On January 17, 2025, the 76th Officers’ Ball will take place in the Vienna Hofburg. To mark the anniversaries of 210 years of the Congress of Vienna, 70 years of the Austrian Armed Forces and 30 years of EU accession, the theme of this year’s ball is “Europe dances”. In addition to Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner and Chief of the General Staff General Rudolf Striedinger, prominent guests from Austria and abroad are expected to attend.
Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner: “It is a great pleasure for me to welcome the Officers’ Ball 2025 under the motto ‘Europe dances’. This special occasion combines several historic milestones. It is a symbolic moment in which we celebrate the values of cooperation and peace together with our European partners and the military representatives of the member states. May this evening in a festive atmosphere strengthen our common successes and the continued cohesion in Europe.”
In the twenty-three halls of the Vienna Hofburg, guests can experience nine different dance music styles. The festive opening will be conducted by the Elmayer-Vestenbrugg dance school. To emphasize the European character of the ball, the specially assembled gala orchestra of the Austrian Armed Forces will perform a midnight show. This will highlight the musical diversity of the European Union and will also accompany another anniversary: the 200th birthday of Johann Strauss Sohn.
The ball is organized by the “Alt-Neustadt” association (-> Colonel Matzhold is the new chairman of the ball committee), an association of graduates of the Theresian Military Academy in Wiener Neustadt, which is also dedicated to social causes. The diverse uniforms from all over the world symbolize the integration of the Austrian Armed Forces into Austrian society and the international community. The Officers’ Ball is an event with a long tradition dating back to 1926. Tickets can be purchased both online as well as on site.
As in previous years, Militär Aktuell (-> Follow-up report from the Officers’ Ball 2024) will report live from the ball evening as a media partner.
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