Via Sancti Martin

The participants discussed the report on the activities of the past year and were pleased to note that the Saint Martin's Way has been awarded the title of "Cultural Route of the Council of Europe" for another three years. A discussion ensued on the inclusion of a new organisation. The Apuglia region in the south applied, but for the time being they have been given the status of "invited" without voting rights. The assembly confirmed the original principle of one organisation representing one country. It would be preferable if Apuglia and the two current Italian member organisations (Lombardy and Veneto) were united in a single Italian organisation.

Each member organisation has reported separately on its activities. The report of the Slovakian organisation was received with particular interest. They were admitted as members at last year's general assembly in Szombathely, and reported on their first year of membership.

The meeting was hosted by the German member organisation Martinusgemeinschaft. Four presentations were given at a small scientific conference linked to the General Assembly.   The ethnographer Werner Mezger (University of Freiburg) spoke on the European Saint Martin's tradition. Johannes Schilling spoke on the connection between the veneration of Martin Luther and Martin of Tours. Bruno Judic (University of Rabelais, Tours) analysed the "holy martyr" aspects of the armistice agreement signed on 11 November 1918, which ended the First World War. Ferenc Tóth (MTA Institute of History) gave a lecture on Saint Martin, a soldier saint of Pannonian origin.

The two-day programme was rounded off with short excursions to Weingarten and Ravensburg.

Translated with DeepL