On Saturday, the Tyrolean Military Command and the Tyrolean Black Cross/Landesstelle Tirol held an international memorial service for the war dead and victims of violence of all nations at the Amras military cemetery in Innsbruck.
Representatives from Germany, Italy, Ukraine and Russia were involved in this ceremony – countries whose fallen are buried in Amras.
After welcoming the numerous guests of honor, Hermann Hotter, Managing Director of the Tyrolean Black Cross, thanked the Tyrolean military command: “This year, we are once again carrying out this international commemoration of the dead in a unique way together with the Austrian Armed Forces. We are particularly pleased that National Councillor Hermann Gahr, representing the Governor of Tyrol, will be attending this international memorial service and giving our commemorative speech.” The ecumenical service, which was held in Italian and German, was celebrated by the Catholic military priest Christoph Gmachl-Aher and the Protestant military curate Richard Rotter. National Councillor Hermann Gahr conveyed the greetings of the Governor, thanked him for the invitation to this celebration and quoted Immanuel Kant in his speech: “Peace must be established, it does not come by itself.” He thanked all those people who, out of attitude, conviction and solidarity, put themselves at the service of peace.
The ceremony was accompanied by honorary processions from the Tyrolean military command, the German mountain troops and the Italian “Alpini” from Sterzing, the Tyrolean Kaiserjäger and the Pradl rifle company as well as delegations from Italy, Germany, Ukraine and Russia. The Pradl Rifle Company and the Tyrolean Kaiserjäger fired a salute. The Tyrolean military music provided the musical backdrop to this contemplative commemoration of the dead, which was marked by the national anthems of the participating countries in a very solemn ceremony.
