550 years of the St Jakob am Thurn Jakobischützen near Salzburg

A festive weekend in the Salzburg region, full of camaraderie and tradition

The 550th anniversary of the Jakobischützen in St. Jakob am Thurn and the 100th anniversary of the association’s re-establishment were celebrated with an impressive two-day festival. The Jakobischützen, affectionately known as the ‘Rotmantei’ due to their distinctive red tunics, demonstrated once again how vibrant local customs, community spirit and a sense of belonging to one’s homeland remain in St. Jakob am Thurn to this day.

The history of the association dates back to 1476. At that time, the St James’ Brotherhood was founded by Archbishop Bernhard von Rohr as a peasant militia to protect the homeland in the face of the impending Turkish threat. What began 550 years ago and was re-established in 1926 is now passed down from generation to generation.

About 20 years ago, I had the privilege of being part of the Jakobischützen as a market vendor and of taking part in the historic marksmen’s dance a total of eight times. I am therefore all the more delighted to have documented this year’s big anniversary weekend with my camera. Together with other photographers, we captured many special moments, which I have compiled here for you.

A ceremonial start to the celebrations with the consecration of the flag

The anniversary weekend began on 25 July with the ceremonial consecration of the new club flag – fittingly on the feast day of Saint James, the patron saint of the Jakobischützen. Numerous guest clubs, flag delegations and guests of honour came to St. Jakob am Thurn to celebrate this special ceremony together. What followed was a festival full of moving moments, living tradition and a great sense of community.

Numerous clubs and guests paid tribute to the Jakobischützen

The invited clubs and flag-bearing delegations arrived at the clubhouse in St. Jakob on Saturday afternoon. They then marched together to the festival grounds. The arrival of the flag bearer, Margarethe Angerpointner, and the three flag patrons – Anna Krispler, Theresia Wintersteller and Andrea Hager – presented a particularly festive sight. They were brought to the ceremony in a decorated carriage of honour by Marlene, a former resident of Markedent, and her husband Johannes Huber, from the Mühllehen estate in Elixhausen.

Numerous guest clubs and flag delegations from Puch and the Tennengau region were welcomed to the flag consecration ceremony. Alongside the flag delegations from the Tennengau rifle companies and local clubs and organisations, the Puch Historical Rifle Company, the Oberalm Prangerschützen and the Elsbethen Prangerschützen took part in the ceremony together with the Jakobischützen. Musical accompaniment was provided by the Puch Brass Band, the Elsbethen Traditional Music Band and the Krispl-Gaißau Traditional Music Band. The musical prelude, the procession of the flags and the formation of the clubs lent the ceremony a dignified atmosphere right from the start.

Festive Mass to mark the 550th anniversary with a flag consecration

In glorious sunshine, the marksmen, the marching bands and the many flags created a truly spectacular sight. The flag consecration took place on the slightly elevated plot of land belonging to the ‘Fahnenmutter’ (flag mother), above the festival grounds. From there, there was an impressive view across the entire celebration: to the right and left, the flags of the guest clubs formed a guard of honour, whilst in the centre stood the altar for the service.

Next to it stood a specially made wooden flagpole with the ensign of the Jakobischützen painted on it. He had already been carrying the new flag during the festive mass and held it aloft until the ceremonial handover.

The new flag as a symbol of community

The blessing of the Jakobischützen’s new club flag took place during a service led by Dean Markus Danner. Following the blessing, the flag’s patroness and the flag’s godmothers placed their hands on the flag before it was officially handed over to the flag bearer and, by extension, to the club.

The flag bearer addressed the Jakobischützen with the following words:

    “I present this flag to you. Hold it high and honour it. May it always be a symbol of your fellowship and loyalty to the Jakobischützen.”

Ensign Andreas Krispler replied on behalf of the association:

    “We accept this flag with pride and gratitude. We vow to carry it with honour and to serve our association faithfully.”

In future, the flag will accompany the association at church festivals, anniversaries and processions. It is far more than just a visible symbol of the association: it represents the long history of the Jakobischützen, their values and the bond between its members. The red, Spanish-style tunics have characterised the appearance of the Jakobischützen since as far back as 1738. At that time, Quartermaster-General Josef Anton Graf von Plaz supported the brotherhood’s uniform, modelled on that of the Spanish pilgrimage site of Santiago de Compostela – to this day one of the distinctive features of the ‘Rotmantei’.

The flag ribbons and their significance

Following the handover, the new flag was presented with its four symbolic ribbons. One from the flag’s patroness, one from the three flag godmothers, the ribbon bearing the engraved flag nails from the flag donors, presented by treasurer Christoph Gimpl, and the mourning ribbon from the Jakobischützen, presented by honorary captain Anton Hager senior, who attached personal wishes for the future to it.

The words spoken during the handover centred on unity, camaraderie, loyalty and solidarity. The flag donors’ ribbon commemorates all the patrons whose support played a key role in the purchase of the new flag. As the treasurer said:

    “With this flag donor ribbon, we would like to thank all the donors who contributed to the purchase of our new flag. May this flag serve as a visible symbol of their generosity and their connection to the Jakobischützen. As a token of our sincere gratitude, I present this ribbon for our new flag.”

The Puch Tourist Board also supported the purchase of the new flag by buying a nail on the donors’ ribbon and wishes the Jakobischützen many wonderful parades with their new flag.

A quiet and particularly moving moment was the presentation of the mourning ribbon by Honorary Captain Anton Hager, who said:

    “This mourning ribbon is intended to serve as a constant reminder of those who served before us and are no longer with us. We honour their memory and thank them for their dedication to our club, our community and our homeland. May their bond with the Jakobischützen live on in our memories.”

Speeches and honours presented by the municipality of Puch

Numerous guests of honour also attended the ceremony. The speakers included Mayor Barbara Schweitl, Provincial Shooting Commander Sepp Braunwieser and Member of the Provincial Parliament Mag. Karl Zallinger, representing the Province of Salzburg. The Municipality of Puch used the festive occasion in St. Jakob am Thurn to honour three individuals for their many years of voluntary service.

Anton Hager Sr., Honorary Captain of the Jakobischützen, received the Puch Municipal Commemorative Coin for his many years of service as captain. Hermann Mayrhuber, himself a member of the Jakobischützen, was also awarded the commemorative coin for his long-standing work as chairman of the local football club, HFC St. Jakob. Anton Brunnauer was honoured with the Puch municipal trophy for his many years of service as deputy captain of the Jakobischützen. Congratulations on this well-deserved honour and many thanks for your decades of dedication to community life in St. Jakob am Thurn.

A rare spectacle: the flag salute

One of the most impressive moments of the ceremony was the flag salute. The Jakobischützen’s new consecrated flag was carried down to the festival grounds by the ensign. The ensigns of the guest clubs then stepped forward one by one with their flags. The flags were lowered and touched each other on the right and left – almost like a ceremonial greeting between two people.

Afterwards, each visiting flag was returned to its respective club and the next flag was brought forward. The whole ceremony was accompanied by festive music from the three bands. This traditional salute symbolises friendship, respect and the bond between the clubs. As such a ceremony is rarely seen these days, it was a very special experience for many of the guests.

Parade at the clubhouse

Following the salute of honour by the Oberalm Historical Rifle Company and the joint finale with the Salzburg provincial anthem, the clubs formed up for the parade.

Together, they made their way back from the festival grounds towards the marquee. The parade took place by the clubhouse, where the visiting clubs and flag bearers marched past the guests of honour, the Jakobischützen, the Puch brass band and the large crowd of spectators.

A great atmosphere and Salzburg-style roast ox in the marquee

After the official ceremony, the celebrations continued in the marquee. The Elsbethner musicians created a fantastic atmosphere and provided a wonderful musical finale to the first day of the festival.

In culinary terms, too, the anniversary was reminiscent of the grand 540th-anniversary celebrations ten years ago, which were held in a large marquee at the time. Instead of the grilled chicken and chips usually served at the annual Jakobikirtag, Salzburg-style roast ox with dumplings and salad was served on both days of the anniversary celebrations. This was accompanied by Ochsenburger sausages, Fetzensemmel rolls, crisps and homemade tarts and cakes made by the residents of St. Jakob.

The traditional St James’s Day on Sunday

Following the grand flag consecration on Saturday, Sunday was devoted to the annual St James’s Day, which traditionally takes place on the last Sunday in July, around the feast day of St James on 25 July. The festivities began with a solemn Mass celebrated by Dean Markus Danner on the church square, followed by the St James’s procession through the village. The service was solemnly accompanied by music from the Puch brass band and the church choir. A special feature in St Jakob’s is the so-called ‘women bearers’, who carry the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the four St James’s guards, who carry the statue of St James during the procession through the village. During the procession, the parish priest holds the monstrance firmly in his hand and, for the first time this year, walked beneath the parish’s new canopy. The so-called ‘heaven’ is carried by four St James’s guards.

A beer tent atmosphere on St James’s Day

Following the festive Mass, the local clubs made their way into the marquee and celebrated with the numerous visitors at the morning get-together hosted by the Puch brass band. With superb brass music under the musical direction of bandmaster Eva Wagner, wonderful pieces featuring vocals and brilliant songs, they created the perfect beer tent atmosphere. In keeping with tradition, the final marches were conducted by the guests of honour. Deputy Mayor Ernst Sams took to the drums, Mayor Barbara Schweitl wielded the baton for the ‘Böhmischer Traum’, and Captain Martin Krispler brought the morning get-together to a close in traditional style with the ‘Rainermarsch’, to thunderous applause.

In the afternoon, the ‘Zwoa Zylinda’ took over the musical entertainment until the festival drew to a close later that evening. With plenty of well-known hits and funny banter, the two brothers from Puch, in Armstorf, created a fantastic atmosphere in the marquee.

The newly consecrated club flag could also be viewed up close once again on Sunday. The wooden stand, featuring a painted image of the Jakobischützen’s ensign – who had already held the flag during the festive mass – was now on display in the marquee. There, all visitors had the chance to admire the new flag and its many details more closely and to take a photo or two. Just as I took one of the four flag-bearers, and a souvenir photo was also taken of us, the former market girls of the Jakobischützen.

St James’ Day – a festival for the whole family

Once again, there was plenty on offer for the youngest guests at St James’ Day. The playground right next to the marquee, the stalls selling all sorts of sweets, and the bouncy castle provided by the Puch Tourist Board ensured plenty of fun for the youngest visitors.

In addition, the popular Flatz family’s Punch and Judy show took place once again in the castle gardens. Making his debut was a Jakobischütz named Sepp, dressed in a splendid ‘Rotmantei’ uniform. Sepp tried to persuade Hans Wurst to visit Jakobikirtag too and join him in the marquee. The new character had everyone in stitches and, at the same time, humorously linked the children’s programme to the Jakobischützen’s anniversary celebrations.

Historical marksmen’s dance of the Jakobischützen in St. Jakob am Thurn

The highlight of the Kirtag was the performance of the historical marksmen’s dance at 4 pm. This was first mentioned in a document as early as 1738 and has therefore been one of the most important traditions of the Jakobischützen for almost three centuries.

An anniversary to remember

With the ceremonial flag consecration, the impressive ‘friendship salute’ of the flags, the traditional Jakobikirtag festival featuring the historic marksmen’s dance, and countless wonderful encounters, the Jakobischützen have impressively demonstrated that, even after 550 years, their society is more vibrant than ever. What once began as a peasant militia to protect their homeland is now a living tradition, passed down from generation to generation and bringing people together.

When I asked him, Captain Martin Krispler found some moving words that probably sum up the entire anniversary weekend best:

    “A celebration like this is not the result of one person’s work, but of the heart, dedication and solidarity of many. As Captain of the Jakobischützen, I would like to thank everyone who has helped out over the past few months and especially during this festive weekend – our members, their families, the many volunteers, the musicians, the guest clubs, our guests of honour and all our visitors. Together, we have celebrated a festival that will remain a cherished memory for a long time to come. May God reward you for your support and your loyalty to the Jakobischützen of St. Jakob am Thurn.”

I, too, would like to offer my warmest congratulations to the Jakobischützen of St. Jakob am Thurn on this thoroughly successful anniversary celebration. With a great deal of passion, dedication and the help of countless volunteers, the ‘Rotmantei’ have organised a celebration that more than did justice to the association’s 550-year history. For the future, I wish the association, with its new flag, many wonderful parades, unforgettable moments and continued strong camaraderie. I am particularly delighted to have been part of this extraordinary anniversary, from the initial planning right through to the two days of celebrations, and to have captured so many memories for future generations through my photographs. When people look back on the 550th anniversary many years from now, these pictures should serve not only as a reminder of two days of festivities, but also of the many people whose dedication made this special anniversary possible.

Thank you to all the photographers for sharing your photos!

Image credits: Josef Wind, Patrick Bedek, Hannes Schneider - aartgenossen.com, Ludwig Angerpointner, Salzburger Heimatverein - Michael, TVB Puch - Barbara Lackner 

You can find lots more photos, videos and highlights from the celebratory weekend on Facebook and Instagram at @jakobischuetzen, where you can also watch numerous videos from both days of the celebrations in the Highlights section.

Which moment from the anniversary weekend did you enjoy the most? Let us know in the comments! 👇