Hauptversammlung 2016, Saturday 29 October

by Janett Britnell

The 2016 ÖAV Hauptversammlung (AGM) weekend was hosted by Sektion Burgenland in Eisenstadt, the capital of Burgenland, the most easterly Austrian Land (province), with a complex Austro-Hungarian past in which the Esterházy family played a key military role. In the late 18th century, Haydn spent 30 years in Eisenstadt as Kapellmeister at Schloss Esterházy, and today his music contributes much to the cultural life and economy of Eisenstadt.

As usual, the 2016 Hauptversammlung (HV) weekend was a time of intense Alpenverein (AV) activity, when representatives from sections all over Austria, and beyond, gathered to exchange ideas with other section representatives and with the staff from Alpenvereinshaus in Innsbruck, many of whom set up departmental bases in the circulating area outside the lecture theatre where the Hauptversammlung itself is held. Then there are the workshop discussions on topical AV themes on Friday afternoon, the Bundesausschuss (Federal Committee) meeting all day Friday, and the Hütten und Wege Auschuss (Huts and Path committee) meeting on Thursday afternoon. Many of the meetings outside the lecture theatre are as important to the sections as the HV itself, leading to Sektion Britannia fielding a team of seven in 2016: Chairman, Peter Hinds; Vice-Chairman and IT representative, Mike Garrett; Treasurer, Graham McIntyre; Alpine Representative, Justin Mash; Nature Conservation Representative, Tony Cooper; Frances Hinds and myself.

At the HV itself, 3 Green Cross medals were awarded for outstanding service to mountain rescue. As reported in the last Newsletter, Sektion Britannia won first prize for the largest membership increase in 2015. The Austria Hut in the Dachstein was awarded the Environmental 'Seal of Approval', so now all 16 of Sektion Austria's huts are holders of the environmental seal. Changes to the Hut regulations mean that from now on Hut tenants may accept advance bookings for 90% of the sleeping places, and charge cancellation fees up to EUR10 per person for places cancelled less than 5 days before the intended arrival day. The HV agreed to a revision of the membership category scheme in the light of modern demographics, to come into effect for the 2018 membership year.

With Saturday's formal business over most of the participants gathered in the acoustically renowned Haydnsaal, in Schloss Esterházy, for a Haydn concert. Then it was back down the hill to the modern Kulturzentrum for more networking at the traditional Festabend.

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