lived a rewarding life as a happy housewife and mother…… instead I established the Organisation which bears my name – the EJO (Elizabeth Johnson Organisation) recognised by the British Council - which over the years has enabled more than 250,000 young people from all over the world (among them students and pupils from Austria through my work with the OKISTA) to attend language courses and language stays in England.

In 1970 I became a member of the Federation of International Youth Travel Organisations (FIYTO) and five years later I was elected its Vice President. At the internationl FIYTO Conferences each year members clamoured for me to sing.

As Liesl Müller Johnson my life has taken a completely different direction, and I devote myself to my music. I sing Viennese songs, international chansons – English, French, Italian, Romanian – have made several CDs, and I sang in Vienna, London and Rome. In Vienna I performed in the International Theatre and also in the Wiener Theaterkeller. In Rome I sang in the magnificent palace of the Cultural Forum of the Austrian Embassy. I am happy to be able to help the “Save the Children Fund” and other Charity Organisations with my concerts.

The duality of my life caused Heinz Janisch of the Austrian state radio ORF to dedicate one of his programmes “Human Portraits” to me, and he came to England specially to interview me. This programme describes people who in midlife have successfully mastered a second, quite different career.