db1189556-uewhg

In the beautiful city of Baden, the Imperial Festival took again place on the 22nd and 23rd of June 2019. The imperial city attracted many delegations of k.u.k. traditional associations for the common march through the city. The whole ceremony was musically accompanied with the sounds of the k.u.k. Wiener Regimentskapelle IR 4 Hoch- und Deutschmeister.

The President of the UEHMG Major General iTR Michael Blaha had the honor and pleasure of escorting IKKH Camilla of Habsburg, who, together with the local political representatives, cut the front and opened the Imperial Festival. Mjr iTR Christian Pock – as operator of the first-class crownland restaurant “Otto-Wagner-Schützenhaus” himself deeply in the k.u.k. Tradition involved – was used for the first time on behalf of the General Adjutancy.

With over 30 degrees summer temperatures, a concert of the regimental chapel with a cozy glass in the park was allowed to be enjoyed after the official ceremony.

Photos: Martin Keller

At the time of Friederich the Great, each infantry regiment had a few regimental flags and a body flag. In the cavalry it was the same, but the flags (ancients) were much smaller and mostly not painted but embroidered. But not all regular Hussar regiments had ancients. Most Free Hussars had no ancients at all.

And even though the free-regiment Hussars von Glasenapp did not lead an ancient at the time, the regiment let paint Colonel Wolfgang Peter a Red Regiment (Eskadron) ancient and a White Life ancient. The body flag had the reverse colors of Eskadron’s ancient. So a white flag with a red heart.

On Saturday, January 12, 2019, the two ancients were ready and the regiment could start to beat the silver nails in the garrison lock Holtmühle. Present were also her friends “The Voormalige Regiment Cavalarie” from Venlo and Feldscher Major Dr. Beurskens.

The silver nails were made and donated by Goldschmidt Boermans from Venlo. The hammering was done with great care by his Excellency General Major L. Noordzij and Chief Mayor Scholten von Gross Venlo. Each ancient received two silver nails.

After this ceremony, Major Rik Poeth commanded two new recruits – Husar Winkelman and Husar Ramaekers – forward for the oath of allegiance. The two new hussars vowed to God and the witnesses present, Generals Major Noordzij, Chief Mayor Scholten and the mother of the company Baroness von der Heijden, the flag loyalty.

After a salute, the regiments and the guests of honor marched into the castle. Here Colonel Poeth thanked General Major Noordzij and Mayor Scholten and handed over a seal of approval. He then thanked the guests and hussars with the traditional Glasenapp liqueur.

Patron General Noordzij congratulated the two new hussars and explained the importance of the ancients. At that time, it served not only as a recognition, (one knew where the regiment was and also the chief or prince) but it had a symbolic meaning. The oath made a vow, respect and reverence. He concluded with the memorable words: “The flag is the clock under which shadow the regiment lives, triumphs or dies. It is the union point under which the regiment goes into battle and under which it can carry the victory. “

The General donated some delicious glasses of beer and brought out a toast to the Hussars Regiment of Glasenapp. The regiment should be proud of its ancients.

The hammering of the silver nails was the first part of the ceremony. The ancients should be blessed, as the tradition demands. On Sunday, 3 February 2019, the Glasenapp Hussars moved from their garrison town of Château Holtmühle to Maastricht. The field preacher Major Dautzenberg from Tegelen had been given an important position in Maastricht. So the Hussars went to the Sint Servaas Basilica in Maastricht for the blessing of the flag.

All the Dutch associations of the Union of the European Historical Military Groups were present, while the field preacher blessed the ancients: the Maastricht Brigade, the Voormalige Regiment Kavallerie and of course the Hussars of Glasenapp. After the mass, the regiments lined up in front of the church and the Glasenapp hussars fired a commemorative shot in memory.

The regiment prides itself on its two ancients and will honor them for every reenactment battle.

Report: Colonel F.W.M. Poeth
Photos: Nanette Ramaekers-Ubben and Maud van Dooren-Blok

On Saturday, June 8, 2019, the state meeting of the UEHMG groups Burgenland, Lower Austria and Vienna took place in Wiener Neustadt.

In addition to a ceremony on the main square and in the city park, a field mass was held in the courtyard of the military academy. The musical design of the mass held by military superior Stefan Gugerel was taken over by the k.u.k. Vienna regimental chapel of the infantry regiment no. 4th.

Numerous historical military groups in their traditional uniforms – from civil corps to hussars, dragoons and artillerists – made a colorful picture. For the UEHMG, President GenMjr iTR Michael Blaha took part in the ceremony on the main square and subsequently enjoyed the Maximilian Beer, specially provided for this event.

The UEWHG “Union of the European Historical Military Groups”, a European umbrella organisation with over 85 different member associations from 14 countries, hosted the European Shooting Championships. This major event took place on 15th June at the shooting range in Mistelbach in Lower Austria. The Kremser Traditionsschützenkorps of the former Infanterieregiment No. 84 was commissioned with the organisation and implementation.

At the competition it was possible to compete in 10 different shooting categories. It was possible to measure your performance in an international environment. Visitors from 10 nations took part, among them Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Holland, Croatia, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and Hungary.

You could participate with small caliber and large caliber, over 100 years old ordnance rifles, modern semi-automatic machines and with revolver and pistol.

After intensive preparations the competition ran at full speed, many participants came from half of Europe. A total of 70 trophies were awarded. These cups are custom-made and bear the UEHMG coat of arms.

At the award ceremony the Ukrainian defence attaché Colonel Andriy Tkachuk and the colonel of the cavalry Friedrich Gappmayr, representing the president of the UEHMG, Major General iTR Michael Blaha, presented the trophies. As representative of the provincial association for Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland, Captain iTR Alfred Wurmauer congratulated the winners.

The largest foreign team was the reservist comradeship Hesborn, which arrived with 6 men over 1,000 kilometers.

The result was impressive, all three first places went to the IR84 from Krems: The eightfold national champion Rüdiger Gruber (IR84) could get his sixteenth European champion title, the second and third place also went to the Kremser Schützenkorps: Dominik Scholz (IR84) won another title and Michael Kleinböck (IR84) could secure the second place at his first participation in a European championship.

In addition, a tombola with high quality prizes provided great joy for the lucky winners, who drew the right lot. More photos and reports about the European Championship can be found on www.ir84.at.

With great sadness we have the duty to inform that the Honorary Councillor Colonel of cavalry Otto Dorfstätter passed on 1st of May 2019.

The President of the Union of European Military Historical Groups Major General iTR Michael Blaha, the executive committee, the Presidium and all comrades of the UEHMG express their deepest sympathy to the bereaved for this grave loss.

The UEHMG will honor his deserving comrade in honor.

obituary

For the 97th time marks the anniversary of the death of the last Austrian Emperor Karl I. On this occasion, the Linzer k.u.k. Traditions-Dragonerregiment No. 7 “Herzog von Lothringen und Bar” invited on Saturday for the Spring Parade with worship on the main square. And more than 500 uniformed comrades from Austria and the crown lands followed the call. For the first time: the Hungarian Navy.

This colorful meeting with pageant on the highway (from the Martin Luther Square to the main square) was by no means a meeting of diehard, assured the keynote speakers – headed by Brigadier Nikolaus Egger, commander of the Army Officers’ Academy (HUAk) in Enns. Rather, it is a matter of military traditions, a commitment to virtues, timeless values and a contribution to a better understanding of the past. The story is a teacher, but there is a lack of students, said Egger.

Only those who knew their roots could live, he agreed with Colonel Johann M. Eckhardt von Eckenfeld (Commander of the Dragon Regiment), Member of Parliament Wolfgang Hattmansdorfer and City Councilor Doris Lang-Mayerhofer. In imperial weather, the parade of the Landwehr Infantry Regiment Linz No. 2, the Alpini (Italian mountain fighter) from Pedolo, as well as singers of the Dragoon Regiment 5 in Cernica (Slovenia) musically framed the event.

Complement: On the part of the UEHMG, President Major General iTR Michael Blaha participated in the event and was pleased to meet many well-known comrades of traditional care. Congratulations to the successful event!

(Article of the Upper Austrian News from 01.04.2019)