Dear European shooting community,
Dear guests and guests of honour,
Today, 23 August, gives us cause for celebration for at least two reasons.
The first reason is obvious: with this ceremony and over the course of these days, we are celebrating the 70th anniversary of the European community of historic guilds.
It was founded with great foresight in the summer of 1955 in Eindhoven after intensive preparations by Belgian, Dutch and German shooters. We are commemorating this with this festive event.
I am therefore very pleased to have come to Balve today and it is with great joy and affection that I express my personal congratulations – and, in my capacity as President of the State Parliament, also the official congratulations of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia!
It is wonderful that the reigning European Shooting King, Jozef Karol Pluta, and the European Prince, Maximilian Kuropka, are also with us today.
I congratulate the EGS here and now with particular joy as a knight inducted into the Knighthood of Holy Sebastian in Europe in Rome. It is a special honour, which is also an obligation for me not to slacken in my commitment to democracy and to good, harmonious European coexistence – based on the Christian values that we live and share as a shooting community. We, the members of the EGS, help to preserve and protect valuable traditions, customs and practices in a society united by a common goal. In times like these, this is more important than ever.
However, as I mentioned at the beginning, I would also like to take this opportunity to point out a second reason why today is a special day. This country, our North Rhine-Westphalia, is celebrating its 79th birthday today! On 23 August 1946, British Military Order No. 46 came into force. It merged the northern part of the former Prussian province of Rhineland and the former Prussian province of Westphalia to form the new state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Lippe, the third part of the state, followed just a few months later, in January 1947. 79 years of North Rhine-Westphalia and 70 years of the European community of historic guilds: a double cause for celebration.
What connects these two anniversaries?
First and foremost, of course, is the generally high significance of the shooters’ tradition for our homeland and for living together here in North Rhine-Westphalia!
This summer, with its many shooting festivals and gatherings, has once again impressively demonstrated this!
Shooting communities are a large family that connects generations and nations, where everyone who wants to feel welcome and accepted. Here, origin and social status simply do not matter. Here, you are a human being, here you can be yourself. We all know from our own experience good and current examples of our customs, such as how people are brought together in peace and joy in our large shooting community.
With its traditions and all the good it does for society, the shooting community has a cultural influence on North Rhine-Westphalia and far beyond, on many regions throughout Europe! […]