Onslaught in Bleiburg

Petzenland ham emperor was crowned on Sunday

Sabrina Wölbl and Nadine Dunskyj came from Jaunstein: "We go to the ham festival in Bleiburg every year and buy everything we need for Easter."(Bild: EVELYN HRONEK)

It's only possible in Bleiburg: thousands of visitors from all over Carinthia came to the artists' town on Sunday in fantastic weather to be part of the 19th ham festival in the south of our country. In the heart of the town, all the culinary delights of Easter and much more are on offer.

Around 30 vendors from near and far were there to offer their home-made quality products. And of course, the ham emperor of the Petzenland region was once again chosen from ten ham producers. "There are more people at our ham festival than there have ever been in church," said Bleiburg priest Ivan Olip somewhat wistfully at the traditional Hemma beer tapping in the marquee.

The Hemma beer, which is brewed with the precious water from the Rosalia spring by master brewer Gerhard Primožič-Breznik, is very popular. "Here, the water is brewed into beer, a beer that everyone likes and is very popular," says the master brewer. Thousands of people bustled around the Bleiburg town center to sample their culinary highlights for the ham festival and, of course, to take them home with them.

Everything for Easter  
Sabrina Wölbl and Nadine Dunskyj are already regulars at the ham festival: "We come here every year. Everything we need for Easter, such as palm bushes, handmade Easter bunnies, ham, smoked sausages or Reindling is bought here." Of course, the St. Georgen torch bearers were also back on the main square to demonstrate the tradition of torch making.

Head of the city of culture Stefan Visotschnig (center), with his deputy mayor Daniel Wrießnig (left), ham emperor idea bringer and hotelier Stefan Breznik and the ham judges district fire brigade commander Patrick Skubel (left) and Geopark manager Gerald Hartmann (right).(Bild: EVELYN HRONEK)

Among the producers: organic farmer Klaus Tschaitschmann (right) and master baker Franz Haimburger.(Bild: EVELYN HRONEK)

Organic farmer Klaus Tschaitschmann also attended the festival for the first time. "It's crazy what's going on here, we didn't expect such a rush." Because everyone who's anyone is here at the ham festival. This also applies to the traditional ham emperor election, which has been a tradition at the Breznik brewery for over 20 years.

Ham emperor comes from Wiederndorf
21 jurors - including LH Peter Kaiser, LR Martin Gruber, National Councillor Christian Ragger, District Fire Brigade Chief Patrick Skubel, Geopark Manager Gerald Hartmann and Klagenfurt's Deputy Mayor Philipp Liesnig - diligently tasted the hams from the ten providers. "The whole thing is anonymous, of course," explains hotelier Stefan Breznik.

At the 19th Ham Festival in the City of Culture, Reinhard Prutej from Wiederndorf was voted Ham Emperor by the public. Franz Jamnig from Völkermarkt and Wolfgang Stefitz from Mittlern followed in second and third place.