Austria (officially called the Republic of Austria) is a landlocked country in southern Central Europe, located in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is Vienna, the largest and most populous city in the state. Austrian National Day is a public holiday celebrated on October 26 as "Day of the Austrian Flag" every year to remember the federal Constitution Act of Austrian Neutrality of 1965.
Austrian National Day 2023
Austrian National Day falls on 26 October annually commemorating the day when Austria adopted the Federal Constitutional Act of Austrian Neutrality. This was the day in 1965 when Austria declared its neutrality and decided that it would not join any military alliances and would not allow any military bases to be established on its territory. This day marks Austrian Flag Day and marks the restoration of Austrian sovereignty after World War II. This year, the day will be celebrated on Wednesday, October 26.
History of Austrian National Day
Austria’s National Day is a day that has been celebrated since 1965 and as "Day of the Austrian Flag" since 1956. A decade earlier, the country declared its permanent neutrality, and it has since become a fundamental value of Austrian foreign policy. Within a day’s notice, on October 25, 1955, the last troops left the city, which had been occupied by four Allied nations (France, the Soviet Union, Britain, and the United States) since the end of the Second World War.
After World War II ended, the four Allied forces occupied Austria dividing it into four regions. The Austrian parliament had been elected democratically but every government decision was approved by the consent of Allied forces before the decision was made. The signing of the Austrian State Treaty on May 15, 1955, ended the occupation by Allied forces.
The declaration was a result of the joint occupation of Austria by France, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Soviet Union between 1945 and 1955. It is believed that the Soviet Union would not have signed the Austrian State Treaty in May 1955 if Austria had not declared its neutrality on the withdrawal of the allied forces from the country.
Austrian National Day Celebrations
On October 26, the Austrian flag is flying everywhere across the country. Memorial ceremonies are held in many parts of the country, including federal museums that offer free entry and some state institutions that are open to visitors.
A unique tradition on this day is the “fitness marches” (German: Fit-Märsche). This is a hike that is organised across the country and attracts about 100,000 people each year. The goal is to promote fitness and spread the message about healthy living. The Fit-Märsche in Launsdorf takes place on October 26th at 9 a.m. The route leads from the tennis court to the Unterweinzer to Thalsdorf to the Ober.
Austrian National Day on October 26th is a public holiday in Austria. Therefore, offices, banks, schools and businesses remain closed on this day. Public transport operates on a limited schedule. On this day, Austrian citizens are allowed to visit any federal museum for free. Several federal institutions have also traditionally opened their doors to the public for the day (namely the Federal Chancellery).
How to celebrate Austrian National Day
There are a number of ways to celebrate the day. Below we added a few of the ways -
1. Learn Austrian History
Learning about the history of Austria and its independence is a great way to celebrate the national day. This allows you to express the meaning of the day and discover Austria's captivating history. The most recommended book is "History of Austria: A Captivating Guide to Austrian History".
2. Take Part In The Military Parade
On every Austrian national holiday, you can follow what is happening on the streets of Austria. You can take part in the military parade that takes place in the area surrounding the Hofburg. Besides, the parade includes a marching band and different performances.
3. Watch the President's Speech
It would be great to witness the President's speech live. You can also visit the Federal Chancellery or the Austrian Parliament and listen to the Federal President's speech to the nation.
4. Visit Museums
There is a wide range of museums in Austria's capital Vienna, which are usually free if you visit them on the national holiday. Austria has a rich culture and history, which you can learn about in all of the country's museums.
5. Wear Traditional Clothes from Austria
To celebrate the day, one can wear the traditional clothing of Austria.
If you are a woman you can wear 'Dirndls', a tight-fitting bodice combined with an apron of different colours. Men wear leather trousers, knee-length trousers or leather shorts, with rustic shoes and woollen socks.
6. Have Traditional Dishes
Eating one of these traditional delicacies will add excitement to Austria on the day:
- Marillenknödel (Apricot Dumplings)
- Wiener Schnitzel.
- Linzer Torte.
- Sacher Torte.
- Vorarlberg Mountain Cheese.
Flag of Austria and Its Significance
The national flag of Austria (Austrian German: Flagge Österreichs) consists of three bands of colour in a horizontal triband of red (top and bottom) and white (in the middle).
It was adopted in 1230 A.D and most recently on 1 May 1945. The flag's official proportion is 2:3 and uses as the national flag of the Republic of Austria, civil flag and ensign.
The flag of Austria is considered to be one of the oldest national symbols still in use by a modern nation, with its first use in 1230. Austrian triband (red, white, red) originated from the Babenberg dynasty's coat of arms.
Not only was it the Austrian flag from 1230, but it was adopted as the naval flag and flag of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany and the Duchy of Modena and Reggio in the 18th and 19th centuries, as both were under cadet control Branches represented by the House of Habsburg.
In addition, the people of Austria believe the red stands for strength and bravery while the white stands for peace and honesty.
National Symbols of Austria
In 1919, Austrian legislators gathered in Vienna to create a republic from the remains of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. They adopted an arm in which the Austrian eagle committed itself to the common man, holding in its claws a hammer, for workers, and a sickle, for farmers.
The black imperial eagle, sometimes single- and sometimes double-headed, has appeared on Austrian flags for centuries and is a reminder of the country’s heritage today while a broken chain was added to the eagle’s legs in 1945 as a symbol of freedom.
Other National Symbols include:
- National Animal of Austria: The Golden Eagle
- National Bird: the barn swallow.
- National Flower of Austria: edelweiss
- National Tree of Austria: Beech tree
- National Fruit of Austria: Apple
- National Food of Austria: Tafelspitz is generally regarded as the national dish of Austria.
Austrian National Day 2023 Wishes, Greetings
Every year on October 26, Austrians celebrate their country’s declaration of permanent neutrality and re-declaration as an independent and sovereign nation. Below is a collection of Austria Day wishes -
- Our nation is delicate and special and we do everything we can to make sure our country pride of the world. Happy Austria Day!
- Today, we admire those who helped us achieve our independence. Freedom is hard to come by, and so we are blessed to have this. Happy Austrian National Day!
- Let’s rejoice and celebrate saluting those who made the country free, those who made our country stand tall and strong. Happy Austrian National Day!
- May this National Day bring fortune and prosperity to each one of us; may our country see more development in the coming years! Happy Austrian National Day!
- On this day I wish you to enjoy every moment of your life to the fullest because you are a free person living in a free country. Happy Austrian National Day!
- The idea of bringing neutrality to the alliance will always be celebrated with high spirits. Happy Austrian National Day!
Austrian National Day 2023 Messages, Quotes
In the aftermath of its liberation in 1945 and a decade of Allied occupation, the country received its sovereignty in 1955 and was declared permanently neutral. Here are the best messages on this day to share with your friends and family -
- Happy Austrian National Day to all. This day is very special for our country because we declare our neutrality to the military alliance.
- Let us come together and make Austrian National Day memorable by honouring our nation’s neutrality in support of peace rather than war.
- Let’s get together and make Austrian National Day a memorable one by learning about our country’s history.
- Happy Austrian National Day! May the country will always be on the road to progress and success and we will always contribute to its growth.
- There are many ways to make the country higher as much as possible and we need to do so from all angles. Happy Austrian National Day!
- The signing of the Declaration of Neutrality was officially announced and declared as Austrian National Day.
Austrian National Day 2023 Status, Captions
The signing of the Declaration of Neutrality was officially recognised and declared on Austrian National Day. This post is all about the greeting for WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook status -
- Happy Austrian National Day! We are fortunate and always proud to be born in such an amazing country.
- There are so many amazing facts that we don’t know about our country and today is the day to find out about them. Happy Austria Day!
- Wishing all a great Austrian National Day! Don’t miss the inspiring speech of the President of Austria on this day.
- Let’s get together and make Austrian National Day a memorable one by learning about our country’s history.
- Happy Austrian National Day! May the country will always be on the road to progress and success and we will always contribute to its growth.
Austrian National Day 2023 SMS
Austrian National Day has been celebrated since 1965 to recall the day Austria signed the Declaration of Neutrality. The decision was approved by the Austrian Parliament, which declared Austria neutral. Share your heartwarming wishes with these short messages (SMS) -
- Celebrating the Austrian National Day by participating in or witnessing the amazing parades on this day.
- On Austrian National Day, we should visit museums throughout the country that tell the story of many countries.
- There is a wide range of events organised across the country and we need to be a part of making Austrian National Day a memorable event.
- The Austrian National Day is intended to remain neutral and consistent with everything towards our nation and national cause.
- We want peace not war and we want to share that with the whole world. Happy Austrian National Day!
In the concluding section, we can say that October 26 has been celebrated as the Day of the Austrian Flag every year in Austria since 1956, and National Day since 1965. On this day, constitutional law became permanent neutrality passed by the Austrian Parliament. Every year on October 26,