The Golden Twenties

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen, dear friends,

one of the last highlights of the ball calendar is the tradition-rich Ball of Legal Professionals on Carnival Saturday at the Hofburg. Shortly before the end of Carnival, the Juristenverband invites not only the profession’s representatives but also all friends of Austrian ball culture, as it does every year. This ball night, popular for more than 200 years, offers one last opportunity to enjoy Viennese tradition combined with modern elements in a glittering celebration. This year’s ball was held under the motto “The Golden Twenties”, and the theme ran through the evening from the decoration to the music.

As an eye-catcher, the organizing team presented a vintage Ford Model T from 1923 in the foyer – one of the first cars of the Hertz rental fleet founded in the USA in 1918. The “Shellac DJs” danced the Lindy Hop to original sounds from a horn gramophone of the 1920s, the ambient lighting bathed the otherwise rather cool foyer in a pleasant mood, and so the guests were led into the Hofburg with 1920s flair right from the entrance. Four dancers in 1920s dresses accompanied the arriving guests up the grand staircase, where they were welcomed by the President of the Juristenverband, RA Dr. Alexander T. Scheuwimmer. At the cocktail before the ball, guests of honor and VIPs gathered and were treated to sparkling wine from Kattus. The line-up for the entrance is a choreography in itself every year, and the opening committee also prepared for its appearance.

Prof. Thomas Schäfer-Elmayer cast a final checking eye over the young people, and then the music and the traditional entrance began. The debutantes wore enchanting headpieces, designed and produced by the Brazilian-Austrian designer Niely Hoetsch and sponsored by MANZ, on their hair beautifully styled by Carola Staudinger, and enjoyed the approving glances of the guests in the Festsaal. The debutantes’ bouquets were particularly beautiful this time, made by Blumen Toifl and sponsored by LexisNexis. Hosted by Silvia Schneider, the distinguished guests of honor entered in procession, and then KS Ildikó Raimondi enchanted the audience with two arias by Franz Lehár as a homage on the occasion of his 150th birthday. Entirely in the style of the 1920s, the opening committee then danced to “The Entertainer” from the film “The Sting”, and after the welcome by the President of the Juristenverband, RA Dr. Alexander T. Scheuwimmer, the new Minister of Justice Dr. Alma Zadić opened the ball. The dance was the “Dynamiden Walzer” by Josef Strauss.

The President of the Constitutional Court, DDr. Christoph Grabenwarter, sworn in only that week, was also welcomed and offered best wishes for his new office.

The next highlight came with the midnight show, in which Broadway musical star Ann Mandrella excelled with excerpts from the musicals “Cabaret” and “Chicago” and the “Roaring Twenties Ensemble”, bringing a fast-paced dance show to the stage together with the Dancing Stars professionals led by Dancing Star Thomas Kraml. They were cheered on by the Neo Dancing Stars Tamara Mascara, Silvia Schneider, Natalia Ushakova and Edita Malovcic. As a star guest, Dr. Heinz Bachler, Senate President of the Administrative Court, danced a slow foxtrot with his charming wife to the amazement of the ball guests.

The quadrille that followed, led by Prof. Thomas Schäfer-Elmayer, made the dance floor shake – and the younger guests in particular had enormous fun!

The draw for the raffle prizes in aid of the charitable association “Wider die Gewalt”, hosted by Silvia Schneider, produced happy winners, and the ball evening continued in high spirits. The guests danced in the Festsaal and the other rooms to a variety of music and strolled through the halls, as is customary at balls.

Even shortly before the end of the ball the Festsaal was still well filled, and it closed at 5 a.m. traditionally with “Brüderlein fein”:

“It was a particular pleasure for me to open this year’s exceptionally well-attended ball. The innovations we introduced were very well received and a spirit of optimism was clearly perceptible within the Juristenverband. Thank you to everyone who made this ball such a great success – especially our volunteer team, but also the wonderful artists and, above all, our guests.”

The President of the Juristenverband, RA Dr. Alexander T. Scheuwimmer, was delighted with his guests.

Minister of Justice Dr. Alma Zadić and her colleagues Regierungsrätin Dr. Katrin Eggenberger, Minister of Justice of Liechtenstein, and the Minister of Justice of North Macedonia Renata Deskoska, former Federal Chancellor Dr. Brigitte Bierlein, Second President of the National Council Doris Bures, Vice-President of the European Parliament Dr. Othmar Karas, President of the Constitutional Court DDr. Christoph Grabenwarter, former Vice-Chancellor and Minister Dr. Michael Spindelegger, NEOS leader Mag. Beate Meinl-Reisinger, the director of the Jewish Museum Vienna Dr. Danielle Spera and her husband, MP Dr. Martin Engelberg, MP Prof. Rudolf Taschner and his wife Bianca, Dr. Peter Brezovszky, board member of the Austrian UNESCO Commission, and his wife Barbara, the presidium members of the Juristenverband Mag. Vanessa Nesslinger and administrative judge Mag. Reinhard Hohenegger, the district head of the 1st district MMag. Markus Fiegl, mezzo-soprano Zoryana Kushpler, Gery Keszler, the world champion couple and “Elmayers of Russia” Misha & Julia Gribov from St. Petersburg, the Neo Dancing Stars Tamara Mascara, Edita Malovcic and Natalia Ushakova and many more. The opening committee also included the exceptional young composer Alma Deutscher. The top-class program, hosted by Silvia Schneider, is certainly one of the highlights of the Viennese ball season.