Goiserer "Stahelschützen"

The history of the so-called "Stahelschützen"

The history of the "Stahelschützen", who shoot with the crossbow until today, goes back a long way.
In the shooting clubs, which meet regularly from spring to the autumnal "Schützenmahl", the old "Passen", the male groups of the individual villages, live on.
Already from 1585 a "free shooting" is handed down. To this day, it is about to hit the shooting targets in the very center - not in competitive competition, but for their own perfection and in awareness that the shooter's luck also depends on the "rhyme" (by lucky coincidence).

In particular, the shooting feast in October is an age-old tradition:

Shooting is an almost ritual action accompanied by the sign language of the red-and-white-robed "Zieler". The best results reward the "Seitenpfeiferl" (a typical austrian flute) by playing special "Steirer" or "Schleunige".
Finally, the rifleman follows the inn, where music and dancing are carried out. Fixed point is then the following "Blawö Monday" where sociability is important.

The Goiserian Stahelschütz

The Goiserer Stahelschütz is therefore a special man and in certain clubs it is only reserved for men to continue this tradition.
Meanwhile, however, have joined the typical Goiserer Rehrlstahel other weapons genre such as the Balester or the match weapon.
However, this did not detract from the conviviality that one encounters only in the shooting clubs. The traditional folklorist stands next to the ambitious shooter, but in the evening, like decades ago, sitting comfortably together.

The shooting clubs of Bad Goisern

The Goiserer Valley can proudly count nine shooting clubs with up to 40 members and every 2 years there is a competition between these clubs - the Goiserer Team Market Championship. For this event, the two meter high Stahelschütz was carved by mayor Reinhard Winterauer with the power saw.
The basic idea was to create a challenge cup which, after winning five times, will become the property of an association. Although he has been in circulation for several years, meanwhile he has found a permanent place at Höplingerhaus, as he is a bit unwieldy to transport.
There, he attracts so many views and knows the long tradition of Stahelschießens in the Goiserer Valley.

Further information on crossbow shooting in Austria can be found at www.armbrustverband.at

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