Vorarlberg honours 11 for service to the public
Monday 26th October 2026 on 17:01 in
Austria
Eleven people received state honours in Bregenz on Austria’s National Day for their contributions to public life, ORF reported. Governor Markus Wallner presented eight Grand Decorations of Merit and three Decorations of Merit of the State of Vorarlberg at a ceremony in the Montfort Hall at the Landhaus, the provincial government building.
The awards recognised work in public service, culture, education, social affairs and nature conservation. Wallner said the honourees helped make Vorarlberg better through their commitment, and thanked their families for supporting their work.
The Grand Decorations of Merit went to Werner Bundschuh and Josef Gröfler of Dornbirn, Richard Dietrich of Lauterach, Hubert Dragaschnig and Augustin Jagg of Bregenz, Eva Häfele of Dornbirn, Susanne Marosch of Hard, and Markus Linder of Mieming.
Bundschuh, a historian, educator and author, has helped shape public engagement with Vorarlberg’s Nazi-era history through his work with the Johann-August-Malin Society. Gröfler led Vorarlberg’s telephone counselling service for more than two decades and expanded its round-the-clock crisis support.
Dietrich, a food artisan, works to promote regional diversity and culinary heritage, including the rediscovery of Vorarlberg Riebel maize and support for traditional orchards. Dragaschnig and Jagg founded Theater Kosmos in 1996, establishing it as a voice for contemporary theatre.
Häfele founded worknet, helped launch GlobalVorarlberg and has held leadership roles in youth work and the Double Check network for culture and education. Marosch has led Give for Life – Leukemia Aid Austria since 2011. Under her leadership, the organisation established Austria’s first private stem-cell donor database in 2015; more than 800 matching donors have since been found.
Linder has shaped cultural life for decades as a musician, presenter and cabaret performer. He also founded the New Orleans Festival in Innsbruck.
The Decorations of Merit went to Reto Friedauer of St. Margrethen, Switzerland, Barbara Knittel of Feldkirch and Günther Ladstätter of Bregenz. Friedauer, a former municipal president and the first president of the Rhine Valley Agglomeration Association, advanced cross-border cooperation. Knittel has worked with the ALTER-naviv senior team on later-life education since 2009. Ladstätter has spent more than five decades working in nature and environmental protection, including through youth and conservation organisations and environmental education.