Spanish Riding School, 90 Years of Change, Dressage.com

The Spanish Riding School of Vienna

90 Years of Change
by John D'Addamio

In the first article in this series, I explained that Austria's Spanish Riding School was founded by Emperor Ferdinand I in the middle of the 16th Century. Since then, the School and its Lipizzan stud farm have endured numerous changes. Those changes have frequently been accompanied by financial problems and the fear that the School would be closed. Fortunately, that has not happened and the changes have always resulted in the School becoming more available to the citizens of the world. I seriously doubt that the Austrian government would even consider closing the School. The School is a historical and cultural institution as well as being a symbol of Vienna. For most visitors to Vienna, there are three major attractions: St. Stephen's Cathedral, Prater Park with its huge Ferris wheel and amusement park, and the Spanish Riding School. But, it is a simple fact that Austria has been devastated by two World Wars and has more recently joined the European Union. Those particular events have caused major changes for the Spanish Riding School over the last 90 years:

1918 – Austria was on the losing side in World War I. The Austrian empire collapsed and Austria became a Republic. The Spanish Riding School and the Lipizzan breeding herd went from being the privately owned property of the Austrian Emperor to being the property of the Austrian Republic. The Balkan provinces of the empire formed the new country of Yugoslavia. Therefore, the breeding herd had to be moved from the original stud at Lipica, Slovenia to the present day stud at Piber, Austria. In imperial times, only Morning Training sessions were open to the public. Performances were reserved for the Emperor and his guests. Since Austria became a republic, the School has had a history of money problems. Even in the early republican era, there was concern that the School would become a memory. Chief Rider Moritz Herold, the last imperial era administrator of the School, complained that "After the Spanish Riding School was taken over by the state, it happened that there was no money, not even for buying brooms. As an emergency measure, postcards were printed and sold to visitors to the institution. The profits covered the cost of brooms and other essentials." Similarly, the School began to give public performances to raise money.

1938 to 1945 – Austria was "annexed" by Hitler's Third Reich. The Germans moved the breeding herd to Czechoslovakia and the School was placed under command of the German Army. Col. Alois Podhajsky (an Austrian cavalry officer) was appointed Director in 1939 and served in that post until he retired in 1963. In 1944 and 1945, some Riders who had come to the School from cavalry regiments were returned to war duties which left the School short on Riders. In January 1945, Podhajsky was ordered to evacuate the Spanish Riding School from Vienna. In February and March 1945, Podhajsky moved the School to St Martin in the Innskreis region of the province of Upper Austria. On April 28th 1945, a unit of General George Patton's Third Army captured the Lipizzan breeding herd in Czechoslovakia. On May 7th 1945, Podhajsky lead a performance for Patton and U.S. Secretary of War Patterson. Podhajsky asked Patton to place the School and its breeding herd under the protection of the US Army. Patton agreed and, within three weeks, the breeding herd was repatriated to Austria.

1945 to 1955 - Post war Austria was under control of the Allied Powers (USA, France, England and Russia) until 1955. The Spanish Riding School and the breeding herd remained in Upper Austria. Podhajsky made all the decisions about the breeding, training, and performances. The Austrian economy had been ruined by the war. There was little food and even less money. The government had little money to support the Spanish Riding School. Consequently, the School began giving performances in Upper Austria, publishing souvenir booklets, and making international tours.

1955 to 2000 - As Austria's post war economy improved, the Federal government fully supported the School and the stud farm. Both are huge tourist attractions and tourism is one of Austria's largest industries, approximately one eighth of the national revenue. To minimize the impact of the School on the national budget, selling postcards and other souvenirs as well as public performances, public Morning Training sessions, and international tours continued. However, the government paid the remaining bills.

2001 - When Austria voted to join the European Union (EU) in 1995, they had to balance their national budget. A budget with no more than a 3% deficit is one of the requirements to join the EU. Furthermore, member countries are required to take steps to eliminate any deficit and maintain balanced budgets. The Spanish Riding School was a drain on the national budget. The government decided to eliminate that drain by "privatizing" the School. In other words, the government formed a private company to run the Spanish Riding School and Piber Stud Farm. Consequently, the government will no longer fund the School or the Piber Stud Farm. The next article will discuss the huge changes at the School caused by privatization and the laws of the EU.

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