Scheibengilde Bergenhusen — Gildefest

Scheibengilde — Marksmanship Culture Since 1903

The Scheibengilde Bergenhusen was founded in 1903 and is one of the oldest and most active shooting guilds in the district of Schleswig-Flensburg. The shooting takes place at the guild's range on the outskirts of the village (Baggeln area); the festival rooms are located in the „Paradies“ in Backern. The Gildefest has been celebrated as a two-day event over a summer weekend since 1975.

Bergenhusen — The Stork Village

Bergenhusen has gained nationwide recognition for its unusually high stork population. The community, with around 950 inhabitants, is situated in the Eider-Treene-Sorge lowland, one of the largest lowland river landscapes in Northern Germany. A white stork nests on almost every second farmstead; the Michael Otto Institute of NABU (Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union) is based here and oversees stork research in Germany.

King's Breakfast, King's Shooting, King's Ball

The Gildefest follows a fixed ritual over two weekends:

• First Weekend — King's Breakfast at 7:30 AM in the „Paradies“ (Backern), followed by a procession to the shooting range, King's Shooting with an air rifle at the festival target.
• Second Weekend — King's Ball in the evening in the festival hall: Crowning of the new majesties, dance music, festive evening with the entire guild and guests.

Königsschuss and Target Culture

During the Königsschuss (King's Shot) at the artfully painted Königsscheibe (King's Target) using air rifle technology, it is decided who will become the shooting king for a year. The King's Targets are newly designed each year by a regional artist — a tradition that has resulted in small picture galleries in the guild's festival halls: each former King's Target hangs on the wall, bearing the name of the king at that time.