Knight´s Parade

Knight’s parade of the
Johanniter-Association Basel
(Youth Festival St. Johann 1862)

 

  A report by Frederic Währen

 

The traditional Knight’s parade of the Johanniter-Association St. Johann Basel (Youth Festival 1862) took place on a sunny cloudless day.
 

After a difficult year of major change there is hope for the continued existence of this traditional association. Two years ago we were forced to leave the storage rooms. Finding storage rooms in Basel at a favourable price is like searching the needle in the haystack (or something like that). This would be the end of the Johanniter-Association. We have seen this in other Youth Festival Associations. Due to the great help of the government of the Canton of Basel-City and due to effective media support y TELEBASEL (as Swiss TV-Channel) a good solution could be found.
 

Exactly a 2:00 pm the small but nice parade started through the streets of the district. The blowing banner of the Association (it was carried by Captain CSLI Frédéric Währen) and the presidium were at the top followed by the President of the Parliament Remo Gallachi and his Deputy Dr. Heiner Vischer. Then came the drummer of St. Johann, Dr. Gérard Saubermann, then the children, the Leader of the Association, the invited guests and all other friends of the Youth Festival.
 

On the former Knight’s cemetery of the previous Johanniter monastery there was a remembrance of the deceased Knights with a wreath-laying (flower bowl), salutation of the banner accompanied by the drums. The bearer of the banner gave a short summary of the history of the historic place and he thanked the municipal authorities for their honorable company and the local television channel TELEBASEL for their comprehensive reporting about the today’s event.
 

Following this serious part of this event the crowd continued the parade through the district up to the office of CSLI SWITZERLAND. In the backyard garden of this historic area situated on the “Spitalstraße” the audience celebrated the festival having fun and games and with food and drinks. Everybody enjoyed the wonderful last summer afternoon under the traditional battle cry: “FI-FA-FO – s Jugendfescht St. Johann isch nidd in Rääge koh!”.

 

The office of CSLI SWITZERLAND in Basel has symbolically taken over the patronage and has paid the drinks.

 

Report: Captain CSLI Frédéric Ch. Währen, KCTJ a.i.
CSLI SWITZERLAND, Secretary a.i., in Basel

 

Basel, 08.09.2018