Funeral Chev. Erich Kadlec

Funeral service 30. Oktober 2014 for
H.E. Chev. GenLt CSLI Erich Josef Kadlec

Secretary General of the Lazarus Union
Commander of the Lazarus Union‘s Knighthood of Honour
Member of the Chapter of the Lazarus Union‘s Knighthood of Honour
Lazarus Union Delegate at the United Nations
Founding Member of the Naval Comradeship Vizeadmiral Erzherzog Ferdinand Max
Holder of Various High National and International Awards

On October 30th, 2014, the ceremonial funeral services were held with great attendance. Our experienced protocol officer LtCol. retd. Rudolf Murth and our music corps directed by CSLI Bgdr Fritz Lentner managed a dignified and solemn ceremony.

The Lazarus Union Knighthood of Honour was present with a delegation of 29 dames and knights of honour (almost half of all knights of honour WORLD-WIDE) and provided not only a guard of honour but also flag bearers and an honour formation with a sword-bearer, a cushion with the awards, and a guard officer.

The following friend organisations paid their last respects to Erich Kadlec:

Corps Saint Lazarus Austria-CSLA

Naval Comradeship Vizeadmiral Erzherzog Ferdinand Max

Radetzky Order

Federal Comradeship Feldmarschall Radetzky-Burgenland

Comradeship union Perchtoldsdorf

Comradeship union Langenlois

Comradeship union Hauptverband Mödling

Voluntary Fire Brigade Spillern

Knight Order Saint Michael

Humanitas Korps Austria-AHC

Radetzky Husarenregiment Nr.5 – immerwährend

Österreichischer Heimkehrerverband

Civil Protection Organisation

Vienna Professional Rescue Service

Also many mourning guest were present from his home town Schrattenthal in Lower Austria

Dechant Dipl.Theol. parson Martin Rupprecht of the parish Rudolfsheim led the religious ceremony and obituary.

The mundane obituary was spoken by the president of the Lazarus Union and Grand Master of the Knighthood of Honour, Senator h.c. Wolfgang Steinhardt, with emotional moving words.

After the melody “I once had a comrade“ and the tattoo the ceremony came to a dignified and solemn end.

There was no one present who did not have to fight back their tears.

Rest in peace, Erich, and hold your protecting hand over us.

Report by “Spectator”
Pictures: Hannes Hochmuth – Pressphotographer
Video: Johannes Bartosch – JOBA Film

OBITUARY

Chev. CSLI Lt Gen Erich Josef Kadlec

May 10^th, 1952 – October 12^th, 2014

Secretary General of the Lazarus Union

Commander of the Lazarus Union‘s Knighthood of Honour

Member of the Chapter of the Lazarus Union‘s Knighthood of Honour

Lazarus Union Delegate at the United Nations

Founding Member of the Naval Comradeship Vice Admiral Archduke Ferdinand Max

Holder of Various High National and International Awards

Spiritual Dignitaries!
Dear Dames and Knights of Honour!
Dear Comrades!
Revered Mourners!

Is it then so strange, dear Erich,
That a candle of life has to die away ?
They are borrowed only, limited in time,
So they have to pass away !
The eternal light of life will gleam instead
Even if it is a tiny glow.
For us – giving comfort !
Until we are called for a reunion.

I want to give this comforting wisdom for the road to all who lament our dear Erich together with us. It shows us the circle of life, the fate, but also the hope remaining for us as the mundane life is but a short glimpse in the eternal circle of the universe and that there will be a reunion. I firmly believe in this! Death shows to us quite clearly the finiteness of our mundane existence.

Erich left us suddenly and unprepared on October 12^th, 2014. A heart attack provided for a quick and painless death, yet he died lonely.

During all the past years we were able to spend with him since 2008, he always stressed that the Lazarus Union was his family, now that his beloved wife Violetta had died way too early.

It was not granted to him to finish his 63^rd year but during his time in the Lazarus Union he made a difference more often than others during their whole life. Erich leaves a void hardly to be filled again. I am ever so grateful to fate for bringing the two of us together. I had always discussed difficult decisions with Erich and was able to benefit from his wisdom. A few days before his death Erich unknowingly left me a legacy I intend to fulfil.

Erich was a founding member of the Lazarus Union, on April 10^th, 2009, he took over the agenda of a federal secretary and was on June 1^st, 2009 named board commissioner of the general secretariat. At the general assembly in 2010 he was elected deputy secretary general and in 2012 secretary general.

In his human, discreet, and comradely behaviour Erich was on April 6th, 2011, appointed a Knight of Honour of the Lazarus Union and on October 13th, 2012, promoted to Commander of the Knighthood of Honour and called into the chapter. In the Lazarus Union relief organisation he held the rank of CSLI Lieutenant General and played a major role in the Lazarus Union reaching the status of an “NGO in Special Consultative Status with the United Nations“. He also was a Lazarus Union delegate with the United Nations.

A winged word with his comrades was that “Erich does not simply come in! Erich APPEARS!“ His reports and minutes were masterly drafted and he also was our walking library for the statutes.

I want to express my thanks to all, especially to our music corps for filling this celebration with the spirit of music, to everyone for giving Erich their comradeship, their friendship, their love, and their esteem. He truly earned all this!

By the death of a comrade, a friend, one loses much but never the time one spent together with him. We all will need much strength to remember the inevitable!

Now is the time to say farewell to you, yet I am convinced that there will be a reunion.

For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
It is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen!

With the following tune your comrades from the Lazarus Union bid you farewell. It shall accompany you as our last greeting on your final way on earth and we remember you in love, in friendship, and in respect. You will be missed a lot!

Goodbye, dear Erich and hold your protecting hand over us.

Senator h.c.
Wolfgang Steinhardt
Lazarus Union President
Grand Master Knighthood of Honour
Vienna, October 30^th, 2014