For more than two decades, September 12 has been the traditional day of the Vienna Military Command. The Vienna Military Command and a delegation from the Polish Land Forces jointly commemorated the Battle of Kahlenberg with a ceremony in the inner courtyard of the castle.
The origin of the Vienna Military Command’s traditional day is based on the historical events of September 12, 1683, when a relief army consisting of Polish elite troops and armed forces of the Holy Roman Empire, together with soldiers from the then Empire, ended the Ottoman siege. The commander-in-chief of the relief army at the time was the Polish King Jan III Sobieski.
Soldiers from the Guard Band and the Polish Military Band as well as honorary companies and insignia troops from the Vienna Military Command and the Warsaw Garrison Command took part in the ceremony. The joint performance demonstrated the good cooperation between the two garrisons – a long-standing connection that transcends borders. The joint performance of the “Radetzky March” and the European anthem of both military bands was a premiere. The main focus of the speeches was the aspect of a united Europe. In his speech, Secretary General Wolfgang Baumann gave an insight into the future direction of the Austrian Armed Forces. “We no longer want to be a better police force. We want to consciously refocus on military national defense. A reorganization of the force has been initiated with the establishment of four combat-ready brigades. With the establishment of security islands in barracks across the Republic of Austria, we want to provide citizens with special protection even in peacetime.”
In his speech, Vienna’s military commander, Brigadier General Kurt Wagner, mentioned that not only classic virtues such as comradeship, bravery and military principles proved their worth in the defense of Vienna, but also the willingness of the population to defend themselves and the ability to act together as one, which should be exemplary for today, both in Austria and in Europe. “Today, Austrian soldiers are deployed together with Polish and Turkish comrades in numerous missions abroad, such as the EUFOR Althea mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina. There they are working side by side in international operations for peace,” concluded Brigadier Wagner.
