Trink, Trink, bruderlei trink and Warum ist es am Rhein so schone
The presence of the Austrians in Milan took place in two phases.
The first Austrian presence in Milan occurred in 1706 and lasted until the arrival of the French in 1796.
This period saw Maria Theresa of Austria at the head of the Kingdom.
For Milan it was a great period of rebirth after the dark years of the Spanish domination. During his reign in Milan, the Teatro alla Scala was built and inaugurated in 1178, Brera was built, the land registry was established, there was the first census, the first railways were built and in 1787 the numbering of the houses began.
In 1774 the Madunina was built.
Then, from 17896 until 1815, Napoleon’s French arrived.
With the Congress of Vienna that expelled the French, Milan became the capital of the Lombardy-Venetia under the Austrian protectorate.
This was not a happy period. They were the years of Franz Joseph, Sissi, Radetzky, Gyulay, Bismark, the Milan’s 5 days and the second war of independence.
The Austrians applied harsh repression in the city and called in Croatian mercenaries to maintain order.
When these soldiers went to the baker they asked for bread in their language saying “Kruh”.
From this Croatian word, the Milanese nicknamed all Austrians “Crucchi”.
But what were these Austrian soldiers singing in the Milanese taverns?
Not being eyewitnesses we can imagine some songs like: Trink, trink, bruderlei trink, Warum ist es am Rhein so schön, Annelise, Rosamunde, In Munchen steht eine Hofbrauhaus, Ein Prosit der Gemutlichkeit and many others that have not been handed down to us.
Video – Trink, trink, bruderlei e Warum ist es am Rhein so schone.
Un abbraccio/ a big Hug
Marcus Dardi
