Schutzenfest Rifleman

The Schützenfest is a traditional target shooting event practiced in German speaking countries. They are held in cities and small villages alike, often accompanied with a fair or festival. Shooting competitions are culturally important in Germanic Europe and date back hundreds of years. Nearly every village or area has a shooting Verein or club. The primary definition of the German word Schützen is ‘to protect’. In the 10th Century, the Gesetz zur Wehrverfassung der Städte mandate required each city to maintain an organized militia. This training for armed service gradually evolved into competitive shooting and the festivities attached to them. At a Schützenfest, contestants compete in a variety of shooting contests. The primary event is the paper target competition with .22 caliber rimfire rifles. Rifles are broken into two classes, target rifles and ‘sporter’ rifles used for hunting or plinking. The winner of the target rifle competition becomes the Schützenkönig (king) and the sporter rifle winner becomes the Schützenmeister (master).