The battle of Austerlitz belongs to the most important moments of the world military history; the emperor of the French Napoleon I has, within a few hours, decided the outcome of the campaign of 1805, the war of the 3rd antifrench coalition. The defeated tsar of the Russia Alexander I and his army left the central Europe, the war between France and Russia continued untill 1807 and the battle of Friedland and the signature of the peace of Tilsit, whose bicentenary we’ve had the opportunity to commemorate this year. The austrian emperor Francis I accepted the conditions of the armistice signed on the 6th december at the château of Austerlitz and finally also those of the severe peace treary of Presbourg from the 26th december 1805. The severity of the conditions and Napoleon’s increasing influence in Germany led, after three years, to the escalation of the friction between Austria and France, the war of 1809, that culminated again in southern Moravia, at Znaim.

About 800 re-enactors will take part at the event of Austerlitz 2007 in the uniforms of the french, austrian, russian and polish (Grand-duchy of Warsaw, whose bicentenary we’ve commemorated a few weeks ago at an event in the polish town of Ostrolenka) armies. The program of the re-enactments is assured by the members of the Central European Napoleonic Society; Napoleon’s role is going to be held by Mr. Mark Schneider, Napoleon of Austerlitz 2005 and other big napoleonic events. Program and the background is prepared in co-operation with the communes and towns of the Austerlitz battlefield, mainly Slavkov u Brna (Austerlitz) and Tvarozna (Bosenitz) that have recently signed a declaration of mutual co-operation leading to the valorisation and commemoration of the common history; this declaration becomes the base for the future projects being prepared in connection with the battle of Austerlitz. The communed of Prace (Pratzen) and Zbysov (Zbeischow) joined this co-operation and the event preparations actively.

The Project Austerlitz has also renewed the co-operation with the chateau of Austerlitz that works on it’s new long-term conception of it’s activities.

A detailed program of the event of Austerlitz 2007 will be published soon; on wednesday, 28th november, the Russian army will leave Vyskov (Wischau), will spend the following night in Rousinov (Rausnitz), on friday evening the tsar’s troops will arrive to Zbysov, camping at Stare Vinohrady, and on saturday morning they will move towards Tvarozna. On friday the traditional particular events will be held in the villages of the battlefield; on saturday, as a prelude to the battle, a war march from Kobylnice (Kobelnitz) thourgh Ponetovice (Puntowitz) and Jirikovice (Girzikowitz) to Tvarozna will be made by the french troops; at the same time the russian army will march to Tvarozna from Zbysov. The scenario of the battle is inspired by the clash between the french corps of the Marshall Lannes and the russian advanced guard under the prince Bagration. The battle re-enactment it-self will be preceeded by a „demonstration of the weapons“ that will offer the spectators a presentation of the general tactics of the napoleonic infantry, artillery and cavalry, and of their uniforms as well.

The event brings new moments and it’s preparations run in the positive atmosphere of mutual co-operation and optimistic expectations of the future development of these activities in the central Europe.

A close co-operation has been established between the towns of Slavkov u Brna and Ostrolenka (Poland), both towns signed, on the 7th september, a declaration of co-operation; and also with the organizers of the commemorative event in Hollabrunn (Austria); both activities aiming mainly to 2009 and the bicentenary of the war of the 5th coalition, the battles of Raszyn (Poland), Aspern, Wagram, Hollabrunn (Austria) and Znaim (south Moravia). The partners are discussing the mutual co-ordination of the events and a new central european project of a chain of important commemorative events.