15 October 2025  Vienna's Eurovision ConnectionNext year, Vienna will once again host the Eurovision Song Contest — a city long associated with Europe's celebration of music and performance. Not too long ago, Conchita Wurst's victory brought the contest back to Austria, filling the capital with glitter, lights, and a message of tolerance. But decades before the Eurovision Song Contest became a global media spectacle, one artist had already had a lasting impact on European pop music: Udo Jürgens, who won the contest in 1966 with Merci, Chérie.Udo Jürgens: Chanson, Charisma, and Cultural ImpactUdo Jürgens (1934–2014) was more than a pop star. He was a composer, pianist, and performer who blended chanson sophistication with the emotional directness of Schlager. His music, often rich in narrative and melody, spoke to generations — romantic yet reflective, accessible yet artful. With his signature white bathrobe, which he famously wore after concerts, Jürgens created an enduring image of intimacy and authenticity that became inseparable from his stage persona.From Stage Icon to Collector's TreasureNow, one of these legendary white bathrobes is coming to auction. On 13 November 2025, Joh. Springer's Erben in Vienna will present Lot 980: an original bathrobe of Udo Jürgens, custom-made by the Austrian manufacturer Vossen and bearing both his embroidered name and autograph.The robe holds a remarkable provenance: it was personally presented by Jürgens in 2013 at the unveiling of his wax figure at Madame Tussauds Vienna, where it served as an exclusive raffle prize. Estimated at €25,000, the starting bid will be €4,000. Similar pieces have already attracted international attention, particularly at Sotheby's in London. In January 2025, a bathrobe gifted to Jürgen by Franz Beckenbauer and signed by members of the German national football team was sold for around 26,400 euros, despite an estimated value of 150-200 euros. The Sotheby's sale, titled "Udo – The Personal Collection of the Late Udo Jürgens", underscored the global fascination with the artist's personal legacy and stage persona. Joh. Springer's Erben, traditionally known for its auctions of hunting art, militaria, and collectibles, has in recent years expanded into broader "Country Life" and lifestyle categories — making this unique pop-cultural artifact a fitting addition to its growing repertoire. The Bathrobe LegacyThe white bathrobe became Udo Jürgens' trademark in 1969 when, after a concert, he returned to the stage in one for an encore — an unplanned act that turned into a lifelong ritual. Over time, Vossen produced bespoke robes exclusively for him, unavailable to the public. After his death, the garment became an emblem of admiration and nostalgia.Even the "Bademantel-Parade" in Vienna — held in September 2014 on the occasion of his 80th birthday anniversary, just months before his death — reflected how deeply this image had entered Austria's cultural memory. Fans wearing white bathrobes gathered to celebrate the singer whose stage intimacy had long become part of national identity. The Aura of MemoryObjects like this robe hold more than fabric and thread — they carry the echo of applause, the warmth of stage lights, and the essence of the artist's presence. The high sums such pieces achieve at auction may defy logic, yet they reveal something about collective memory and emotional connection. Like an original artwork, they preserve an aura — that intangible quality which transforms a personal belonging into a piece of living history.Image: A white terrycloth bathrobe custom-made by Vossen for Udo Jürgens, embroidered with his name and bearing his autograph, presented at Joh. Springer’s Erben Auction House in Vienna. Photo: De Pascalis |