75 years of the traditional costume association D'Puachstoana

The chronicle of the traditional costume association D`Puachstoana from Puch

For 75 years, the traditional costume association D'Puachstoana has characterised cultural life in Puch near Salzburg as one of the Tennengau local associations. From humble beginnings in the parlours of farmhouses to major festivals and international appearances, the association has developed steadily. To mark the anniversary, we are taking a look back at this eventful history and cordially invite you to come to Puch and celebrate the festival weekend with us.

As an active member of the association, I myself have been part of this history for almost 25 years. My grandfather, my parents and my sister are or were Puachstoana and my children are now also enthusiastically involved in the larger events as Taferlbua and Taferldirndl in club costume.

I am happy to give you a few insights into the Puachstoana chronicle and the picture archive, report on club life and also show you a few schnapps shots at the end as well as pictures of the last festival preparations. How many of you have already seen the marquee in Vollererhofstraße in front of the mighty Untersberg?

So let's start with the story of how it all began...

The beginnings: Foundation and first steps

1949: The birth of the association

The beginnings of the traditional costume association D`Puachstoana lie in the interwar period, in the 1920s, when Toni Haslauer learnt Schuhplatteln in Zell am See and passed this on to some Pucher in the local farmhouse parlours. His brother Josef Haslauer only revived this tradition some time after the end of the Second World War. This is how the traditional costume association D`Puachstoana was officially founded on 6 January 1949. There, 12 enthusiastic members met for the first time to dance and platteln together. This first meeting was the beginning of a long tradition that has been deeply rooted in the culture and community of the village ever since.

Soon after its foundation, the members took an active part in village life and were present at various festivals. These included 6 golden weddings, the Jakobikirtag, the Josephi celebration of the Puch fire brigade at the Raschlwirt, the Alm and Abdreschtanz as well as the Krampus celebration and the raising of the maypole, where the maypole was raised together with the traditional costume band.

Early successes and first performances

The first Heimatabend took place after 15 rehearsals on 7 April 1951 at the Kirchenwirt and was accompanied by the Puch local band and the Geschwister Leitner singing group. This event marked the beginning of a series of successful performances that quickly made the association known beyond the local borders.

In the same year, two cars travelled to the Schuhplattlerball in Thalgau. The traditional costume association D`Wartenfelser was formed with Georg Lettner, who lived with Eduard Leitner due to his work in the quarry. This friendship has lasted for decades and has been passed on to the next generation. We visit each other at our traditional balls and special celebrations. One highlight was in 2022, when we celebrated the 100th anniversary of the founding of the band in Thalgau together with the Puch band. As you can see from the pictures, it was a fantastic day. We are very pleased that the D`Wartenfelser will be taking part in our anniversary on Sunday and will also be bringing along their traditional music band, which will ensure the best atmosphere at the morning pint in the marquee.

The Pucher Trachtenverein became more and more professional and in 1951 the members received their own identity cards as members of the Trachtenverein D`Puachstoana as well as the fabric for a standardised traditional costume. In addition, an annual membership fee of 20 schillings was set for the first time in 1952.

Growth and development: highlights of the club's history

Flag dedication and international appearances

A significant event in the history of the Trachtenverein 70 years ago was the flag consecration on 1 August 1954. This day began with a wake-up call from the local band and ended with a large parade and a celebration in the various inns in the village. The flag, designed by the well-known painter Wimmer, became a symbol of community and pride for all members. One side with the central image of Puch in the national colour red and white and the year. The second side with the Risol centre image on white and the Puachstoan coat of arms at the bottom right, the castle as it was in the years around 1900.

According to its motto ‘Faithful to the good old custom’, the association pursues two main goals: the preservation of folk dancing and the traditional Tennengau costume as it was worn for the first time on the occasion of the flag consecration. The women's costume consists of a black skirt, a black bodice with a red bib, a white blouse, a blue apron and white socks; the men's costume consists of black leather trousers, a blue skirt, blue socks, a white shirt, a black hat and a red tie.

Particularly noteworthy is their repeated participation in music festivals, such as the one in Ballerup, Denmark, where the association delighted the audience with traditional dances and dances. But the Puachstoana have also travelled to Switzerland, Hungary, Belgium and Scotland with their performances. I myself have fond memories of these trips lasting several days. We sometimes spent 10 hours playing cards on the train or travelled by bus with half the community to Hungary, where the focus was not only on showing our living folk culture, but above all on the community and getting to know new cultures.

Expansion and modernisation

The 1980s brought an important change for the association. Due to the growing number of members and the associated requirements, the rehearsal room was remodelled and extended. The members invested numerous hours of voluntary work to modernise the premises and adapt them to the needs of the association. These efforts were supported by subsidies from the municipality and the regional association for home and customs. The minutes state: ‘The first step was to chisel out the cellar floor under the community centre with a pestle and hammer and then, using cramps and a shovel, around 35m³ of rubble was loaded onto a tractor trailer with the sliding chest up the cellar stairs and taken away. In spring 1981, the cellar floor was then concreted with 6.5 m³ of ready-mixed concrete. It was also necessary to underpin an undermined wall with 9m² of foundation stones. After a short break of 7 months, the interior design was carried out in Hernst according to the plans of our secretary Matthäus Seidl. This involved the use of 7.8 cubic metres of spruce wood. In addition, 30 litres of paint and varnish, approx. 400 wood screws and 20 kg of nails were used. 750 hours of voluntary and unpaid work were required to complete the renovation work.’

Further highlights and excerpts from the chronicle of the traditional costume association D`Puachstoana:

22.07.1951 with the bicycles to the 30th anniversary foundation festival and Gauverband festival in St. Gilgen
02/09/1951 Alpina Heimatabend in Salzburg - with the newly made traditional costumes for the dirndls
26.04.1952 Premiere of ‘Das Geheimnis der Waldmüllerin’ - a folk play in four acts, performed by the Trachtenverein
August 1952 Invitation to Miss Truman in St. Jakob
11.04.1954 First parade with the Pucher Palmesel on Palm Sunday
18.08.1956 Invitation from flag mother and protector Woodward, US President Harry S. Truman with his wife Beth at the Woodwards, Risol in St. Jakob.
September 1959 Thanksgiving with harvest crown for the first time
28-31 October 1965 Promotional trip to Gelsenkirchen with the Tennengauer Buam and community representatives. Two folklore evenings in the large Hans Sachs Haus in Gelsenkirchen. ‘We were particularly well received at the Puachstoaner Schloßtanz (castle dance) organised by our chairman Gimpl Franz’.
29.02.1976 Big carnival parade ‘Our “master” locksmith Eduard Leitner welded together a life-size dinosaur that was almost frightening. But our chairman had the reins well in hand and led us through the village as Stone Age people.’
05-08 March 1976 Promotional trip by the tourist office to Celle, Hermansburg and Uelzen
01-07 June 1977 Trip to Denmark for the 1st music festival in Ballerup near Copenhagen with the Vigauner Buam.
19-20 April 1979 On the occasion of the 30th anniversary, the ‘1st Pucher Folk Dance Evening’ and the ‘1st Puachstoana Fingerhakeln’ took place
11.06.1989 40th anniversary celebration with distribution of the participating clubs to the Puch inns
21.09.1997 Village festival with Schuhplattler disco in the late afternoon in the rehearsal pub
12 + 13 June 1999 50th anniversary of D'Puachstoana with partial re-dressing
November 2004 First Pucher Dirndldrara at the Kirchenwirt

Special dances and Plattler: the castle dance!

In addition to the well-known Salzburg folk dances, such as the Bauernmadel and the Kreuzpolka, as well as popular Plattler dances such as the Linzer Bua or the ‘Birkei’, the Puachstoana also offer a special variety of dances and Plattler dances that are rarely seen elsewhere. For example, the ‘Mühlradel’, in which the couples stomp in a circle wearing a pointed cap and apron, and the Dirndln even have to carry the Buam hanging during the round dance. Or the (big) ‘Bandlbam’, which we performed at the TennenGAUFEST folk culture festival in 2014 together with many other ‘Trachtler’ from the Tennengau region at the festival fair.

Another highlight is the ‘Schammei’, in which two Plattler platter on and with a wooden bench. The ‘Holzhacker’ (wood chopper) is also impressive, in which they work to the beat with a hoe and saw and the Dirndln come out of the kitchen with freshly cooked ‘Muas’. In the ‘Watschei’, the boys humorously fight for the favour of a girl and the ‘Scherenschleifer’ is a show in itself. Here, a pair of scissors is ground between two pot lids, which one boy turns by having another boy step on his foot.

But the real highlight, which is only performed by the D'Puachstoana traditional costume association, is the unique castle dance, also known as ‘Die Burg’. This special dance was invented by Franz Gimpl in 1963 and tells the story of Puchstein Castle. Four boys dance with one hand while holding a lantern in the other and move around a support frame on which Puchstein Castle is located. At the end of the dance, the castle is symbolically lit while the four boys tell the story of the castle with an old, traditional text:

1. Jo is des net Schloß Puchstein?
2. Jo, mir kimmt eh ah so fia.
3. Des is a des oanzige Schloß wos ma hom mit unterirdische Gäng.
4. Recht hobts Manda, wir hobn de selbn oidn Stolln wieder aufgsprengt, die domois die Raubritter baut hom.
   Jo Raubritter hom ghaust in dem Schloß, des mir heit Schloß Puchstein nennen und grod von do kimmt a inser Vereinsnam her.
   Moch ma zum Abschluß nu inser Klangl, i moan eich gfoits a.

This impressive dance is a special cultural asset of our organisation and a highlight of every performance.

The association today: Activities and commitment

Promoting customs and tradition

The association has always been committed to the preservation and maintenance of folk dance and traditional costume. Special attention is paid to the promotion of young people to ensure that traditions are passed on from generation to generation. Regular rehearsals and performances offer young members the opportunity to develop their skills and actively live the tradition. In the group pictures from 1977 to 2023 you can see the development of the members of the traditional costume association D`Puachstoana.

Active participation in village life & traditions

Today, the D'Puachstoana traditional costume association has 32 active and 88 supporting members who play a key role in shaping cultural life in Puch. Regular performances at local and regional festivals, religious occasions and international events are an integral part of the association's calendar. Every year on Palm Sunday, for example, the famous Puch Palmesel is carried through the village by four Schuhplattler in the procession, as well as the harvest crown festively decorated by four Puachstoana-Dirndln at Thanksgiving.

In addition to traditional festivals, folklore evenings and performances, such as at the Salzburg Rupertikirtag, the D'Puachstoana traditional costume association is also active in many other areas of club life. The annual highlight is our Pucher Dirndldrara, which has been taking place for 20 years and invites all folk dance enthusiasts to the Kirchenwirt at the beginning of November.

Regular meetings, the annual general meeting and joint excursions, the Christmas party, football tournaments and celebrations for special occasions such as weddings or members' birthdays are an integral part of this. Even on sad occasions such as funerals, the close bond within the club is evident and we pay our last respects at the grave. At the end of the article, I will show you some snapshots from the lively life of the association. But now to the event of the year: the big anniversary celebration!

The anniversary celebration from 23-25 August 2024: Celebrate with us!

The festival weekend at a glance

The big festival weekend to mark the 75th anniversary of the D'Puachstoana traditional costume association is just around the corner and is guaranteed to offer three unforgettable days full of tradition, music and socialising. From Friday to Sunday, we can expect a varied programme with energetic moments, festive parades and contemplative moments. Each day has its own highlights - from the rousing disco night to the festive parade and the celebratory morning pint. So let's take a look at the details and increase the anticipation of our celebration together!

Friday: Disco night with DJ Mike Rain

The energetic kick-off to the anniversary weekend is the Power Disco Night in the marquee on Friday evening.  DJ Mike Rain, a versatile open format DJ from Puch, will heat up the dance floor with the best beats from the 90s, 00s and current chart hits, house and EDM under the motto ‘Thank God it's Friday’. Whether in renowned clubs such as the Halfmoon and the Friesacherstadl, at weddings or large tent festivals - as you can see from the pictures, DJ Mike Rain knows how to get the audience moving and create an unforgettable party atmosphere that will live long in the memory. From 8 pm (admission from 7.30 pm) the music is turned up and you can dance to your heart's content! Tip: admission costs only 5 euros until 9 pm (after that 10 euros per person)!

Saturday: Tradition and festive music

Saturday evening is all about tradition and festive get-togethers. At 5.30 pm we celebrate the festive mass behind the Puch town hall. Here we reflect on the cohesion that has strengthened our traditional costume association for decades. After the anniversary mass, our parade moves through the village. We are honoured by numerous guest associations, including the Pidinger Furhmannsgoaßlschnalzer, the GTEV D'Schellenberger and many Salzburg local associations from Flachgau, Tennengau and Pongau. Their participation makes the parade a special highlight.

Afterwards, it's off to the marquee, where the young, dynamic brass band  Bojanska from Tennengau will provide the best entertainment. Many of their musicians even come from Puch and the surrounding area, which makes the atmosphere even more exuberant - after all, when you know someone personally, it's even more enjoyable to celebrate! With their unique blend of Bohemian-Moravian tradition and modern original arrangements, they get the crowd in the mood. The 16-piece band, which recently rocked the legendary Woodstock Festival in Upper Austria, inspires with energetic performances and shows that brass music can be modern and rousing as well as traditional. We are looking forward to an exuberant evening full of music, dancing and good humour that will certainly be remembered for a long time.

Sunday: Festive mass and morning pint

On Sunday, the highlight of our anniversary celebration, we start the day at 9 am after the parade of the participating clubs with a festive mass on the festival meadow behind the municipal office. During the festivities, the new flag ribbon, which was donated by honorary members Peter Lackner, Eduard Leitner and Matthäus Seidl as well as our honorary chairman Gerhard Hetz, is solemnly consecrated by Pastor Dr Markus Danner. This new symbol of our community gives the anniversary a very special glamour.

After the mass, we parade in a festive procession from the municipal office, past the parade at the Puch parish car park to the marquee in Vollererhofstraße. All local clubs, music bands and local associations from Tennengau and Flachgau will take part in this procession, which makes our procession particularly diverse and impressive. The Abtenauer Goaßlschnalzer will set the pace during the march and provide additional atmosphere and dynamism with their impressive performances.

Afterwards, the festivities continue with a hearty morning pint in the marquee, where the Trachtenmusikkapelle Thalgau will ensure an exuberant atmosphere. Afterwards, the Musikkapelle Puch takes over the baton and brings our festival weekend to a musical close with atmospheric sounds.

Let's enjoy this special Sunday together and round off the festive days in a cosy atmosphere. We look forward to spending this special day with you and being able to look back on a successful anniversary weekend.

Insights into the planning and construction work

The preparations for our anniversary celebration are in full swing! The marquee is up, the dance floor is waiting for all the dance enthusiasts, the wine glasses are polished, the kitchen is set up and the bar system is running. A big thank you goes to all the hard-working helpers whose tireless efforts make this festival possible. Their support during the extensive construction work and preparations is crucial to the success of our anniversary celebration. We would also like to thank our generous Sponsors and the municipality of Puch, whose support has been instrumental in making this celebration possible.

Special thanks also go to the festival committee under the leadership of festival organisers Patrizia Rieger and Philipp Pidlubnyj and club chairwoman Katharina Brunauer. Countless preparatory works, planning and meetings were necessary to organise this festival. Even now, they work for hours every day to create a glamorous marquee. Thanks to their tireless commitment and passion, we can look forward to an unforgettable festival weekend.

Looking forward to the anniversary celebration of the D'Puachstoana traditional costume association!

The traditional costume association D'Puachstoana proudly looks back on 75 years of eventful and successful association history. Since its foundation, our Tennengau heritage association has been committed to preserving the customs and culture of our homeland and passing them on to future generations. We live these values in every step we take, be it through our colourful traditional costumes, our traditional music or the close sense of togetherness that characterises us.

Celebrate the 75th anniversary of the D'Puachstoana traditional costume association with us and be enchanted by the festive atmosphere, the music and the colourful traditional costumes. We look forward to seeing many familiar faces again, making new acquaintances and also welcome new members to the association at any time. Anyone who would like to become part of our community and actively help to shape the traditions of our homeland is always welcome to join us - just get in touch!

But now I'm off to iron our festive costume, clean the black Haferl shoes, air out the Taferlbuam hat and prepare the socks - the preparations for such a festive weekend also have to be done well at home. After all, everything should be perfect when we celebrate together!

Click here for the marquee of the traditional costume association D'Puachstoana:

Schnappschüsse aus dem Vereinsleben vom Trachtenverein D`Puachstoana: