Celebrations for the Emperor's Birthday in Bozen

Bozen, 20 April. With the most heartfelt and reverent feelings of joy, the inhabitants of the imperial-royal district capital Bozen witnessed the return of the solemn birthday of His Majesty our most gracious Emperor; competing with these sentiments, nature itself conjured up the loveliest and most magnificent day, adorned with the full splendor of spring, to mark this grand and joyful occasion. On the eve of the great festival, mortar salvos boomed from the nearby mid-mountain plateau, from all towers near and far sounded the ringing of bells, and the band of the 1st Battalion of the praiseworthy Kaiserjäger Regiment marched through the streets of the town with music, accompanied by an animated crowd, repeatedly performing the imperial anthem.

On the day of the solemn festival itself, scarcely as aurora reddened the mountain peaks, mortar fire already thundered, accompanied by the peeling of bells and the sound of trumpets ringing through the city streets. At 9 o'clock in the morning, praise to the Lord rose to heaven during the solemn service in the local collegiate and parish church, attended by all civil authorities, the officer corps, gymnasium students, school youth, and a large number of the town's inhabitants. The principal moments of the sacred ceremony were punctuated by the well-executed salvos of the deployed Kaiserjäger division and the boom of mortars. At midday, senior administrative officials, the assembled officer corps, and several prominent citizens convened in the festively adorned hall of the Gasthof zur Kaiserkrone for a cheerful banquet, where heartfelt toasts were raised to the health of our beloved monarch and Emperor and the entire imperial household amidst the thunder of mortars and fanfares; meanwhile, the band of the aforementioned battalion stationed on the Musterplatz rendered select pieces with precision. Following the meal, a special prize shooting competition organized by the commander of the 1st Battalion of the praiseworthy Kaiserjäger Regiment in support of the garrison commenced, held concurrently at the main shooting range alongside one sponsored by the marksmen's board. In the evening, after a spoken prologue and the singing of the beloved imperial anthem, a theatrical performance took place at the illuminated playhouse, concluding the grand festival with the earnest wish that this day may recur many times for our welfare.