Swords return: Schwaz celebrates old tradition for barbara day!

Swords return: Schwaz celebrates old tradition for barbara day!

On the occasion of the ceremonial inauguration of the restored statue of St. Barbara on the Pfundplatz in Schwaz, a particularly traditional highlight was set on Barbara Day: the performance of the Schwaz swazen dance. This dance is not only a cultural highlight, but also an important piece of Tyrolean history, which was last celebrated in 1953 on the occasion of the 650th anniversary of the city of Hall. In addition to numerous guests, including Vice Mayor Martin Wex and the cultural association, Reinhold Steiner, the initiator of this tradition, was honored for his special merits. The sword dance community awarded him a certificate of honor and a wooden figure of the "crying concise", as on meinbezirk.at

the revival of a tradition

The return of the forgotten customs can be attributed to the Montanhistorical Congress, which took place in Schwaz, Sterzing and Hall from September 25th to September 27th. Thanks to the support of Reinhold Steiner and the local traditional costume associations, the sword dance could now be re -staged. Under the direction of Christian Haidacher, several rehearsals have already taken place, which is responsible for the special music and costumes for the authentic experience. The rehearsal management is based on historical templates, and it was composed especially for the dance music by Peter Reitmeier. In addition, new players were trained for the traditional "Schwegel" instrument, a kind of flute. This shows how important the cultural revival of this form of dance is for local identity, as The mining congress explained.

The sword dance tells stories from mining and symbolizes community as well as comradely values. Interested parties were able to experience the premiere of the sword dance on September 25 as part of the congress, with performed performances that not only preserve tradition, but also keep the connection to the history of Tyrol.