Shock on May 1st

“Burg” scouts i Maypole stolen

Symbolic image

(Bild: P. Huber)

On the night before May 1st, unknown persons made off with the maypole from the castle ruins in Weitental in the Lower Austrian district of Melk. There is no trace of the festively decorated spruce.

Back in the 1950s, dedicated Viennese scouts acquired the Streitwiesen ruins in the district of Melk and restored the stately fortress, which was first mentioned in a document in 1144. Since then, the stately fortress in the idyllic Weitental valley has also officially been a youth castle, serving as a campsite for girls and boys in the summer.

A fixture of all traditions in the idyllic natural paradise, which extends into the Waldviertel and was once home to the famous intellectual and writer Jörg Mauthe at the nearby Mollenburg - the festival on May 1st!

Shock on May 1st
However, this year's traditional gathering - which was held for a good cause - with culinary tastings by the rural youth, a raffle and much more almost fell through. On the morning of the first day of the merry month, the organizers were in for a rude awakening: Unknown perpetrators had stolen the already festively decorated spruce on the night of the first.

My scout friends always make every effort to give the people of the valley a wonderful celebration and then something so sad happens ...

Georg F., langjähriger Besucher des Festes

It was thanks to a local farmer that it was still possible to climb the trunk. He heard about the vandalism and helped immediately. The dedicated villager quickly donated a debarked tree. To the delight of the hundreds of visitors from near and far.