December 22, 2011

0080 AUSTRIA (Vienna) - Ball der offiziere 2012


In 1919, under circumstances not very happy for Austria, a group of graduates from the Theresianische Militärakademie (Theresian Military Academy), establish the Asociation Alt-Neustadt (the Old Newstadt). Theresian Military Academy is the oldest military academy in the world and was founded in 1751 by Maria Theresa of Austria. Academy headquarters is in castle of Wiener Neustadt, where he was throughout whole its history except for two short intervals.

With the goal of honoring and preserving the tradition, the Association have intended even from the beginning to organize a Ball der offiziere (Officer's Ball), but failed to do so than in 1926. From then until 1938 it was held annually as Ball der Neustädter Militärakademiker in the ceremonial rooms of the famous Vienna Hofburg Palace, the Habsburgs' principal winter residence, and in nowadays the official residence of the President of Austria. After Austria regained its sovereignty, the tradition was revived, and since 1956 annual ball was held again, with the support of Ministry of Defense, in Vienna's Sophiensäle.

"The steadily growing number of guests during the 1960s and '70s, partly due to intensified cooperation and new partnerships between military commands and units of the Austrian Armed Forces and the industry, the economy, and special interest groups, made it necessary to establish a separate ball committee in 1977 and to return the ball to the Vienna Hofburg Palace in 1981."

It became a custom that every year a specific neighboring country to be invited to provide dancers for the opening dance. The young lady dancers are from Elmayer-Vestenbrugg, Vienna’s most prestigious dancing school that is also responsible for the choreography of the opening waltz.

About the stamps
This very ingenious postcard, made as an invitation even by the organizers (www.bundesheer.at is the site of the Austrian armed forces), I received it from Belarus, so has that country's stamps. About Garden Flowers series, of which I have now 5 values, I wrote here.

Unfortunately January 20 spades in a Thursday and furthermore my tuxedo is at cleaning, so I can't honor the invitation. Anyway, thank Egorich.

Sender: Egor / Egorich (postcrossing)
Sent from Grodno (Grodno / Belarus), on 14.11.2011 

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