SSG Annen — 190th Anniversary Celebration

A 190-Year Anniversary in the Witten District

While most shooting associations in Westphalia look back on two centuries of history, the Sports Shooting Association Annen 1836 e.V. (SSG Annen) will celebrate its 190th anniversary in 2026 with a summer festival format. On Saturday, June 20, 2026, at 11 AM, the club house at Am Hang 18 in Witten-Annen will open its doors for a festival for family and friends with bird shooting.

History Since 1836

The Sports Shooting Association Annen was founded in 1836 — making it one of the oldest shooting associations in the current Witten municipal area. It is a member of the Westphalian Shooting Association, the umbrella organization for Westphalian shooting associations, and cultivates both competitive sport shooting and traditional shooting customs. The association has achieved successes at the district level in the past — most recently with medal wins at the pistol district championships in February 2026.

Anniversary Festival Format

The 190th anniversary will be celebrated in the summer of 2026 in a manageable, intimate format — not a classic shooting festival (Schützenfest), but a summer festival at the club house. It begins at 11 AM, and members, friends, family, and acquaintances are invited. The highlight is the bird shooting (Vogelschießen) — the traditional shooting competition where participants shoot at a wooden bird. Whoever knocks off the last piece of the bird becomes the new shooting king.

Sport Shooting and Tradition

SSG Annen combines two worlds: competitive sport shooting on modern ranges on the one hand, and traditional shooting customs with uniforms and the title of king/queen on the other. This mix is typical for Westphalian shooting associations — sport and tradition go hand in hand. Those interested can attend training sessions or get in touch via the association's contact form.

Witten-Annen and the Ruhr Area

Annen is a district of the city of Witten in the Ennepe-Ruhr district, on the southern edge of the Ruhr area. The city of Witten, with around 96,000 inhabitants, looks back on an industrial past (mining, iron industry). The Annen district has a rather quiet, residential character — club life with the shooting association, sports clubs, and parish communities shapes its identity.

Witten Shooting District

SSG Annen belongs to the Witten Shooting District (Schützenkreis Witten), an association of Witten's shooting clubs. The district publishes its event calendar online — the 190th anniversary of SSG Annen is listed there as an important date.