Vienna’s Jägerball turns 100, blending tradition with modern charity and debate
Vienna’s Jägerball, one of the city’s oldest and most debated social gatherings, has marked its 100th anniversary in 2023. Organised by the Verein Grünes Kreuz, the event blends hunting tradition with charity, raising funds for forestry and gamekeeping workers in need. This year’s ball also saw participation from Soravia’s restaurant, Collina am Berg, which hosted an aperitif at the Hofburg, linking rural customs with urban dining.
The ball’s history stretches back to 1905, when it was first held to support struggling hunters and forest workers. Over the years, it has remained a fixture in Vienna’s social calendar, though not without controversy. Critics question the role of hunting in modern society, while supporters argue it fosters ecological awareness and sustains rural livelihoods.
The Green Cross Association (Verein Grünes Kreuz), founded in 1905, has always stood behind the Jägerball. Its mission—helping needy hunters and forest workers—has stayed consistent, even as political landscapes shifted. Christa Kummer, the association’s current president, oversees an event that has survived wars, regime changes, and cultural debates.
Tradition plays a central role in the ball’s format. Guests must wear hunting attire, and the evening features fanfares from hunting horns. Yet the event is more than just nostalgia. Tono Soravia, a hunter and restaurateur, sees it as a chance for dialogue between rural and urban worlds. His restaurant, Collina am Berg, hosted an aperitif at the Hofburg, bridging the gap between hunting culture and contemporary dining.
Debates around the Jägerball often touch on history and symbolism. Critics highlight how hunting imagery was politicised under National Socialism, though the Green Cross Association insists its focus remains purely charitable. Protests occasionally flare up, reflecting broader unease with traditional hunting practices. Soravia counters that hunting, when done responsibly, is sustainable—free from industrial farming, long transport chains, or processed feed. He argues it requires deep ecological knowledge, a perspective he promotes through the ball.
All proceeds from the 2023 event went to the Green Cross Association, continuing a century-old tradition of support for forestry workers. Despite its controversies, the ball remains a unique intersection of charity, high society, and rural heritage.
The Jägerball’s 100th edition reaffirmed its dual role as a charitable fundraiser and a cultural talking point. The event’s proceeds will aid forestry and hunting workers, as they have since 1905. Meanwhile, the discussions it sparks—about tradition, sustainability, and urban-rural connections—ensure its place in Vienna’s social and ethical debates.
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