Originally posted by Rupert In my speed reading, I read that as "
Austrian men wearing old dresses." .....not that there is anything wrong with that.
The men's clothing certainly had a traditional military air to it. It is just that they were in older style uniforms of the type worn for formal events with plenty of polished metal on the webbing and helmets and plenty of bright colours. They were not in spotty suits. Some of them appeared to be carrying antique weapons, conventional military long arms, but not the modern black plastic ones.
I did a google search for 9 April and Austria and something else, I forget now what, and found that that was the start of the Battle of Vienna 1945. Whilst historically important for Austria it does not quite seem the occasion that would have been celebrated/remembered. The establishment of a new post-occupation Austrian government was a few days later.
So, if someone does know what the occasion they were celebrating it would be interesting. BTW: I saw them in Linz along a street with a tramline quite close to the large square near the Danube that has the large monument with gold features.