Entitled “Amazing Tallinn”, the first Viennese Ball in Tallinn took place in mid-June. One supporter was the Order of Malta in Estonia, which opened an Embassy in Tallinn one year ago.  The Ambassador of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Rhodes and Malta, H.E. Manfred Ritter Mautner von Markhof, as an Austrian and nobleman, was very appreciative that Viennese ballroom dances would be enjoyed in Estonia. This is a tradition that dates back to the time of Emperor Joseph II, when dance events at the Hofburg, previously only open to the nobility, could then be attended by anyone.

Ernst Woller, the first president of the Vienna City Parliament, who arrived in Estonia to open the first Viennese Ball in Tallinn, said: “In Vienna, it is customary for every group to have its own ball, from hunters and firefighters, coffee makers, confectioners and academics, to Johann Strauss ball and the ball of Vienna Philharmonic. Under the patronage of the Order of Malta, the St. John’s Club in Vienna also organizes its own ball. The Ambassador of the order, H.E. Manfred Ritter Mautner von Markhof, is a frequent attendee of Viennese balls, alongside his wife, Princess Friederike. Thus, they welcomed the presentation of the centuries-old tradition of music and dance in Tallinn and were very happy that the first Viennese ball brought the high culture of the waltz capital to Estonia. It simultaneously raises awareness of the dedication and philanthropy of the Order of Malta in helping those in need, which the Order of Malta undertakes in more than 130 countries around the world.