UEHMG

The riding training cadre of the dragoon regiment no. 3 in the former imperial and royal military riding and driving training institute Schlosshof organised the Marchfeld Castle Ride again this year – already for the 30th time. This ride took place under the patronage of former Federal Minister Dr. Werner Fasslabend and under the patronage of Hungary’s special ambassador Archduke Georg Habsburg.

The event took place from 26 to 29 May 2023 in cooperation and with the support of Mag. Klaus Panholzer, Managing Director of Schloss Schönbrunn Betriebs- und Kulturges.m.b.H., the heads of the event department, the animal department of Schloss Hof, the municipalities, the Federal Forests and the regional hunting community.

This year the castle ride was again included in the NOEPS Outdoor Riders Cup with the highest number of points. The 30th anniversary castle ride/drive was opened on Friday in the festive setting of Orangerie West in Schlosshof with a champagne reception.

Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner sent us all the best and warm greetings for the implementation of the event, the organisation and the participants. In addition to the more than 150 participants, accompanying persons, guests and guests of honour from culture and sport as well as the surrounding communities, the organiser Hans Günter Ebetshuber was able to welcome, among others, Dr. Werner Fasslabend with his wife, Vice-President of the Austrian Sports Teachers Association Peter Schimanek with his wife as well as the Managing Director of Marchegg Castle Andreas Pataki with his wife.

As a supporter and patron since the first hour of our traditional regiment (almost 35 years), Dr. Werner Fasslabend was honoured with the golden badge of honour with green laurel wreath. In his subsequent speech, he spoke about Prince Eugene, who reformed the cavalry, and about the riding and driving instructors’ institute in Schlosshof. Even in the early days when the Schlösserverein began to activate Schlosshof, Dr. Werner Fasslabend and Kom.Rat. Bibersteiner were of the opinion that the Dragoon Regiment No. 3 belonged at Schlosshof. He thanked the commander of DR 3 Hans Günter Ebetshuber for his tireless efforts, his commitment for over 30 years and for setting an example for all cavalrymen. The regimental bugler Zgsf. Günter Ringhofer was promoted to sergeant-at-arms by Commander Hans Günter Ebetshuber in recognition of his services to the Traditional Dragoon Regiment No. 3.

Afterwards, the opportunity was taken to visit the exhibition in the castle and the various special competitions in the castle grounds.

By riding on historical ground, the riders learn “interesting facts” about Austrian history through our info sheets; by delivering a dispatch at the midday rest, this knowledge, after opening it, could score extra points.

The competitions were again held in two categories this year. The A-competition with a total distance of approx. 80 km for both days, with special stages on the way, directly in Schlosshof or during the lunch break in Schloss Eckartsau or Schloss Marchegg. Among other things, the Haringsee shooting range was ridden to, where the k.u.k. officer’s pistol was used for resting and shooting. Rast und Gasser officers’ pistols were used to score further points.

The special tasks included fording, hand-horse riding, overcoming natural obstacles in the group, individual jumping over natural obstacles on the next day, estimating distances, cone course for the carriages, reading the map, etc., where points could also be collected.

HONOUR:

Before the award ceremony, KR Gerold Dautzenberg, former President of NOEPS, was presented with the Golden Badge of Honour with green laurel wreath for his support and promotion of the Marchfeld Castle Ride.

12 participants (competition A) did well in the special tests and completed the total distance of approx. 80 km without any mistakes. Of these, 4 participants were proud to receive the cavalry performance badge for orienteering and trail riding in bronze.

Also this year, after placing three times, 3 participants achieved the cavalry performance badge for orienteering and trail riding in silver, presented by the managing director of Marchegg Castle, Andreas Pataki, and the commander of DR 3, Colonel Hans Günter Ebetshuber, bearer of the golden badge of honour of the Lower Austrian Equestrian Sports Association.

The competition B with a total of approx. 50 km on both days was well received by the 35 participants and was rated separately. Furthermore, three carriages – among them two two-in-hand and one four-in-hand with four white Lipizzan horses – completed the long distance of 80 km.

The highest military score was achieved for the second time by OLt. Ivor Schiller (Dragoon Regiment No. 5), who also completed the course flawlessly for his regiment. The honorary cup of Karl Habsburg was presented to him for another year. The performance of DR 5 from Styria, which entered the competition with two groups, deserves special mention. DR 3 and DR 4 were also represented on horseback.

Unfortunately, no other cavalrymen from the Austrian Cavalry Association took part this year. We would be very pleased if, in addition to the strong civilian cavalry groups, members of the Austrian Cavalry Association would again be present on horseback at the 31st Castle Ride from 30 May to 2 June 2024.

Once again, we would like to thank the Lower Austrian Equestrian Federation for their support through President Petra Choc and Gerold Dautzenberg as well as the Geiger family’s company “Die Werbegestalten”. A big thank you goes of course again to all our helpers, without whom such an event would not be possible.

After the gala dinner in the restaurant “Zum weißen Pfau”, the organiser handed over the stable chains, stiches, certificates and prizes.

Results of 30th Marchfeld Castle Ride

Competition A (approx. 80 km in two days)

1. place: Dr. Yvonne Stark-Ziegler, Vanessa Mitterer, Carmen Merwald, Gerda Göttlich, Marie Theres Tomasich
2. place: Daniela Schäfer and Otto Buchheit
3. place: Christoph Allgäuer and Sabine Fritz

Competition B (approx. 50 km in two days)

1. place: Caroline Geiger, Finian Geiger, Carla Hartberger, Sophie Mikula, Lea Hager
2. place: Olt. Ivor Schiller, Ptf. Evelin Schiller, Korp. Alexandra Thür
3. place: Michaela Pinisch, Jennifer Schirk, Sarah Maynard

Competition carriages 80 and 50 km

1. place (80 km): Sonja Högler, Erwin Baischer, Florentine Högler, Motiz Ditrich

1. place (50 km): Norbert Linsbichler, Michaela Gutschka, Beatrix and Eric Graf

1. place (50 km): Iris Muhm and Lydia Glatz

Photos: Carla Hartberger, Erwin Nader and private

The UEHMG had already been recognised for many years by the Austrian Armed Forces as an association relevant to defence policy, and now the official distinction of being a partner of the Austrian Armed Forces has been further extended by a decree of the Federal Minister of Defence.

Within the Tradition Day of the NBC Defence Centre, the partnership with the UEHMG was formally concluded by the handing over of the certificate by the Commander, Colonel Mag. Jürgen Schlechter, to the President, Major General iTR Michael Blaha, MSc.

Major General iTR Michael Blaha, MSc, who attended the ceremony in his uniform as a colonel of the Austrian Armed Forces, pointed out in his speech the objectives of the UEHMG and the intersections with the Austrian Armed Forces.

In the following social part of the event, the numerous representatives of the UEHMG and the comrades of the Austrian Armed Forces were able to perform the first joint act of cultivating tradition.

On 23 April 2023, the UEHMG accepted an invitation from the Old Austrian Landsmannschaften (VLÖ) to attend the opening of the season at the Südmährerhof in the Niedersulz Museum Village, where it was also the 40th anniversary of the planting of a lime tree by Empress Zita.

VLÖ President Norbert Kapeller welcomed numerous guests of honour, above all HIRH Karl von Habsburg as grandson of the last Empress. In entertaining reminiscences, our Grand Master told of how the tree planting came about and of incidents involving his grandmother.

The UEHMG was represented by several flag delegations under the organisation of Liaison Officer Captain iTR Christian M. Zehetmayer and by President Major General iTR Michael Blaha, MSc.

A visit to the newly designed museum in the Südmährerhof rounded off the event and a trip to the Niedersulz Museum Village can only be recommended.

The Linz k. u. k. Traditional Dragoon Regiment No.7 “Herzog von Lothringen und Bar” under its commander Colonel iTR Consul Johann Marian Eckhardt von Eckenfeld held its already legendary spring parade in Linz in almost imperial weather on Saturday, 1 April 2023.

The parade marched at 2 p.m. from Martin Luther Platz along the main road, lined by a line of spectators, to the main square. Here the usual military procedure took place: announcement, national anthem/people’s anthem,  walking down the front as well as welcoming of the guests of honour and the regiments by the commander of the DR7.

In addition to the insignia troop of the HUAk Enns, 450 uniforms came from Slovenia, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Germany and from almost all federal provinces of Austria. For the first time, the rifle club from the town of Stribro (Czech Republic) and the Polish Volunteer Uhlan Legion were also present at the parade. The troops were commanded by Mjr iTR Alexander Sascha Eckhardt von Eckenfeld, MBA.

Guests of honour included the Academy Commander of HUAk Enns Col. Mag. (FH) Mag. Klaus Klingenschmid, MSS, GenMjr iTR Andreas Rotter, GR Regina Traunmüller (for the Mayor of Linz), Mjr iTR Hubert Niederfriniger, Lkdt der BG, Schützen und Traditionsverbände OÖ, BO der Tiroler Kaiserjäger, Mjr iTR Romed Giner, from the UEHMG Hptm iTR Ing. Christian M. Zehetmayer were welcomed.

The regimental band of LIR2 Linz played under the direction of Kapellmeister Ing. Michael Safnauer and Musikmeister Ostv Walter Forstner. The regimental chaplain of the DR7, Mag. Samuel Josef Ebner, celebrated the liturgy of the Word, which was musically accompanied by the choir of the five Dragoons from Cerknica (Croatia). Unfortunately, the intercessions in Croatian, Slovenian, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Romanian and German could no longer be said, as it began to rain heavily and the ceremony had to be interrupted. After the truncation, we went straight to the reception at the Old City Hall.

Photos: Zgsf iTR Ing. Karlheinz Mattern, IR 59

On 25 March 2023, the Dragoon Regiment of Ostrach hosted the Spring Meeting of the South-West German Association. The meeting served to get to know the individual units better, to exchange information between the groups, to announce upcoming dates and to foster camaraderie.

Commander Reiner Nusser was able to welcome groups from all over Baden Württemberg to the local history museum – including delegations from Stuttgart, Reutlingen, Wolfach, Sipplingen, Tuttlingen, Sigmaringen, Bad Saulgau and Weingarten.

The participants learned from the director of the local history museum, Gerhard Fetscher, about the special features of the three-country community of Ostrach as well as the circumstances surrounding the Battle of Ostrach in 1799. The museum received a lot of praise and recognition for the detailed exhibition and one or the other already announced another visit.

Afterwards, the participants were taken by the citizens’ bus to the Buchbühl memorial, where they were welcomed with three gun salutes from the dragoon cannon. Regimental historian Bernhard Ummenhofer explained the construction and significance of the monument. It was erected in 1903 by the Ostrach Veterans’ Association to commemorate the many who died in the battle of Ostrach.

The day came to a successful conclusion at the Landhotel Hirsch, where the Ostrach Dragoons received much praise for the organisation and implementation of the spring meeting from UEHMG Liaison Officer Bruno Herunter, Commander Toni Rädle, Hohenzollern Cuirassiers Sigmaringen, and Captain Jerg J. Werner, Stadtgarde zu Pferd Stuttgart, among others. On behalf of the Dragoon Regiment, Commander Reiner Nusser thanked all participants for coming, Gerhard Fetscher for the guided tour of the local history museum, the citizens´bus team for the transport and Petra Megerle for taking photos during the day.

Just before Christmas, the now traditional end of the year took place, with a virtual toast in uniform to Christmas and the upcoming New Year.

The executive committee of the UEHMG wishes all comrades and friends a healthy and happy New Year!

Traditionally, the Saint Sylvester´s cannon of the “Badische Böllerschützen Nußdorf” took place on 31.12.2022.

More than 300 spectators watched the cannons being loaded and fired in Überlingen Altbirnau. The cannoneers of the Dragoon Regiment Ostrach 1799 e.V. Matthias and Michael Kunze as well as Uli Schuler took part with the muzzle-loading cannon, calibre 95 millimetres.

On Sunday, 13.11.2022, the nationwide day of remembrance for the victims of violence, terror and war took place in Ostrach. The Dragoon Regiment No.11 zu Ostrach 1799 e.V. also took part.

Originally, the Remembrance Day was introduced by the “Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge” (German War Graves Commission) to commemorate the many millions of victims of the First World War. Especially in the current time, the day is not only a day of mourning, but also a sign for peace and reconciliation, especially for the victims of the terrible war in Ukraine.

The flag delegations of the associations and comradeships solemnly entered the church in Ostrach. The churchgoers, associations and comradeships then marched to the Ostrach cemetery with musical accompaniment.

The official commemoration ceremony then took place at the war memorial. Texts and poems were recited by pupils and Mayor Christoph Schulz gave a speech. While the music band played the song “vom guten Kameraden” (of the good comrade), the gunners of our dragoon regiment fired three salutes.

The subsequent lunch was a nice conclusion for all participants.

On Sunday, 13 November 2022, the traditional memorial mass for the fallen of the two World Wars took place in the Prandtauer Church in St. Pölten at the invitation of the church rector DDr. Knittel.

After two years of interruption due to corona, delegations of the Kameradschaftsbund, the Hesser Garde and the Radetzky-Orden followed the invitation. The UEHMG was represented by its President Major General iTR Michael Blaha, MSc, and the Deputy President Lieutenant Colonel iTR Michael Joannidis.

After a short prayer service and a salute at the Hesser Monument, the delegations marched together into the church, where the fallen and missing of the World Wars were commemorated in a dignified manner, but also the victims of the current war on the border of Europe.

Afterwards, the rector of the church, DDr. Knittel, invited the participants to the sacristy for a communal ending. A big “Thank you” for this event, which we hope will be attended more by the traditional delegations in the future.