Vindobona Hash House Harriers History

The Hash House Harriers had its humble beginnings in 1938 with an Englishman named Albert Stephen Ignatius Gispert, in what is now Malaysia. Having a fondness for the "paper chase," he gathered together a group of expatriates - including Cecil Lee, "Horse" Thomson and "Torch" Bennet - to form a group in Kuala Lumpur that would later become a worldwide legacy. The fraternity received its name from the Selangor Club Chambers, which due to its lacklustre food was commonly referred to as the "Hash House."

Almost a dozen runs took place, although attendance could sometimes be counted on one hand. The sport was cut short during World War II, but then re-established when peace returned. It was some time before the international phenomena we are familiar with today began spreading around the world. A hash was formed in 1947 in Bordighera, Italy (near Milan) by some former members of the original Hash House Harriers. It ceased operations for many years but was reborn in 1984 and is now quite alive and well as the Royal Milan and Bordighera HHH.

It wasn't until 1962 that the next official group was formed in Singapore. The Singapore HHH was slowly followed by others until by the 1,500th postwar run in 1973, there were 35 known hashes around the world This figure climbed into the hundreds by the 1980's and there are now well over 1,300 active hashes.

The main difference between hash groups is their emphasis on the sporting versus social aspects of hashing. Some choose to maintain the tradition of a live hare hash chasing runners while they lay a trail after being given a few minutes head start. They thrill in the hunt the occasional catch and the notion that there is a real pursuit in progress during the event.

Other hashes have shunned the competitive nature of the live hare hashes, pre-laying the trail with a number of marks designed to keep the pack together. These gathering checks and other delaying marks allow the hashers of the dead hare hashes to sing and make merry from point to point, emphasizing the social aspects of the sport.

Regardless the event, hashing knows no age boundaries, with family hashes and children's hashes, as well as members from all ages, with hashers in their 70's or even older. So there's no reason to not join. As one popular Hash House Harriers' motto goes: "If you've half a mind to join the hash, that's all you need!" More History (ZiPpY's Press Kit)

The first run of the VH3 was set by Hans Saxinger (Australian Embassy) and Lan Yarbrough (US Embassy). Hans came to us from the Hong Kong Hash and Lan ran with the Carthage Hash in Tunis, Tunisia. They distributed a Flier around the Embassies and other places to generate interest and announce the first Hash in Vienna.

The First Re-Hash was written by the On-On Sec Andrew Smith (UK). The stats for the first year have been lost, but here is a Stats Page from May 1983, that includes all those that ran in the first year.

Those that ran in the first year were allowed to buy a red T-shirt, provided by Beanman, so long as they had completed 5 runs.

Extract from the First Re-Hash :- There was an Irish terrorist who was sent out on his first job. He was told to blow up a government car ...... He burned his lips on the exhaust pipe!
(This just goes to show that Hash Trash has not improved in the all the years of VH3).

The run itself was laid by Tom Brennan, Munk and Danny. Tom Brennan (BeanMan) arranged a ride around Vienna in a Tram. It was quite amazing to see the look on everyone's face when a Tram arrived at the Opera with VH3 on the front. On our tour round the Ring, we started to run out of beer. Fortunately we were just passing the Hash Beer wagon (a.k.a. JR's Lancia) and were able to stop the tram and pick up more supplies.

Hash Trash: Did you hear about the Irish wolf hound sitting by the fire and gnawing a bone - when he go up he discovered he only had three legs left!

The Hares were Tom Beanman, Andrew Smith, Gertie and Lan Yarborough. This was the first run attended by Hashers from out of town. There were 27 Hashers from Budapest, which boosted the number on the run to around 100.

You put your bra on backwards and it fits better, You want to put on the clothes you wore home from the party and you can't find them, The woman you've been seeing on the side starts to look like you wife, Your twin sister forgets your birthday.

This was the run where it snowed and we were introduced to tobogganing with black plastic sacks. After the run was the first Austrian Open Russian Omelette Championship! In the evening Munk did a marvelous rendition of Barnacle Bill the Sailor. Believe it or not, JR did the write-up of this run!

It was absolutely freezing at the end of May (just like this year!), and a bottle of bourbon was dealt with before the run started! The run lasted about 2 1/2 hours and was followed by a brief On-On in the car park. Visitors came from UK, Prague, Belgrade, Budapest and Zagreb. We were also joined by the famous Robbie McLikker from New Zealand, who was doing a world tour of Hashes. Most of the drinking that day was done in the Gasthaus down the road, as the car park was too cold. Yumma, from Zagreb, got lost and arrived just as we were about to send out the search parties. There was an interesting competition in the evening involving various backsides being displayed.

Hashers came from Prague, Budapest and Zagreb. To commemorate this run some horrible green and yellow shorts were produced, but they arrived 6 months after the run! The memorable part of this weekend was run 251, which started from the traditional place, Heldenplatz. This run was set by Christian Haas and Helmut Georgi. Everyone was split into teams and given a set of instructions which turned out to be a kind of treasure hunt around the 1st district of Vienna.

The Re-hash for this weekend was a magnificent effort, complete with photos of the main event and is well worth a re-read, for those of you who have not seen it, copies are available from JR the JM.

This run will be remembered for the number of people who did a Down-Down, almost everybody! and the number of people thrown in the pool. The party ended up sometime in the Manchester Club, with a game of 'Fuzzy Duck'. For the next week, John Morris was trying to remember where he left his car.

The weather was raining up until the run, but miraculously the rain stopped and the sun came out just before the run started. There were visitors from the UK, Strasbourg, Prague, Budapest, Belgrade and Zagreb. Around 75 Hashers set off on this marathon which lasted 2 1/2 hours for the slow runners and walkers. The Gasthaus were not impressed when we ran through their front garden and then after the run drank our own beer in their car park. Just to show that the run was not that difficult our own Hash Cash managed to walk it 5 months pregnant! Most of the visitors had to do Down-Downs and then the hares had to do an Australian Down-Down (standing on their heads).

According to the Original Announcement, the programme was as follows - Friday night, we met at the Golden Lion Pub and had a pub crawl around the Red Light district. The main run on Saturday was at Exelbergstrasse at the 1st car park. Party, Saturday evening was at the "Pirat" Rowing Club on the Alte Donau and the outfits worn by certain Hashers were quite amazing, see Photos of Party (Adults Only!) and Photos by CD of Saturday Party. Sunday morning Hangover run in the Prater starting from the Mexican Restaurant (Estancia Santa Cruz) in the Hauptallee.

The hares were Peter "No Mercy Master-Baitor" Venton and Peter "Gawd Almighty Cute" Howe

There were visitors from Basel, Bratislava, Milan, Prague, Tasmania and Zagreb. The run was a torture, taking over 3 hours to run from Kahlenberg to Haschberg and back, with several circuits around Weidling. V4+1 Re-Hash

This was the traditional hangover run in the city centre and it was very pleasant after the torture of Saturday. Many songs were sung, during and after the run, and many down-downs were performed to the amazement and for the entertainment of the tourists. #744 Re-Hash

The hares were Karl "Marie Tamponette" Siegl and Tom "Rowdy Tom" Volkmer. #777 Re-Hash

The hares were Karl "Marie Tamponette" Siegl, Arthur Henry "Munk" Munkenbeck III and Hakan "Barrcuda" Ozcelik. #778 Re-Hash

As the Austrians had decided to include a certain party with dubious principles in their coalition government, they have been excluded from many meetings of the EU, hence the Europariah title of this weekend. Follow this link for the Original Announcement for this weekend. Here is a Re-Hash for the weekend.

This was the year of BSE (Mad Cow's Disease) in the UK, so the theme of the weekend was the Mad Cow. Follow this link for the Original Announcement and a List of Hashers that participated. Here is the Re-Hash for the weekend.

For the 20th Anniversary run, we went away to Langschlag in the Waldviertel. Follow this link for the Original Announcement and a List of Hashers that participated. The main run on Saturday was followed by a ride on the narrow gauge railway (Waldviertelbahn). Here is the Re-Hash for the weekend.

As the Graz Hash was founded in August 2004, it was decided to hold the First Austrian Nash Hash (with VH3 and GH3 as the hosts). Follow these links for the Original Announcement and the List of Hashers that attended this event. On the Saturday, we took the train from Payerbach up to Semmering, and then ran down the mountain part-way for a lunch break, before getting on the train again for the ride back to Payerbach. The circle was held just across the river from the main hotel and was followed by the fording of the river by most of the participants, led by our host and owner of the hotel. Here are some collections of photos from Glo-Balls (Not working) (actually taken by Private Dancer and Yankee Dong from Prague HHH) and our Hash Flash (My Pint of View).

Moonzart Hash (75th Full Moon Run) - 8 to 10 September 2006 - Soboth, Austria

In 2006, we decided to commemorate 75 runs by the Vienna Full Moon Hash Harriers. We went down to the border between Austria and Slovenia to a small place called Soboth in Styria. Follow these links for the Original Announcement and the List of Hashers that attended the event. Photos from our Hash Flash (My Pint of View) are at This Location. This was a smallish event which was well-organized by the Kun't Dynasty.

On the same day (25 April), we met at the same location (Grüß-di-a-Gottwirt) as the first run in 1982. Only one Hash (Red Jumper, a.k.a. Andrew Smith) made it to both runs. Beanman (a.k.a. Tom Brennan) sent his apologies for missing this run (unfortunately he was in Manila in the Philippines). Photos of this run taken by our Hash Flash (My Pint of View) may be found at This Location and a re-hash written by Marie Tamponette at This Location.

On the weekend of 22 to 24 June, around 100 Hashers from Vienna and many other places made their way to a small village (Horitschon) in southern Burgenland. Follow these links for the Original Announcement and List of Hashers that attended this event.. This weekend was preceded by a warm-up run on the Thursday evening and followed by a normal run in Vienna (actually in Guntramsdorf). On the Saturday, we took minibuses out to the start and then spent a short time running followed by a rather longer time on the railway trolleys which brought us back to Horitschon. The main event of the Saturday run was the singing of the "Good Ship Venus", on a bandstand in the main square of Oberpullendorf, much to the amazement of the locals. This was 5 runs in 5 days for some Hashers in good condition (e.g. Stormin' Norman and Glo-Balls). Many photos were taken over the weekend, including collections from our Hash Flash (My Pint of View) and Tickly Tart.

Starting in November 2008, all the locations of VH3 Hashes have been stored on a Google Map, one map per year :-

On the weekend of 17 to 19 April, around 35 Hashers from Vienna and many other places made their way to a small village (Glanz-an-derWeinstrasse) in southern Styria on the border of Austria and Slovenia. Follow these links for the Original Announcement and List of Hashers that attended this event.. The weather was exceptionally warn for April and the sun shone over the vineyards the whole weekend. Much wine was consumed in the warm sunshine and Richard Kopf performed an amazing dance on Saturday. Many photos were taken over the weekend, including the collection from our Hash Flash (My Pint of View).

On the weekend of 18 to 20 September 2009, around 60 Hashers from Vienna and many other places made their way to a the famous town of Melk with the large Benedictine Abbey in Lower Austria. Follow these links for the Original Announcement and List of Hashers that attended this event.. On the Saturday, we ran from Melk to Schallabrun, where there was an exhibition on Napoleon. This was the them of the run as it was 200 years since Napoleon was defeated by the Austrians at the Battle of Aspern/Essling. Many photos were taken over the weekend, including the collection from our Hash Flash (My Pint of View).

On the weekend of 10 to 12 June 2011, around 100 Hashers from Vienna and many other places made their way to the same hotel that we used for the 1st Austrian Inter Hash in 2005, the Hotel Payerhacherhof in Payerbach, Lower Austria. Follow these links for the Original Announcement and List of Hashers that attended this event.. On Thursday, 9 June, the weekend was preceded by a Pre-Lube which should have included a tour around the sewers of Vienna (as in the 3rd Man film), followed by an evening in the USW Beisl. Due to a large amount of rain in Vienna on the preceding day, the 3rd Man Tour was cancelled and only a quick view of the sewers was allowed. On the Saturday, we took a train from Payerbach to Semmering over the famous Payerbach Viadukt (used on the old Austrian 20 schilling note) and then a Gondola to the top of the mountain. The Front Running Bastards started from the top of the Gondola, while the rest of the pack descended to the bottom and started from there. There was a long walk/run down the mountain with stops for schnapps, singing and drinks. Eventually we arrived at Klamm-Schottwein, where we had a picnic lunch followed by a train ride down to Payerbach. On Saturday evening, the theme of the event was mediaeval, with many monks and other interesting costumes. As it was a long weekend (Whitsun) many of the Hashers stayed an extra day, followed by a leisurely drive back to Vienna for a Monday evening Hash in Hütteldorf, to complete the long weekend. Many photos were taken over the weekend, including the collection from our Hash Flash (My Pint of View - coming soon). Hares for the 1500th Hash were Free Willie, Tick Pleaser, Big John's Son and Root C. The Friday Hash (#1499) was set by Mind the Gap and KUTY PI, and Sunday (#1501) by Root C and Ice Queen.

Before the weekend started, we had a 30th Anniversary Re-Enactment on Wednesday, 24 April 2012, at the Grüss-di-a-Gottwirt near Sievering. This celebration included fireworks and the Scottish Bagpipes. On Thursday, we had a 3rd Man Hash around some of the sites used in 1949 in the classic 3rd Man film starring Orson Welles (and featured on our "signature" T-shirt). Finally, on Friday, we set off for the Hotel Drescher in Mörbisch-am-See. As usual, we had a short Hash around the town followed by a buffet supper while we waited for the Zagreb Hash and other latecomers to arrive. The Haberdashery was a rain jacket which no-one wore on the weekend as it was the hottest weekend in April since records began with temperatures in the 30s. On Saturday, we had a longish Hash over the border into Hungary with a much needed beer stop. Then there was the option to take a road train, or run down the 2 km or so to the harbour. At the harbour we boarded the boat and motored around Neusiedlersee to the Austrian side, while consuming a goulash and noodle lunch with plenty of cold beer. On disembarking in Austria, the passport control discovered several Hashers who had forgotten their passports. Saturday night, everyone dressed up in some kind of beach wear, with live music and a great buffet, washed down with copious quantities of beer and wine. Sunday morning, the hangover Hash took us up to the Austrian/Hungarian border to the part where the Iron Curtain was first breached in May 1989. After a quick circle, we took the road train back to the hotel for a lunch and then the bus or car home.

Pussy Galore's Alpine Exprience -in Radstadt, from 3 to 5 August 2012

Gardefest Poster

Around 30 Hashers gathered in Radtstadt for a weekend of Hashing and drinking beer at the local festival. The festival (the 49th Gardefest) was being held to honour the local guard who had defended Radstadt in days gone by. Friday started off with a modest Hash followed by plenty of beer at the Gardefest tent. Pussy Galore was interviewed earlier in the week and our Hash event was written up in the well-known Austrian newspaper - Salzburger Nachrichten.

Salzburger Nachrichten Article

Feuerwehr Cooking Goulash

On Saturday, we had a long and hot Hash, supported by the local firemen, who transported the drinks to 2 drink stops and the lunch break. Lunch was goulash (cooked by Off Limits the day before) heated up over a wood fire. During the lunch break, Off Limits and Merry Marugoto was thrown into the cold stream by the firemen.

Merry Marugoto goes for a Swim

We had a circle in the main square of Radtstadt, with Cardinal Munk, OVH presiding in full red regalia, and the Bürgermeister of Radtstadt accepted a down-down and a T-shirt. Just Maria (wife of Pussy Galore) became Off Limits during the circle on Saturday.The expected rain storm started with hail during the circle and became heavy in the early evening. The barbecue and evening meal were served in the double garage of Pussy Galore's large family house. A great time was had by all and, after the BBQ, we had an Ad Hoc circle for the naming of Just Dieter (a local Austrian who was an instant Hasher). Given his job as a confectioner (from a long line of more than 3 generations in this trade), Sugar Daddy was an easy choice as his name.

Cardinal Munk & the Bürgermeiser

Sunday Morning Beer

On Sunday morning, we had a nice stroll through the fields around Radstadt. The 2 youngsters (Ethan, son of Lopside Backside, and his friend Matthias) were named unofficially Ethanol and Methanol, or also the Queer Boys. An official naming ceremony will be scheduled some time in the future. After a long goodbye, some drove up the hill for lunch, while others set off for Vienna.

More Photos of the Weekend

[ Origins | 1st Run | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 | 300 | 350 | 400 | 500 | 666 | Glo-Balls 500th | V4+1 | 777 | 800 | 850 | 900 | 950 | 1000 | 1111 | 1st Austrian Nash Hash | Moonzart (Full Moon 75th) | 25th Anniversary | Whine Weekend | 1400 | 1500 | 30th Anniversary | PGAE (2012) | 1600 | 1650 | PGOLAE (2013) | V4+1 Homecumming | 1700 | Return to Senec | Red Dress | King Gook ]

1600th Hash - 6 August 2012 - Schloss Laxenburg Park

1600th Start

After the weekend in Radstadt, the 1600th Hash was a fairly low-key affair. We started with a good Hash around the park belonging to the Schloss in Laxenburg. This was followed by a picnic with all sorts of food with many different national dishes. We had 3 kegs of cold draft beer from the Salmbräu (on the Rennweg in Vienna) and sekt for the toast in the circle and a cake.

1600th Cake

1600th Hashers

The last keg was finished off by a small select group in the car park. Cardinal Munk, OVH set the Hash, Lord Glo-Balls, OVH picked up the beer from the brewery and returned the empty kegs the next day. The Blessed Saint Stormin' Norman, OVH and King Gook also helped out bringing essential items for the picnic.

More photos are here

1650th Hash - 16 to 19 May 2013 - La Crème de la Krems - Melk, Wachau Valley, Austria


Friday Night		Saturday Knights

The 1650th Hash was celebrated in Krems, Lower Austria. We stayed in the Park Hotel in central Krems. From there we were able to take a boat to Durnstein, where a long run around this part of the Wachau Valley took place, followed by a boat ride back to Krems. More details can be found in the original Information Sheet and a full list of Registered Hashers. The photos of the event are here :-

Official Moron Brothers, Media Inc. Photos of the 1650th Hash Weekend

Pussy Galore's Alpine Experience- Off Limits - in Radstadt, from 2 to 4 August 2013

Around 30 Hashers gathered in Radtstadt for a weekend of Hashing and drinking beer at the local festival. The festival (the 50th Gardefest) was being held to honour the local guard who had defended Radstadt in days gone by. Friday started off with a modest Hash followed by plenty of beer at the Gardefest tent. Most of the Hash dressed up in local costume.

The Town Guard (Garde)

Our Harriettes all Dressed Up

Feuerwehr - Beer Stop

Circle at the Summit

On Saturday, we had a long and hot Hash, supported by the local firemen, who transported the drinks to 2 drink stops and the lunch break. Finally we reached the top and had a brilliant circle on the summit. This was followed by a long walk down to a hut for a BBQ dinner in the evening.

We had a circle at the top of the mountain. Some cows joined in and drank some of the beer, well it was a hot day! We had a boat race against the Feuerwehr and our old Hashers beat the young Firemen.

Cows join in and drink beer in the Circle

Boat Race - Feuerwehr verus Hash

Sunday Morning Garde Parade

Pussy Galore, Off Limits & Just Matthias

On Sunday morning, we had a nice stroll around the town, joined in with the Garde who paraded around the town and had a circle outside the amusement arcade. After a long goodbye, some drove up the hill for lunch, while others set off for Vienna.

More Photos of the Weekend (Moron Brothers, Media Inc.)

V4+1 Homecumming Weekend - in Olomouc, Czech Republic, from 18 to 20 October 2013

The history of the V4+1 Hash goes back a long way to 1991. As we understand it the V = Visegrad and relates to a meeting of 3 countries at this town in 1991, which resulted in a declaration of cooperation. The 3 original Visegrad countries became 4 after the split of Czechoslovakia. The V4 are Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary and the '+1' is Austria. Therefore the V4+1 host Hashes are Warsaw, Prague, Bratislava, Budapest and Vindobona HHH. These events were organized nearly every year from 1995 to 2002 and then died for a while. In 2013, Vindobona HHH revived this idea with this event in Olomouc.

Information Sheet for the Event

Participants (Who's Cumming)

Photos of the Weekend by Moron Brothers, Media Inc.

1700th Hash Weekend - in Weitra, Waldviertel, Austria, from 16 to 18 May 2014

In May 2014, VH3 travelled to the ancient walled town of Weitra. The hotel had its own brewery which used locally sourced organic products (bio-bier) and all the food server at the hotel was also organic. The weather was not good, it was cold and rainy for most of Saturday, although the rain held off for the circle in the main square of Weitra. The first highlight of the day was a trip on the steam railway on the Waldviertelbahn. The second highlight was the marriage ceremony of Rolling Stone to Afterglow performed by Cardinal Munk, OVH, assisted by Multiple Entry in a monk's costume, in the town square in Weitra. The tourists were somewhat bemused by this.

Information Sheet for the Event
Participants (Who's Cumming)
Photos of the Weekend by Moron Brothers, Media Inc.
Blog by Marie Tamponette

Return to Senec (Return to Sender) - in Senec, Slovakia, from 15 to 17 May 2015

In September 1992, Rowed Runner and The Blessed Saint Stormin' Norman organized a very successful weekend in Senec, Slovakia. More details of the 1992 event. This event in May 2015 was a return to the same area and as Return to Sender was a famous Elvis song, Elvis Presley became the theme for this weekend.

Information Sheet for the Event
Participants (Who's Cumming)
Re-Hash by Marie Tamponette
Photos of the Weekend by Moron Brothers, Media Inc.

500th Anniversary of the Reinheitsgebot, 23 April 1516

Hash Weekend in Freistadt, Upper Austria - 22 to 24 April 2016

Information Sheet for Event
Participants (Who's Cumming)
Photos of Weekend by the Moron Brothers Inc.

The Red Dress Run

The Red Dress Run has been held in Vienna for several years and we now have a special page to document the various re-hashes and photos taken at these runs.

Google Maps - History of Locations

850 Original Announcement		The Re-Hash of the Weekend
Photos of the 850 Run		Photos of the Party Saturday Night
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No Sarz on Marz - Original Announcement		Saturday Run - Group Photo
Glo-Balls and Stormin' Norman taking it easy		Sunday Run - Group Photo

Photos of the 30th Anniversary Weekend from The Vicar (Oslo Hash) - Click on photo for a larger version

Hashing through the Vineyards	Saturday Night at the Beach	Sunday Morning on the Iron Curtain

The Origins of the Hash House Harriers

The First Run in Vienna - A New Hash is Born!

50th Run

100th Run

150th Run

200th Run

250th Run

300th Run Weekend

350th Run

400th Run Weekend

500th Hash Weekend

666 (Sex-Sex-Sex) Weekend

Glo-Ball's 500th Run

V4+1 Weekend

777 Run Weekend - The Bill and Monica Virgin Run

The 800th Run Weekend in Mönichkirchen - The Viagra Weekend

The 850th Run Weekend - The Millennium Bug Run - 8 to 10 October 1999 - Vienna, Austria

The 900th Run Weekend - The Europariah Hash Weekend - 26 to 28 May 2000 - Vienna, Austria

The 950th Run Weekend - The Mad Cow Hash - 18 to 20 May 2001 - Trattenbach, Austria

The 1000th Run Weekend - 20 Years of Hashing in Vienna - 9 to 13 May 2002 - Langschlag, Austria

The 1111th Run Weekend - The No Sarz on Marz Weekend - 5 to 7 September 2003

The Red Dress Run