Kaiserjaeger Return to Basso Sarca Valley, Fostering Franco-Austrian Friendship

The Kaiserjaeger return to the Basso Sarca Valley after more than 80 years, but they do so without any belligerent intentions or desire for revenge following their retreat from the southern front line and the forts on Ponale, in Nago, or on Brione in the distant November of 1918.

They are coming back thanks to a renewed friendship developed in recent times with their former enemies, the Alpini, with whom they are forging a series of amicable and fraternal relations. It should be remembered that the Kaiserjaeger were the chosen troops of Franz Joseph, inherently opposed to the Alpine troops on the southern front.

But recently, the anti-nationalist thaw has crossed borders, and for the first time since the Great War, the Imperial Bersaglieri have returned to the Basso Sarca. The basis of these renewed relations is the Ana group from Tenno, which last year hosted the Kaiserjaeger corps from Völs (near Innsbruck).

On the occasion of the inauguration of their new flag—welcomed with great honors and signs of sympathy, born from the relations fostered by Ezio Cescotti—the opportunity for this reunion is the Ana Tenno celebration at Lake Tenno.

On Saturday the 22nd, the guests will be received at the opening of the Alpine festival at the festival park by the lake, and on Sunday at 11 a.m., a mass will be celebrated for all those fallen in the Great War, including Austrians and Italians, Trentino fighters among the Kaiserjaeger, Trentino emigrants in Italy, and Irredentists.

Thus, with this new friendship between Austrians and Italians, the last nationalist taboo falls in the Basso Sarca as well.