For the Imperial Festival in Baden near Vienna on Sunday, 14 June 2026, Major General iTR Andreas Rotter has this time entrusted the overall command to Major iTR Alexander Sascha Eckhardt, MBA, commander of the Traditional Dragoon Regiment No. 7 ‘Herzog von Lothringen und Bar’.
The programme was led by Olt iTR Alexander Blümel of the Traditional Dragoon Regiment No. 7. Alongside the Stadtmusik Baden, there were some 100 people in traditional uniforms from Austria and Slovenia. At 1.45 pm, the parade began, led by the Stadtmusik Baden, from Schnitzler Park through the town to the Kurpark, where the military part of the event took place.
After the report by Major iTR Alexander Sascha Eckhardt, MBA, and a verse of the national anthem, the parade along the front line followed. Erna Koprax from the Baden Tourist Office then welcomed the guests of honour, the troops and the numerous spectators. This was followed by speeches from Michael Capek, Councillor for Culture, Deputy Mayor Johann Wilhelm Trenner and Matthias Zauner, Member of the Lower Austrian State Parliament.
In recognition of their many years of support for the Imperial Festival, Major General iTR Andreas Rotter and Captain iTR Kons. Johann Marian Eckhardt of the Traditional Dragoon Regiment No. 7 were awarded the Emperor Frederick III Medal by the City of Baden in front of the assembled troops and the audience. The ceremony concluded with the singing of a verse from the Lower Austrian regional anthem and a verse from the Imperial anthem.
Following the report, the troops marched off to a loud cheer of ‘HURRAH!’. A group photograph was taken in front of the grand staircase, after which everyone was invited to enjoy some food and drink. There was also a horse-riding demonstration, and the choir of the Traditional Dragoon Regiment No. 5 ‘Nikolaus I. Kaiser von Rußland’ from Cerknica, Slovenia, sang a few songs in Slovenian as an encore for the audience.
