Drensteinfurt celebrates: Michael Stephan is the new rifle king!

Drensteinfurt celebrates: Michael Stephan is the new rifle king!

Drensteinfurt, Deutschland - The St. Johannes Drensteinfurt Citizens' Rifle Association has a new rifle king: Michael Stephan, a 49-year-old electrician, won the royal dignity with the 379th shot on June 14, 2025 at 5:08 p.m. This impressive performance also celebrated his wife Andrea, who was appointed rifle queen. Together they will continue the tradition of the shooting system in Drensteinfurt and keep the customs alive, which has deep roots in the region.

With the bird "Phoenix Ignis the Inductable", there is now a symbol for the restart and the commitment of the association in the community. Before the decisive royal shot, the audience could experience the exciting moments when the bird's insignia were shot down. With the 135th shot, Volker Mester secured the Zepter, Julius Weber the imperial apple with the 147th shot, André Schulze Forsthövel The beer barrel with the 186th shot and Michael Simons the crown with the 192nd shot, which was also promoted to the lieutenant. An impressive spectacle that the shooters and musicians in Drensteinfurt put in the limelight.

celebrations and moves

Over a hundred shooters and music groups proudly marched through the city center and were attracted by numerous spectators. This tradition, which brings together not only the local population, but also numerous guests, goes back to the old shooting festivals, which emerged from the meetings of rifle brotherhoods and associations. Rifle festivals are folk festivals in which the best shooter - in this case Michael Stephan - is determined and the tradition of the shooting system is celebrated. Historically, the military importance of the shooting clubs has been lower over the centuries, but the customs remained and is very popular.

The Bürgerschützenverein St. Johannes 1593 e.V. is not only an active part of this community, but also offers news and appointments on its homepage that invite all interested parties to learn more about the club's history and the upcoming events. In addition, the "Pact hit on the eardrum" podcast is available again this year and offers exciting insights into club life.

A look into the future

The St. Georg Mersch-Ameke shooting brotherhood had previously celebrated a festival with the young royal couple Nicolai Sipply and Johanna Niess. These regular celebrations not only reaffirm the cohesion in the community, but also show how important the rifle system is for local identity. The shooting festivals that take place in cities and municipalities around Drensteinfurt are a celebration of the community and tradition.

It remains exciting how Michael and Andrea Stephan will shape their reign and what events they will shape on the calendar of the Citizens' Rifle Association. The community looks optimistically into the future and is looking forward to numerous festive occasions and happy moments that they will share.

Further information and the reviews of past festivals can be found in the articles of Wa.de and Wikipedia, which illuminate the cultural aspects of the shooting festival and the fraternities.