VIDEO
Investiture 2017
of the Knighthood of Honour of the
LAZARUS UNION
Protocol Officer Colonel CSLI Rudolf Murth, Grandmarshall of the Knighthood of Honour
Major CSLI Helene Kneidinger, Assistant
On April 29th the yearly investiture ceremony of the Knighthood of Honour of the Lazarus Union took place at the Benedictine Monastery Göttweig which was founded in 1083. Besides many members and friends from Austria lots of international guests (Canada, England, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Poland…) showed up. 43 Dames and Knights of Honour, 19 Expectants and Postulants, 38 flags and banners, 26 musicians, 34 further CSLI members, Boy Scouts from Furt and Gföhl, friendly orders, comrades of the Veteran’s Association, voluntary fire service, the Federal Army, different emergency organisations, relatives and numerous guests formed the beautiful frame for this investiture.
Report by Oliver Gruber-Lavin
Pictures by Hannes Hochmuth, Michaela Matzka, Andres Haftner, Hans-Rudolf Gries, Peter Scherer and Susanne Sluszanski
Translated into English by Lt.Cmdr.CSLI NC Christna Gellert
Solemnly entering
Accompanied by a drum roll the entering started. At first – after the bearers of the crucifix – the corps banner of the Lazarus Union, the banners of friendly organizations as well as a delegation of the Radetzky Order, of the Order of the Knights of St. Michael and more delegations of confederated orders and associations entered the nave.
As the „Pappenheimer March“ was played the uniformed members of the CSLI and the Dames and Knights of Honour, the Commanders, Grandt Commaders, Grand Cross Knights as well as the members of the Chapter and the Chief Prefect followed. The banners of the Knights of Honour and the sword-bearers formed the end of this section.
Next the „main actors“ of the investiture, the Expectants and Postulants, moved in.
To the sounds of the CSLI-Fanfare the Grand Master – accompanied by his banner –, the ministrants and also the high clergy formed the end of this impressive parade.
The Austrian national anthem was then played and so the ceremonial move-in was finished.
Holy Mass
Then followed the personal welcome by the Grand Master. He especially thanked the Monastery Göttweig that made the investiture possible and he especially welcomed the celebrant of the Holy Mass, the Federal Chaplain of the Lazarus Union P.Mag. Stephan Schnitzer OSB. The celebrant entered solemnly the church to the sounds of the song „Wohin soll ich mich wenden“. Thereafter the celebrant started with the Holy Mass of the feast of Saint Catherine of Siena, nun, church teacher patron saint of Europe.
The Holy Mass came to end with the song „Großer Gott wir loben Dich“.
Investiture Ceremony
The Postulants and Expectants as well as the Grand Master with his banner left the church to get their mantles that were carried folded on the left forearm.
Accompanied by the sounds of the „Erzherzog Albrecht March“ the Postulants and Expectants as well as the Grand Master with his banner moved in solemnly and went to their places.
Now the Grand Master welcomed the present members and guests:
…. To the sounds of the „Erzherzog Albrecht March“ one of the most beautiful traditional marches in Austria we preluded our investiture.
Today we celebrate our 13th investiture ceremony of the Knights of Honour and we are proud that it can take place at the wonderful Monastery Göttweig. We thank the most appreciated abbot of the Monastery Göttweig and our Federal Chaplain, Father Stephan Schnitzer OSB, who made this come true. …
Then followed the traditional remembrance of the deceased comrades. Three Dames of Honour left the ceremonial area and went to the entrance of the church – accompanied by a drum roll. To the sounds of the choral „Nearer my God to thee“ they returned with the mourning sash and the roll of honour. They handed out the mourning sash to the Grand Master. The Grand Master fixed the mourning sash at the Corps Banner.
In remembrance of:
Reinhard Wassertheurer
Erich Kadlec
Brian Olive
Horst Schöffmann
Werner Hartmann
Gerhard Steinmetz
The Music Corps played the music piece „I had a Comrade“ and the banners were lowered for great salutation.
An important part of every investiture is the renewal of the officer‘s promise. After the „announcement signal“ the Corps Banner came forward and the officers in charge took their position to the right and left of the banner. The officer‘s promise was read out and all the present officers answered the question „Do you promise that?“…… „I promise!“
After the address of the Grand Master the investiture ceremony of the Knight Expectants began.
Each Expectant was called on his name and the Grand Master asked him in front of the assembled Knights and Dames of Honour: ……“is it your free will to aspire the Knighthood of Honour of the Lazarus Union?“ After having accepted the Grand Chancellor dressed them with the basic mantle which was closed by the Grand Master. The Grand Master now handed out the insignias to the Expectant. After the brotherly kiss by the Grand Master the „Knight/Dame Expectant“ was presented to the audience accompanied by the sounds of the CSLI-Fanfare.
The following comrades were appointed to be a „Dame Expectant“ and „Knight Expectant“:
Brigitte Gellert
Christina Gellert
Babak Philip Saviz
Friedrich Ehn
Günter Haschka
Hans Jürgen Eul
Manfred Renner
Markus Hackl
Thomas Brecht
Uwe Pott
Leopold Volnhals (As deputies of Leopold Volnhals, his best friends seine besten Freunde, Friedrich Ehn and Günter Haschka took the insignias due to his absence)
Afterwards the Grand Master described the procedure of the Investiture Ceremony of the new Knights and Dames of Honour.
After the appointment of the Knight and Dame Expectants we now come to the real highlight of the investiture ceremony:
The admission of the Knights and Dames of Honour to the Knighthood of Honour of the Lazarus Union from which no Knight or Dame can resign on his own inititave. Therefore the postulants have to answer two questions, that have to be answered officially.
Only afterwards the Grand Master accepts the postulants in the community and hands out the symbols of the Knighthood. The sword, the mantle and the Knight’s insignia. The appointment is finished with the accolade.
To honour the new Knight resp. Dame the Knight Fanfare of the Lazarus Union will be played and all banners will be lowered for great salutation.
The music piece is the „KREUZRITTER-FANFARE“.
After all Postulants got the accolade the Expectants and new Knights of Honour will stand in semicircle around the Grand Master in order to internalize this ceremony with a ceremonial hymn.
Now the Knights and Dames of Honour to be invested were called on their names.
The Postulants handed out their mantles to the Grand Chancellor. Then the Grand Master asked them whether they „…..want to belong to our community on their own free will and to accept our mission?“ and whether they are aware what it means „to be a member of this community“. After having answered „I want it with all my heart!“ and „Yes, I am!“ the Grand Master welcomed them in the Knighthood of Honour of the Lazarus Union with the following words: „By virtue of my office and with this symbolic accolade you are a member of our Knighthood of Honour from now on and I welcome you brotherly in our circle“.
While the CSLI-Fanfare was sounded the new member was presented to the audience.
Afterwards the new Knight of Honour entered the semicircle of the Knights after having received the decree.
Ordained as Knights of Honour were:
Christopher Vlasic
Franz Graf
Franz Lentner
Herbert Alexander Bauer
Lothar Gellert
Thomas Laserer
Alan Wooley
The names of Guido Mancusi, Piotr Jakub Pniewski and
Wladzimierz Henry Zabka were read. In accordance of our rules, these comrades have been enter in our Knighthood of Honour, because they are not able to attend the investiture personal.
In conclusion of the solemn investiture the Grand Master spoke the „Saint Francis Prayer“ together with the audience.
After the Music Corps played „Sword of Austria“ the promotion and award ceremony started.
The following persons were honoured:
Univ.Prof.i.R. Dr.Josef Michael Schramm with the Grand Cross of the Knighthood of Honour
and
Gen.Mjr.CSLI Bernd Höhle-Kleinertz with the special rank of the Great Honorary Star of the Lazarus Union
To the sounds of the „Lazarus Union March“ the investiture ceremony was finished.
The „Brucker Lagermarsch“ was played and all present moved out the church and took their position on the stairs of the collegiate church for the usual photo.
The music was carried out perfectly by the Music Corps of the Lazarus Union under the direction of the conductor Fritz Lentner (incl. the plaza concert before the Holy Mass on the place in front of the collegiate church). A big compliment.
Finale
The solemn investiture ceremony was terminated with a champagne reception at the assembly hall of the Monastery.
Afterwards all guests met for the gala dinner at the Monastery restaurant.
Oliver Gruber-Lavin
Secretary General of the Lazarus Union
Grand Chancellor of the Knighthoo of Honour
Links to further picture impressions:
https://goo.gl/photos/yzgPnb2FbnnyuvGm7
https://goo.gl/photos/VBYzksLEBUJWAukb7
https://goo.gl/photos/VV7BJ7k52Ley5uhq8