66th Anton Wallner Memorial Ceremony in Puch

Special honour: Ceremony of the Salzburg marksmen in Puch near Hallein

A sea of colours, decorated flags, the clanging of sabres and the proud sound of Salzburg military music: When the delegations of all 111 rifle companies and guards of the province of Salzburg gather together with our local associations and numerous guests of honour from politics and folk culture, it is much more than just a celebration – it is living history, a sign of camaraderie and a great honour for Puch. Join me on this special day of the Anton Wallner Memorial Celebration 2026 – from the arrival to the festive mass and the ceremony with a parade through the town to the convivial conclusion with a morning pint. We have captured the most beautiful moments of the provincial riflemen's celebration in honour of the freedom fighter Anton Wallner in spectacular images and exclusive drone footage for you.

Who was Anton Wallner? The origins of the commemoration

But why do we actually celebrate the Anton Wallner commemoration? Anton Wallner, a native of Pinzgau, was the commander-in-chief of the Salzburg freedom fighters during the Napoleonic invasion in 1809. He was an experienced rifle commander who had already taken on leadership roles in previous coalition wars and was even the winner of the imperial shooting competition in Graz in 1807. Together with influential companions such as Johann Panzl, Jakob Strucker and Josef Struber, he put up fierce resistance against the Bavarian and French occupiers, partly on the direct orders of Andreas Hofer.

As the anniversary of his death falls on 15 February 1810, the Salzburg riflemen gather every year around this date to commemorate him and the period of the freedom fights. It is a day on which the Salzburg riflemen express their attachment to their homeland as well as the camaraderie and solidarity among the riflemen, while at the same time commemorating all their fallen and deceased comrades.

Tradition that connects: My heart beats for shooting

Anyone who knows me knows that shooting is not just a ‘Sunday activity’ for me, but a family affair and part of my everyday life. For almost ten years, I was proud to wear the special ‘Rotmantei’ costume as a market woman for the Jakobischützen shooting club. My great-grandfather was already a member of the Jakobireiter on horseback, and today I am filled with pride to see my 11-year-old son marching as a Patronenbua with the Historische Schützenkompanie Puch for the past two years – side by side with his grandfather. Today, he was the youngest participant in uniform alongside the ‘Trommler-Buam’ of the marching bands.

This deep-rooted tradition made today even more special for me than for the numerous spectators who did not want to miss the colourful splendour of the Salzburg riflemen's delegations. The Anton Wallner celebration travels through the districts of Salzburg every year, alternating between them. It is an honour that we were able to celebrate this ‘festival of festivals’ organised by the Landesverband der Salzburger Schützen here in Puch today, Sunday, 22 February 2026. I am delighted to present my impressions, what I heard and, above all, the fantastic photos.

A look back at the festivities: from arrival to conclusion

Join me once again as I take you through the entire course of the festivities. From the initial gathering in the morning to the conclusion of the festivities at the pubs, I have captured all the highlights for you – accompanied, of course, by exclusive photos so that you can relive the unique atmosphere of this day.

The festive morning in Puch: arrival and line-up

Early in the morning, there was a special excitement in the air in Puch. From 8 a.m. onwards, delegations from all over the country began to arrive – one coach after another brought comrades from all the districts of Salzburg directly to us in the town centre. Our local delegations proudly joined the 111 rifle club flags with their own flags: the Puch fire brigade, the St. Jakob fire brigade, the D'Puachstoana traditional costume association and the comradeship association. After a quick refreshment break at the three refreshment stations, it was time to line up and stand to attention.

The announcement to Provincial Commander Josef Braunwieser marked the official start. In an interview, he said of the annual Wallner celebration, "It is one of the most important holidays in the Schützen calendar; it is always exciting and challenging. The Salzburg Schützen would like to thank the municipality of Puch for organising the event. It was a wonderful celebration, despite the less than ideal weather. Thank you for everything.‘ District Commander Anton Kaufmann also expressed his gratitude for the great support from the municipality and said that ’the marksmen no longer play a military role, but they are important for our traditions. The history of our ancestors should be carried on, as should our commitment to our homeland and our living traditions."

A moment of reflection: wreath laying at the war memorial

Against the backdrop of our parish church, right next to the historic Roman milestone, the atmosphere became solemn and quiet for the first time. The commemoration of the dead at the war memorial is the moment when we become aware of why we can celebrate in freedom today. While the Puch band played for the guests of honour in front of the Kirchenwirt for the wreath laying, the precisely executed salute of honour by the Puch Historical Rifle Company – accompanied by the thunder of the cannon – echoed through the village.

A unique sight: festive mass with 111 shooting club flags

The procession into the church was a moment for eternity. The flag bearers gathered in the cemetery until all the flags had found their place in the church.

Passing by the Pucher Palmesel, which otherwise stands quietly in the bell house throughout the year (except on Palm Sunday for the procession), the flag delegations of the 111 Salzburg marksmen and local associations marched in. At over 400 years old, our Palmesel has seen a lot, but probably never such a huge parade of colourful flags and special uniforms and traditional costumes.

Landesschützensuperior Richard Weyringer celebrated the solemn memorial mass together with Pastor Dr. Markus Danner, which was given an incomparably festive setting by the presence of 115 flags. It was an absolutely unique sight to see our Pucher parish church so magnificently filled. The Salzburg Military Band provided impressive musical accompaniment from the gallery, filling the entire room with sound.

I had the special opportunity to stand right at the top of the gallery with the musicians to take photos. Standing in the middle of the action between the trumpets and trombones was a pure delight for the ears and also gave me a spectacular view of the sea of flags below me – an experience I will not forget in a hurry. Just look at these unique pictures of the many flags in our parish church in Puch – a truly spine-tingling moment, full of awe for the tradition and history that can be felt here. 

Ceremony at the municipal car park: words of honour and awards

After the service, the event moved to the car park behind the municipal office, where the official ceremony took place in a festive setting. The procession down the large staircase at the rear of the church offered a unique sight of waving flags and colourful uniforms and traditional costumes.

The impressive start to the ceremony was marked by the entrance of the Salzburg military band, followed by the formal announcement by Provincial Commander Josef Braunwieser and the traditional inspection of the front line by him, Provincial Governor Caroline Edtstadler, Mayor Barbara Schweitl and Provincial Military Commander Peter Schinnerl.

This was followed by speeches from the guests of honour. Mayor Barbara Schweitl, who grew up with the values of the Schützen as the granddaughter of a Jakobischütze and child of a Prangerschütze, said in her speech: "Values, responsibility, solidarity, looking out for one another – this awareness has shaped us and continues to shape our community. Our commemoration is a moment to pause and reflect, reminding us of the importance of tradition and shared responsibility. Not only to look back, but also to look forward. The fact that so many marksmen have come to Puch today is a strong sign of solidarity. Thank you very much for that. I would like to warmly welcome everyone here in Puch and look forward to a dignified commemoration together. Thank you!"

Under the watchful eye of the patron of the Salzburg marksmen, Governor Karoline Edtstadler, the importance of community became palpable. "Today, the Schützen no longer perform military duties; they have a higher calling – a very, very important mission, if I may say so – they protect our values, preserve our traditions, strengthen our community and ensure that our cultural identity is safeguarded. Volunteering is something that is not only to be held in high regard in our society, but also something that holds us together, from club delegations such as the Schützen, to marching bands and traditional costume associations. But this also extends to voluntary work, and in times like these, my thoughts are with the mountain rescuers and all those who work with them to ensure that people return home safe and sound," explained the governor in her speech before honouring deserving comrades.

Furthermore, in her speech, she said, among other things, that "this voluntary work, this sense of responsibility, this commitment to the community in a society that is exposed to many threats, cannot be praised highly enough; it is something to be celebrated, and that is what we want to do today. For it is also an indispensable part of our Salzburg identity, and I would like to expressly praise and highlight your contribution to this, dear marksmen, and say a heartfelt thank you for doing this time and again and for coming here today." The crowning finale was the salute of honour by the Historical Jakobischützen zu St. Jakob/Thurn.

The highlight for visitors: the parade at Lindinger Bichl

At 12 noon, things really got going in the centre of Puch. During the parade at Lindinger Bichl, the companies showed off their full splendour as they marched past. This is where our photographers and drone came into their own. State politicians, municipal representatives and leaders of folk culture lined up together with the Salzburg military band directly at Lindinger Bichl to pay tribute to the marching riflemen.

A particularly proud sight could be seen at the roadside: the Historical Rifle Company of Puch and the Jakobischützen rifle club of St. Jakob am Thurn stood in honour of their comrades with the delegation of the Salzburg Provincial Rifle Flag directly below the guests of honour, forming a guard of honour as the colourful parade passed by. 

Musically, the parade was a real experience, as the bands alternated with the Salzburg military band to keep the beat: the Puch band accompanied the marksmen from Tennengau, the city of Salzburg, Lungau and the local delegations, while the Oberalm traditional band played for their comrades from Pinzgau and Pongau. Most of the delegations from Flachgau marched to the sounds of the Elsbethen traditional band.

Numerous guests accepted the invitation, lining the streets and applauding enthusiastically as the various traditional costumes and proudly carried flags passed by. The captains of the two host companies, Georg Meißl (Historical Rifle Company Puch) and Martin Krispler (Jakobischützen), looked visibly proud of their formations and this thoroughly successful festive day.

A cosy end to the Anton Wallner celebrations with morning drinks

What would a shooting festival be without conviviality? After the official part, life returned to our inns and the marksmen enjoyed culinary and musical delights during a cosy morning pint. The Puch brass band played a hearty morning pint for the marksmen from Flachgau, Tennengau, the city of Salzburg and the guests of honour at the Kirchenwirt. At the same time, the Oberalm traditional band created a great atmosphere at the Angerer inn for the comrades from Lungau, Pinzgau and Pongau. The Vinisterium also toasted the successful celebration with the Elsbethen traditional band and our local clubs.

Shooting culture in Puch: Dates for 2026

The Anton Wallner celebration was a magnificent start, but the shooting year in Puch has much more to offer. Our traditional clubs are active throughout the year and enrich village life with festive parades and social events. You can experience the shooting culture in our community up close at the following festivals:

• Easter Sunday: Shooting club ball of the historic Puch shooting club at the Kirchenwirt with indoor rifle shooting competition, large tombola and music by the ‘Wiestalern.
• Corpus Christi & Harvest Festival: Festive processions in the parish churches of Puch and St. Jakob.
• Jakobikirtag (last Sunday in July): In St. Jakob am Thurn with a festive mass, procession and subsequent morning pint in the marquee with the Puch brass band. A highlight: the historic marksmen's dance at 4 p.m.!
• Anniversary: On the day before Jakobikirtag, we celebrate 550 years of Jakobischützen with a festive flag consecration.

Come and celebrate with us! The Pucher Schützen-Kompanien look forward to your visit. It is precisely these moments of community that keep our traditions alive and bring young and old together. We look forward to experiencing these special festive days with you and enjoying Pucher hospitality to the fullest!

A heartfelt thank you for this unforgettable day

In summary, the 66th Anton Wallner celebration, with over 500 participants, 111 shooting club flags and numerous visitors and guests of honour, was a unique experience and an impressive commitment to our roots, as well as an impressive celebration that will remain in Puch's memory for a long time to come. A heartfelt thank you goes to the organising team led by Anton Kaufmann, district commander of the Tennengau Schützen, as well as our Schützen captains, the municipality of Puch and the Puch Tourist Association for their support. I would particularly like to thank photographer Adi Aschauer who mingled with the marksmen to take the best snapshots, and Michael Kuschei for the spectacular drone shots that captured this day so beautifully.

Take a look at @visitpuch on instagram to see even more videos and pictures of the unique shooting festival in Puch – I look forward to your comments and impressions of the festival here below the post! For me and my ‘Patronenbua’ (cartridge boy), it was certainly a festival that will remain a fond memory for a long time to come and one that we can be proud to have been a part of.

This way to Puch near Hallein: