Schützenfest
schützenfest german ˈʃʏtsn̩ˌfɛst marksmens festival traditional festival fair featuring target shooting competition culture switzerland germany austria netherlands schützenfest contestant compete based shooting ability example shooting wooden representation eagle competition winner becomes schützenkönig king marksman following year competition commerciallyorganized hanover schützenfest germany largest marksmens funfair world marksman ride inn five large beer tent marksmens parade parade participant germany world band kilometre mi long longest parade world landmark funfair one highest transportable big wheel u ferris wheel world metre ft high offer seating people cabin schützenvereine association marksman und schützenfeste festival belong communal life germanic region europe tradition date back century continued present day word schütze mean marksman protector contained shield eg schutzmann german policeman pride strongarmed selfdefense underlies popularity schützenvereine comparable popularity volunteer fire brigade particularly smaller town village main event schützenfest shooting competition determine marksmens king schützenkönig following year traditional trophy winner ehrenscheibe königsscheibe painted target disk rural district one find gable house decorated switzerland first national swiss federal shooting festival eidgenössisches schützenfest held local festival also date back century earlier shooting medal shooting cup seem common form swiss award swiss shooting medal struck variety metal including gold silver bronze white metal aluminum silver common mintage low average mintage millimetre silver piece scarcity medal increased year due award melted bullion lost general attrition size medal range millimetre millimetre millimetre prevalent shooting thalers coin minted commemorate shooting festival swiss shooting thalers began mintage eidgenössisches schützenfest chur still cantonal authority graubünden shooting thalers minted federal authority legal tender nominal value franc shooting thalers continue minted today since longer legal tender middle age many town find way defend gang marauder reason club association founded comparable militia paramilitary association sanctioned first time law defensive constitution town king henry officially integrated town defense plan accompanying military exercise physical examination town contingent festivity combined festive procession participant parish time even feudal head state also invited marksmens court schützenhöfe however selfconfident spirit townsfolk marked festivity always regarded positively authority reason different tradition developed region military significance lessened century became meaningless creation regular troop garrison national defense schützenfests however continued form regional patriotic tradition schützenfeste played central role old swiss confederacy th century participant shooting crossbow contributing significantly coherence individual canton eidgenössische schützenfeste organized schweizerischer schützenverein restored confederacy first time first federal schützenfest formation federal state held aarau figure prominently gottfried keller da fähnlein der sieben aufrechten keller portrays shooting club vital preservation direct democracy young swiss federal state festival held irregular interval year interval year eidgenössisches schützenfest held regularly every five year event postponed due covid pandemic switzerland scheduled held june july luzern countless cantonal regional schützenfeste take place switzerland every year schützenfests celebrated mainly bavaria lower saxony also lower rhine middle rhine region well westphalia especially sauerland festive procession since german reunification schützenfests also begun emerge eastern part germany tradition connected schützenfest vary significantly one region another germany tradition include blow flag particular way waving flag blow flag particular waving flag general executed according fixed rule competition held discipline flagwaving schützenfests may range one day several day may include accompanied various event often occur festival room local public house pavilion especially erected occasion sauerland many town special marksmens hall used festivity many schützenfests start festive procession whereby reigning king marksman royal household local dignitary escorted marksman paraded festive square festivity often followed royal parade marksman march past king royal court marching band corp drum fanfare band playing along parading marksman formed platoon squad depending size formation large town city marksman formed company case parade color guard march along lot case pavilion surrounded funfair common form shooting competition bird shooting contestant longer shoot actual bird mock bird made wood mounted pole contestant demounts last piece wooden bird new king marksman varying tradition may include shooting wooden animal bird special award hitting certain body part eg wing beak etc even großer zapfenstreich band concert form part celebration well großer zapfenstreich done civil event even though military origin festival comprises marksmens organization torchbearer color guard marching band corp drum optional fanfare band needed done outdoors there option indoor ceremony done manner outdoor ceremony many group help organize festivity celebrate german pride local community state tradition weapon drill sans bayonet wearing local military uniform use military hand salute observed many event typically bundeswehr marching practice followed modernstyled marching band band modeled foreign military march along parade different variant per region neuss example rhine guard drum bugle corp based band united state marine corp quirinus band bugle corp current bandmaster peter hosking ex light division germany st ever band bugle tradition british army light division regiment rifle based west germany cold war year part parade recent year reformed band kapellenefrt band grenadier guard perpetuates tradition foot guard regiment british household division deployed cold war lower saxony corp make use usstyle handoverheart civil salute großer zapfenstreich distinguish association bundeswehr us military hand salute notable german schützenfests include deutsches bundesschießen organised german shooting archery federation first german rifle meeting frankfurt main far last one gotha hanover schützenfest largest schützenfest world including rifle platoon germany world neuss schützenfest largest schützenfest world organized single association include platoon city schützenfeste organized german swiss expatriate community overseas adelaide schützenfest run south australian german association brooklyn park south australia jaraguá sul santa catarina rural municipality st andrew manitoba small southern town keetmanshoop schützenhaus marksmens club house one first building altamont illinois brea california artemas pennsylvania auburn hill michigan bow valley nebraska cincinnati ohio deshler ohio ehrhardt south carolina fredericksburg texas grapetown texas la vega nevada new glarus wisconsin phoenix arizona raton new mexico annual international schützenfest san diego california westside iowa video showing many aspect schützenfest aarau newspaper article talking deshler ohio annual schützenfest