Schützenfest Bruderschaften Neuwerk und Bettrath

Neuwerk and Bettrath — Mönchengladbach districts with marksmen's tradition

Neuwerk is a district in the north of the city of Mönchengladbach (Lower Rhine, state of North Rhine-Westphalia), grown from several historical villages (Mitte, Engelbleck, Kloster, Damm, Uedding) and, with around 16,000 inhabitants, has an independent identity in the northern part of the city. Bettrath is the northern neighbouring district and belongs to the same northern district. In both districts, the Catholic-Rhenish marksmen's tradition shapes club life — with no fewer than four independent brotherhoods that join forces for the annual joint Schützenfest.

The Four Brotherhoods

St. Barbara-Bruderschaft Neuwerk e.V. (founded 1497)

The St. Barbara-Bruderschaft Neuwerk e.V. is one of the oldest brotherhoods in the region — its tradition dates back to the year 1497 (over 525 years). Headquarters: Gathersweg, Mönchengladbach-Neuwerk. The brotherhood upholds the religious roots of the Schützenwesen (patron saint Barbara of Nicomedia) and is the custodian of the Bettrath Spring Kirmes (funfair).

St. Matthias-Bruderschaft Neuwerk

The St. Matthias-Bruderschaft Neuwerk, with its own web presence (smb-neuwerk.de), is a modern marksmen's brotherhood with active club work. Its patron, the Apostle Matthias, gives the brotherhood its identity and festival calendar.

St. Maria Junggesellen-Bruderschaft Neuwerk-Kloster e.V.

The St. Maria Junggesellen-Bruderschaft Neuwerk-Kloster e.V. (Facebook: smjbneuwerk) is the young men's brotherhood of the Kloster district — historically the young, unmarried marksmen, today an independent brotherhood with its own club life.

Junggesellenbruderschaft Bettrath

The Junggesellenbruderschaft Bettrath represents the young marksmen of the Bettrath district — and is the fourth partner in the annual joint Schützenfest.

The Joint Schützenfest

The cooperation of all four brotherhoods for a joint district Schützenfest is remarkable. In many other districts, each brotherhood celebrates separately — Neuwerk and Bettrath have opted for a joint organisation, with an alternating main location. Specifically: The grand joint parade alternates annually between Neuwerk and Bettrath — meaning that the residents of one district host the grand parade once a year, and are guests the following year.

Programme — May Date According to Church Calendar

The exact date of the Schützenfest depends on the church calendar and traditionally falls in May (typically between Pentecost and the month of May). The full programme will be published about three months before the festival weekend on the club websites and via the St. Matthias-Bruderschaft Neuwerk. Classic programme points of the Rhenish Schützenfest:

• Friday: Festival opening, assembly of the brotherhoods, opening evening with live music
• Saturday: King's shooting (or bird shooting), coronation ball, ceremonial enthronement of the king couples from all four brotherhoods
• Sunday: Grand High Mass in one of the parish churches (St. Barbara, St. Matthias, St. Maria), joint parade of all four brotherhoods — the actual highlight, with an alternating location
• Monday: Family programme, ladies' reception, festival conclusion

Rhenish Schützenwesen — Faith, Custom, Homeland

Like all brotherhoods in the Archdiocese of Cologne, the Neuwerk and Bettrath marksmen also follow the motto “Faith, Custom, Homeland” — the classic triad of Rhenish-Westphalian marksmen's traditions. Religious practice (marksmen's mass, patron saint's day, Corpus Christi procession), social conviviality (Schützenfest, balls), and attachment to homeland (parade, costume care) form the three pillars. The clubs are members of the Mönchengladbach district association of the Federation of Historical German Marksmen's Brotherhoods (BHDS).

Spring Kirmes as a Kick-off

Before the actual Schützenfest, the St. Barbara-Bruderschaft Neuwerk traditionally organises the Bettrath Spring Kirmes — a smaller Kirmes (funfair) weekend, usually in spring, which marks the start of the club season and signifies the equal standing of Neuwerk and Bettrath in the joint festival calendar.

Getting to Neuwerk / Bettrath

By car via the A 52 (exit Mönchengladbach-Holt) or A 61 (exit Wanlo) — parking around the village centres, scarce during festival times. Public transport: Bus lines 003, 023, and 030 (NEW Mobil) connect Neuwerk and Bettrath with Mönchengladbach main station, stops Neuwerk-Mitte and Bettrath-Mitte directly in the village centres.