The traditional commemorative event was organised within the Project Austerlitz by the town of Slavkov u Brna (Austerlitz), Tvarozna and Prace, the Central European Napoleonic Society associating napoleonic re-enactment groups, with important financial support from the South-moravian region and under the auspices of the governor of the South-moravian region, Mr. Michal Hasek. The participants have come from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Austria, Hungary, Italy, Germany, Belgium and France. The event served at the same time as preparation for the important 205th anniversary in 2010. The invitation of the organizers was responded by, among others, Mr. Frank Simon, commander in chief of the battle re-enactments at Waterloo/Plancenoit (awaiting another important anniversary, the 195th, next year as well), or Mr. Oleg Sokolov, chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur and historian of the Musée de l’Armée in Paris. There was no Emperor (represented by Mark Schneider in 2005, 2007 and 2008) this year at Austerlitz, all the more we are all looking forward to see him in 2010.

The event it-self was opened by a parade at the squre of the town of Austerlitz on saturday at 9 a.m. Already on thursday there’s been a commemorative event in Vyškov (Wischau) and establishment of the camp of the russian army in Tvarozna (Bosenitz), and on friday the traditional events in Krenovice (Krzenowitz), in Slapanice (Schlapanitz) or the fires of Girzikowitz at the Zuran hill or in Jirikovice. The saturday morning was emplyed for drill and maneuvres in the castle park in Austerlitz, watched by hundreds of visitors. Shorty after noon the troops moved to Tvarozna where the main battle re-enactment started at 2 p.m. The scenario was inspired by the combats around Telnitz, in the south part of the battlefield on the 2nd december 1805. Like 204 years ago, the French were almost defeated and driven from the battlefield, like 204 years ago they resisted against the larger force well, stood fast and thanks to the masterly maneuvre of the Emperor Napoleon against the Pratzen heights they could counter-charge the coalition troops and celebrate the victory.

A solemn defile in Austerlitz followed in the evening, watched by thousands of visitors who could admire the diversity and quality of dozens types of uniforms of the french, austrian, russian, polish (varsovian) and prussian army. The saturday program was closed by a traditional fireworks with music.

On suday morning, at 7.30, the generals, officers and soldiers in french uniforms welcomed the rising Austerlitz sun at the Zuran hill, from where Napoleon commanded his army in the morning of the 2nd december 1805. After 4 years of this small solemn ceremony the sun really appeared above the Pratzen heights and pointed out the excellent weather that accompanied the commemorative events this year. The participants of the event placed wreath at the monument of the fallen soldiers in Kobylnice (Kobelnitz) and moved towards the Peace monument at the Pratzen hill for the final act of piety, opened at 10.30, as the finale of the commemorations. Thanks to co-operation of all who participated at the event and at it’s preparations the Austerlitz 2009 commemorations were succesfull.