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Maria De Fátima Pais, Maria Cristina Carrington Department of Languages and Cultures, CLLC, University of Aveiro

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Maria De Fátima Pais, Maria Cristina Carrington Department of Languages and Cultures, CLLC, University of Aveiro Andreas Hofer- the long way from history to beer bottle label Maria de Fátima Pais, Maria Cristina Carrington Department of Languages and Cultures, CLLC, University of Aveiro Abstract Practically unknown all over Europe, this Besides his heroic status, his figure became Andreas Hofer (1767-1810), a Tyrolean innkeeper and cattle dealer, a symbol of Tyrolean patriotism, and he was Tyrolean freedom fighter who in together with a few compatriots, managed to considered a representative of the Tyrolean identity. the year 1809 rebelled against fight three battles against the Napoleonic This process of identification and identity the Napoleonic troops, became armies in the Spring, Summer and Autumn of was originally political and social, but over a folk hero and a myth in the the year 1809 – later known as the Anno two centuries it also became a cultural Barthian sense. His image Neun. matter, which was highly celebrated in began to be the one of a martyr 2009. and as time went by he became a national hero. In the 200 years that followed his deeds he gradually grew into a brand of Tyrol that serves political, cultural, touristic and Andreas Hofer was then proclaimed the marketable purposes. hero and symbol of Tyrol´s culture, tradition When the name of Andreas Hofer comes and identity. His figure served different and into play, two questions immediately arise: even opposite political situations, and he Heimat and Tyrolean identity. Considering became the object of all sorts of marketing the concept of Heimat, the closest we can and of touristic attractions. However, get to it in any language but German, is that Tyroleans agree that Hofer has to be of homeland, although one will always be far distinguished and celebrated and thanks to from the essence of this concept, which, one the ordinary citizen his image has may say, has as many definitions as the remained alive. people who feel it. We come across dozens of reports of his Andreas Hofer, the freedom fighter, lived all life and death, some of which are more his life according to the motto: “For God, popular, others more academic and Emperor, and Fatherland”. He devoted historiographical, including folk theatre plays himself totally to God and the Catholic (Tyrolean Volksstücke), many books, Church, living his loyalty to the emperor and magazines, newspaper articles, films, the love for his homeland as his unique numerous hymns, poems by well-known mission. After having fought three battles poets, school projects, religious against the troops of Napoleon,the invader, processions, meetings, seminars and a in the Bergisel, Tyrol, Andreas Hofer was whole series of popular manifestations held defeated in the third, and sought refugee in to celebrate this man. His figure was the mountains. However he was soon artistically portrayed in manifold ways and betrayed by a companion, was arrested by more recently it has appeared in the French forces, and led to Mantua, where caricatures, commercial labels and in all References he was judged in a martial court and -Pizzinini, Meinrad (2008) Andreas Hofer - seine Zeit - sein Leben - sorts of touristic paraphernalia. sentenced to death. sein Mythos, Verlagsanstalt Tyrolia, Innsbruck. -Ritzer, George (2008), The McDonaldization of Society, Pine Forge Press, Los Angeles. Hofer was even object of a His execution took place on 20th February ‘McDonaldization’ (Ritzer, 2008) and of a 1810 and hallmarked his ascension to the ‘Starbuckization’ (idem). condition of martyr of the Tyrolean people as, The hero appears everywhere, be it in even in front of the firing squad, Hofer museums, street signs, coffee mugs or leg showed his nerve, patriotism and religious tattoos…. It has also been taken by the media, which belief. His process of martyrisation started at want to highlight the celebration of his that point and as time went by he acquired memory and the importance given to the the status of national hero concepts of identity and Heimat in Tyrol. .
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