Sven Hansen assumes throne as the King of Rifles.
In a grand ceremony held on July 11, Sven Hansen was crowned the new king of the Plön Shooting Guild of 1621. The town hall played host to a delegation from the guild, with Mayor Mira Radünzel and Mayor Thure Koll present for the momentous occasion.
Sven Hansen, a 62-year-old from Leck in North Friesland, has been a member of the guild for 16 years. His royal ascension was confirmed by the impartial shooting list. Sven Hansen's wife Dorit stands by his side as they embark on ruling the venerable association for the next twelve months.
Sven Hansen intends to set a motto for his reign, borrowed from Goethe's "Faust": "Here I am human, here I am allowed to be." He also plans to hold many speeches in Low German, a language he loves, during his reign.
The traditional guild festival took place on Friday evening and was described as a beautiful festival day. In his speech of thanks, Sven Hansen promised the guild members that his reign would be a Low German guild year.
The procession leading to the festival site, Duvelsbrook, was led by the Förde Brass Orchestra. The march through the city center was accompanied by the sounds of "Highway to Hell". A delegation from the Preetz Shooting Guild, including their new king Lothar Eisenberg, attended the festival.
For the first time, the reigning queen was allowed to participate in the guild's events, a decision made unanimously. Queen Gabi I entered her name in the Golden Book of the City of Plön for the first time.
Torben Martens, the second elder, was delighted with the interactive offers for Plön's citizens. Christoph Gebhardt shot the "Papagoy" off the pole with the 512th shot and received the king's chain and cup as king's shooter.
While Sven Hansen's role in the Plön Shooting Guild may not be widely known or publicly documented, it is clear that his reign promises to be an exciting and Low German-focused year for the guild.
During Sven Hansen's reign as the king of the Plön Shooting Guild, he plans to deliver numerous speeches in Low German, a language he cherishes, thus making his year a Low German-speaking one for the guild. Furthermore, in a nod to sports-analysis and motivation, Sven Hansen intends to borrow a motto from Goethe's "Faust" for his reign: "Here I am human, here I am allowed to be."
