Flag Anniversary ÖKB Stv.Langenlois

31.05.2015 – Schloß Haindorf Castle

Report by Helene Kneidinger, Mjr CSLI

It was a Sunday out of a picture book with temperatures nobody could have expected. In the gorgeous ambience of Haindorf Castle 44 Standards, 9 Banners, 250 comrades, 3 priests, 20 musicians, 30 Honorary Knights of The Radetzky Order, the Order of St. Michael and the CSLA – CSLI, and delegations of military historical groups: the “Hessergarde Senftenberg”, the “Tradition Squadron, the KuK Navy “, the “Pioneer Federation Krems-Mautern” and an excellent Commanding Officer, were the ingredients for a successful celebration. Fifty-six beautiful Banner ribbons were awarded and after the festival there were many congratulations, in person and by mail. Our guests were all impressed by the atmosphere and by the staging of our anniversary.

Allready by 10:30 the first guests had arrived – astonishingly these were comrades who had the longest journey: from West-Styria, Bad Gams and Stainz and from Burgenland. Manuela Murth-Menhardt and Brigitte Holzer had tables nicely prepared, and from 11:30 to 13:30 the Big Band played for brunch while our “Gastro-Crew” took care of the guests with food and drink.

At 13:30 the Standard and Banner bearers collected and the entry took place on schedule in 3 blocks: beginning with the Jubilee Banner of the STV Langenlois followed by the Standards of the Schützenverein Langenlois, the FF-Langenlois and the Corps Standard of the Lazarus Union.

Festival Commander Chief Insp. Franz Graf brought each group forward individually according to their place.

Block 1 with HB Krems, Waldviertel, HB St. Pölten, HB Tulln and our friends from the provinces: from Burgenland, Styria and Vienna.

Block 2 with HB Baden, Bruck/L, HB Mödling, HB Wr. Neustadt, HB Neunkirchen, HB Hollabrunn, HB Korneuburg and HB Mistelbach

Bock 3 – the military historical groups under the command of Alfred Wurmauer: Hessergarde Senftenberg, the Tradition Squadron of the KuK Navy, and the Pioneer Federation Krems-Mautern.

Upon completion of the entry of the Knights of the Lazarus Union Knighthood of Honour with their Banners, carried to the music of The Lazarus Union March, Commander Graf first led the AHC, the Order of St. Michael and the Radetzky Order into place and then brought on the Lazarus Union from CSLA – CSLI, the last chapter led by GM Steinhardt.

Following an announcement by Chairman Rudolf Murth, Commander Franz Graf came to the centre for the entry of the Clergy. The guests were asked to rise from their seats and with the command: “Standards and Banners Salute” and to the strains of “Good God ….” impressively sung by Reinhard Kittenberger the Head of the Kittenberger/Schiltern Adventure Gardens, the Clergy: Pastor Jacek Zelek, Deacons Prof. Herbert Trautsamwieser and Major Ludwig Winkler, entered.

Thus, the assembly was completed and Chairman Rudolf Murth asked the two men, Schützen-Major OA Dr. Heinrich Renner and the Commander of the FF-Langenlois, Karl Huber, at the sound of the “Anthem of Lower Austria” to hoist the Great Banner of the City of Langenlois.

This was the prelude to the actual ceremony.

Leader of the Regional Council and President of the Northeast Military Historical Society, Peter Juster, took us into the past in his speech with much interesting detail. At the end he directed our thoughts to the Commemoration of the Dead.

Commemoration of the Dead:

For this remembrance we had prepared a special ceremony. To a gentle drumbeat Helene Kneidinger, Commander Franz Graf and Rose Murth brought a large lighted candle (in a jar) and the Banner mourning-band to the centre. The candle was placed on the altar, with the mourning-band going to our Banner. Commander Graf pinned the mourning-band, symbolic of our 2014 deceased, to the Mother Banner. Then Commander Graf stepped into the middle and, at his order, the hymn “Good Comrade” rang out.

After “Good Comrade” the mourning-band was symbolically removed to celebrate the anniversary, but the candle remained to commemorate all deceased comrades until the end. All three Clergy signed the ending of the Commemoration of the Dead. This served to confirm many times that it was a very solemn ceremony.

During a short pause, the music for the ensuing Sung Mass was assembled.

This Mass, celebrated by parish Priest Jacek Zelek and his two concelebrants, was also something special. Seven Knights of Honour read the intercessions and Reinhard Kittenberger sang the selected songs: “Brothers Crying in Joy”, “The Earth is Beautiful”, “Listen if Jesus …”, “Sing Me a Hallelujah”, “Our Father …” and “Yes, if the Man … “. In the course of the Mass Banner ribbons, Banners and comrades were blessed.

At the end of Mass Chairman Murth thanked the Musicians, Reinhard Kittenberger and the clergy and introduced the 3rd act.

Schützen-Major Dr. Renner, in the 1st row, picked up his Standard and, at the head of his Rifle Company, confidently marched the formation to the middle. The altar was sufficiently far back to ensure the necessary distance of the Company from the audience. Schützen-Major Dr. Renner filed a report on the maximum attendance of the ÖKB Bd.-SF Ernst Stummvoll, and then gave the command to salute, which was carried out excellently. The Rifle Company then marched off again.

A special piece of music then announced the official speech on ÖKB Bd.-SF Ernst Stummvoll.

Following this, the CSLI Fanfare announced the address by the President of the Lazarus Union, GM Wolfgang Steinhardt, who conferred numerous honours during his speech. For example, honouring the comrades of the FF-Langenlois who provided volunteer services on their lift platform during the Disabled Flight Day in Stockerau, and Andreas Menhardt who volunteers his technology at investitures and, finally, at our request, three gentlemen: Schützen-Major OA Dr. Heinrich Renner, Ensign Alfred Zöchmeister and Chief Insp. Franz Graf.

Furthermore, members of the Religions present were honoured, and among others

Grandmaster Dkfm. Harry Tomek was presented with a Collar, the highest possible Award.

Our festival was coming to an end and so the Standard and Banner ribbons were presented. To save time these were brought directly to the Bearers. Accompanied by the “Prinz Eugen March”, Chairman Rudolf Murth and his wife Rose presented from the left, and Commander Franz Graf and Helene Kneidinger presented from the right.

On the command “Banners in Salute”, the “European Anthem” was played, and after “Banners from the Salute” the orderly passing out began to the “Radetzky March”.

The Banner of the participating City Association drew up the middle to pass the other Standards and Banners. Commander Franz Graf came to fetch each block and led all to salute our Banner as they passed.

This was followed by the Knights of Honour, the Standards of Langenlois, Shutzen, FF and CSLI, and then, finally, the Clergy. Thus the official part was over, but those who still had time remained for a while and enjoyed the warm summer evening in this wonderful Setting.

Helene Kneidinger

„More picture impressions“ by Rudi Zielek. (MANY THANKS!)