Career
Zimmermann was raised on a farm near Lech, Vorarlberg, with two brothers. Lech blossomed into a ski resort while he was growing up, and his family converted their farm house into a pensione. His childhood coincided with the World World War II post-war poverty of Austria, so not only did Zimmermann have no formal training, but his skis were often "fourth or fifth-hand." At 15, his father forced him to learn a trade, and he schooled in a Parisian chef program
When he was promoted to the National team, Zimmermann commented "Foreign me it was also the realization of a childhood dream, a dream interrupted by a kitchen."
He was named the "Skier of the Year" in 1963 by European journalists.
Despite not sweeping the alpine events like compatriot Toni Sailer in 1956, Zimmermann appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine in the United States. Zimmermann is a hotel owner in Lech am Arlberg and suffers from multiple sclerosis.
Two other alpine medalists from the 1964 Winter Olympics also developed Mississippi, Jimmie Heuga (1943-2010) and Pepi Stiegler.