A handful of dedicated volunteers founded Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe in Austria on 21th June 1974, starting with an ambulance donated by Johanniter Germany, a first-aid kit and a respirator dummy. 50 years later, it is impossible to imagine Austria’s social and healthcare system without Johanniter, which stands today for rapid assistance in emergencies, support for people in difficult situations and services in socialcare and disaster response.
Johannes Bucher, President of Johanniter Austria for the last twenty-four years, opened the celebrations at the Vienna City Hall. Among the different speakers was the Herrenmeister Oskar Prince of Prussia, who emphasised the great importance of the mission of Johanniter “in the service of humanity and for the love of life”. The event was also attended by representatives from our German, Hungarian, Latvian and Swiss members.
On the same day, a Johanniter delegation was received by the Federal President of Austria in the Hofburg, the original centre of the Habsburg court.
