After a week-long renovation last fall by soldiers of the Pioneer Battalion 2 from Salzburg and with the support of Dachsteintourismus AG, the Soldiers’ Cross, also known as the Pioneer Cross, on the Krippenstein has been restored to its former glory.
The mayor of the municipality of Obertraun, Egon Höll, initiated the renovation last year at the Federal Ministry of Defense. Pioneers from Salzburg Pioneer Battalion 2 painstakingly restored the cross on the Krippenstein. The foundation was renovated and supplemented with new stones, the guy ropes were renewed and the cross was given a new protective coat of paint. The cross was consecrated by military chaplains of the Austrian Armed Forces at a small ceremony on August 2nd.
Accompanied by the sounds of a quartet of the military music of the Upper Austrian military command, the speeches of the mayor, the clergy and Colonel Daucher recalled the time of the construction of the military cable car to the Dachstein. Soldiers with pioneer training from the former Hiller barracks in Ebelsberg were tasked with building the cable car to the Oberfeld on the Dachstein. They were able to complete the work without any accidents. In gratitude, the soldiers erected the cross in their free time. The blessing of the military priests is intended to protect all hikers on the Dachstein/Krippenstein and visitors to the viewing platform from misfortune and harm. In front of many hikers and spectators, Mayor Höll also welcomed renowned guests of honor: the President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities in the Council of Europe, Gudrun Mosler-Törnström, the Member of Parliament for Upper Austria, Sabine Promberger, the District Governor of the Gmunden district, Mag. Alois Lanz and well-known representatives of the Dachstein cable car company, as well as the commander of Pioneer Battalion 2, Colonel Günter Gann and a delegation from the Upper Austrian military command led by Colonel Ludwig Daucher. Representatives of the mountain and water rescue services and the Upper Austrian Comradeship Association also attended the ceremony.
