Investiture of the Saint Joachim Order

Wappen OSJ 200

Order of St. Joachim
celebrates its convention on
Rosenau Castle

A report by „SPECTATOR“

 

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On October 11th 2019 the Austro-German Commandery Leopold II. celebrated its convention on Rosenau Castle located in the Waldviertel region. The Lazarus Union was represented by a significant delegation. The first participants arrived already in the afternoon in order to join the common dinner in the evening. At this occasion new contacts could be established, f.e. with the British Order of St. George that was represented by S.E. Nick Hinchliffe and his wife and new contacts could be intensified.

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The Investiture started on time at 10:30 on Saturday, 12th October. Meanwhile all the guests, who did not spend the night at Rosenau Castle, had arrived. It was a sunny day and the Knight Grand Commander Oswin Hochstöger asked all participants to gather on the courtyard in order to enter the Castle Church accompanied by solemn music.

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The welcoming speech of the Knight Grand Commander was followed by new admissions, promotions and awards.

The Knight Grand Commander admitted the following members of the Lazarus Union as Knight or Dame:

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– Wolfgang Leithner

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– Rudolf Murth

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– Rosemarie Murth-Brich

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Furthermore Robert Hochstöger was admitted as Knight.

It was a great honour for the General Plenipotentiary of the Lazarus Union to be promoted as Knight Commander together with Juhani Hujanen and to get the Breast Star from the hands of the Knight Grand Commander.

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The signatory could especially surprise the Knight Grand Commander: On behalf of the Grand Master Stephen Lautens, who was unfortunately unable to come, he could award him the “Distinguished Cross of Merit”. This decoration was newly created to honour special non-financial merits of members of the Order in favour of the Order who cannot be honoured with the Medal of the Grand Master. Here are two different awards: the Merit Cross and the Distinguished Merit Cross. The Grand Commander was finally honoured with the latter Honour Cross.

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At the afternoon of the 12th October the emphasis was very much on sight-seeing. The members of the Order went to Weitra, an old town with a history that goes back as far as the 13th century. During a guided tour the beauties of the city were presented – like the “Graffitihouse”, the town hall square and the tower of the Parish Church of St. Peter and Paul. The Grand Master of the German Knightly Order of St. Peter and Paul certainly had to visit this church.

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In the evening the champagne reception was followed by a formal dinner. In a festive atmosphere and a special dress code (for the gentlemen uniform, black tie or black suit, for the ladies evening dress) we could enjoy the luxurious atmosphere of the “Mozartzimmer” of the Castle.

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The convenient talks were continued till long after midnight. Finally there was only a small group consisting of the Knight Grand Commander, the both new Knight Commanders and the Knight Mikael Stjernberg.

All participants agreed that this investiture was a specially significant event in the calendar of the Knightly Orders and Knightly Organisations.

Special thanks to the Knight Grand Commander Oswin Hochstöger and his team. Team.

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