Intangible cultural heritage

The Carpenters' Guild of Windischgarsten was founded in 1498 under the direction of Dean Andreas Sackauer of Spital am Pyhrn Monastery. It is one of the oldest guilds in the countryside. Back then, the carpenters' responsibilities included maintaining road bridges, making chutes and water wheels for ironworks and mills, and producing shingles. There are two guild chests: one at an inn in Spital, where the annual celebration took place on St Joseph's Day, and one at the inn in Windischgarsten, where the second annual celebration was held on Whit Monday. The old guild documents are kept in these chests, including the guild regulations issued by Provost Christoph Mülleder von Tiefental in 1619. After the guilds were dissolved in 1859, the practices of the Carpenters' Guild of Windischgarsten continued to be safeguarded and passed on from generation to generation. These practices have remained unaltered since 1859, although there were temporary interruptions during the two World Wars and the pandemic. Formerly, only those male carpenters who were born in wedlock and baptised Catholic were allowed to join the guild, whereas there are no longer any restrictions today. Apprenticeships now last three years, and the vocational training programme in the region of Windischgarsten attaches particular importance to passing on the traditions of the trade.
The practices of the carpenters' guild also include the topping-out ceremonies. Once the roof truss has been completed, a topping-out tree is hoisted to the top of the structure and a carpenter's speech is recited. There is a toast to the well-being of the building’s owners, which is followed by a light meal and a drink. The carpenters also take part in the annual Corpus Christi procession, during which some of the guild’s members carry the guild flag. The costs of maintaining the flag are borne by the guild. Traditional practices are also observed at guild members’ funerals, whereby the carpenters carry deceased guild members' coffins. The guild provides a donation if its members are in financial need.
Neighbourly support plays an important social role in construction projects involving farms and, sometimes, private homes in the region, particularly when it comes to the erection of roof trusses. This kind of support reduces construction costs. The topping-out ceremony, which involves a light meal, drinks, and a companionable get-together, strengthens the sense of community and the participants' ties to their region and its traditions.

Downloads

• Application form (German only) 2 MB (pdf)
• Expertise Reith (German only) 1 MB (pdf)
• Expertise Weißengruber (German only) 2 MB (pdf)