On Friday evening, the traditional “Deutschmeister Gala” of the Jägerbataillon Wien 1 “Hoch- und Deutschmeister” took place in the garrison canteen of the Maria Theresien barracks in Vienna with numerous guests, including many guests of honor from business, politics and society. The “Deutschmeister Gala” began with an honorary salute (General Decharge), which was fired by the Deutschmeister Rifle Corps for the soldiers of the Jägerbataillon Wien 1 “Hoch- und Deutschmeister”.
The highlight of this year’s “Deutschmeister Gala” was the presentation of the “Golden Commander’s Cross on Ribbon” of the “Hoch- und Deutschmeister” to Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner. The battalion commander of the Jägerbataillon Wien 1, Colonel Stefan Koroknai, justified this highest possible award of the “Hoch- und Deutschmeister” according to protocol with the special commitment of Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner to the interests and concerns of the militia, for example with numerous investment packages or with the historically significant first deployment of the militia in 2020.
“However, it is not only the constant effort to invest materially in the militia that distinguishes Minister of Defense Klaudia Tanner in particular, but above all the lasting trust that she continuously shows in the militia and also directly in the soldiers of the Jägerbataillon Wien 1. We are honored and delighted by this trust, respect and commitment to the militia. We want to honor this trust and therefore thank you today with a very special visible and wearable award, namely the ‘Golden Commander’s Cross on Ribbon’ of the ‘Hoch- und Deutschmeister’,” said Battalion Commander Colonel Stefan Koroknai at the ceremony. Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner after the award ceremony: “I would like to thank the ‘Hoch- und Deutschmeister’ for this special award. If you want to strengthen our armed forces, you have to strengthen the militia – that is what I am doing and will continue to do. I am delighted to be able to pursue this path of modernization and upswing together with supporters such as the ‘Hoch- und Deutschmeister’. My deepest thanks go to the soldiers who have proven over the past few months that they are always there for Austria when we need them.”
The Jägerbataillon Wien 1 “Hoch- und Deutschmeister” is one of the two militia battalions of the federal capital of Vienna, each with a strength of 800 men. The Jägerbataillon Wien 1 emerged from the two Jägerbataillons 4 and 6 of the former Jägerregiment Wien. It thus continues the tradition of the Viennese house regiment of the “Hoch- und Deutschmeister”. This tradition can be traced back to the founding of the first Deutschmeister regiment in 1696. Soldiers from the Jägerbataillon Wien 1 “Hoch- und Deutschmeister” have been involved in many Covid missions in recent months. In January 2021, Jägerbataillon Wien 1, as a structured militia unit, was also in command of the mass tests at one of the three Vienna locations at the time, namely the Wiener Stadthalle, and thus led an assistance mission of the Austrian Armed Forces as militia.
