Professional fishermen on Lake Starnberg fight for the coveted title

Created: 07/07/2022, 10:58 am

By: Petra Straub

The final battle in the 2017 jousting was exciting, and was won by Peter Dechant (left).

© Heimat- und Volkstrachtenverein

Starnberg - The Prinzregent-Luitpold-Fischerstechen is held in the Starnberg Bay every five years.

This year it's that time again.

On Sunday, July 17, professional fishermen from Lake Starnberg will fight for the coveted title of "Fisherman King of Lake Starnberg" and sport fishermen will also duel on the Starberg lake promenade.

There is a colorful entertainment program for children.

Duke Franz of Bavaria has taken over the patronage.

Guild games already existed in the late Middle Ages

The staging of guild games dates back to the late Middle Ages.

These fishermen's games had a "heyday" during the glamorous sea festivals under the Bavarian Elector Ferdinand Maria (1651-1679).

The “stechen am Würmsee” were described again and again.

Evidence of this is the "Description of Lake Würmsee" printed in 1784 by Prof. Lorenz Westenrieder (1748-1829) or the booklet "Summer in Upper Bavaria" by Ludwig Steub from 1860. The historical connections to this custom, which is more than half a millennium old, are not known to be fully documented, but folklore assumes with certainty that the custom of the guild games at Lake Starnberg has its origins in the establishment of the "fishing agreement" (lake and fish regulations with annual fishermen's meetings).

Prince Regent Luitpold set the course in 1907

The guild games were only revived again in 1907 at the suggestion of Prince Regent Luitpold on the occasion of the 1000-year commemoration of the death of Margrave Luitpold, who fell in 907 in the fight against the Hungarians.

Since then, the Starnberg Homeland and Traditional Costume Association, which was also newly founded in 1907, together with the Starnberger See fishing cooperative, have organized the jousts again.

Sport fishermen are also allowed to take part in the jousting

Since 1952, other competitors - sport fishermen - have been allowed in another group.

However, the coveted title of “Fisher King” is only fought for among the local professional fishermen on Lake Starnberg.

The competitions are a real tournament on the lake, which, in addition to the fun, places high demands on the driving and rowing skills of the boatmen, as well as the greatest stability on the swaying board is required of the engravers themselves.

The engraver is not allowed to leave the standing board attached to the back of the flatboat, if he seeks his salvation in the boat, he is eliminated, just as if he - teased as a "fish" - flops into the water.

Patron is Duke Franz of Bavaria

The head of the House of Wittelsbach, HRH Duke Franz von Bayern, true to his ancestors, took over the patronage for this year's competitions and promised an honorary prize for the fisherman king.

In addition, the fisherman king is crowned by the so-called "fisherman's bride".

The honorary prize for the winner of the athlete's jump-off is donated by the mayor of the city of Starnberg, Patrick Janik, the patron of this competition.

19 participants have registered for the athlete's jousting.

Twelve fishermen want to fight for the title "Fisherman King of Lake Starnberg".

The first fisher king was Matthias Brain from Ambach

The first "Fisherman King of Lake Starnberg" became Ambacher Matthias Hirn in 1907.

The Brain family was able to win the jump-off three times by 1950, winning the gold cup donated by the Prince Regent in 1907.

In addition to the Hirn family from Ambach, the two fishing families Dechant and Wenzel from Starnberg are the most successful fishermen from the lake.

Schorschi Wenzel won four times - in 1982, 1987, 1997 and 2002. Paul Dechant won the competitions in 1967, 1972 and 1977.

His son Peter Dechant was the winner of the last jousting in 2017.

also read

Two people arrested for arson 

A long table in Starnberg with live music and regional gastronomy

In 2017, Peter Dechant was voted Fisherman King of Lake Starnberg.

© Heimat- und Volkstrachtenverein

In jousting, the main thing is that the masked engraver (masking is obligatory!) has to push his competitor into the water with a padded lance from his standing board, which protrudes over the flat boat.

The participants have to make do with a board that is 70 centimeters long and 26 centimeters wide as a stand.

In the elimination process, the last picker who is not knocked off is the "Fisherman King" or the winner of the athletes.

Betting slips are sold at the joust

This year's event will take place on July 17, weather permitting, on the lower lake promenade in Starnberg.

Admission is from 11 a.m.

The event begins at 11:30 a.m. with music and entertainment from the Starnberg Town Band.

The "Entry of the Gladiators" takes place at 12.30 p.m.

The competition begins with the jury of the "sport fishermen", then the "fisher king" among the professional fishermen is surpassed.

Between the individual competitions, the Starnberg traditional costume club presents itself with traditional dance performances (crown and fisherman dance, dances by the traditional costume youth).

Since 1907, the local heritage and traditional costume association has held a jousting event on Lake Starnberg.

© Heimat- und Volkstrachtenverein

The award ceremony will then take place at around 5 p.m.

In the event of bad weather, July 24 is the alternative date on the calendar.

Colorful program with face painting, bouncy castle and water spray

There is a supporting program for the jousting, which is carried out by friendly Starnberg clubs.

The children can look forward to face painting (BRK), a bouncy castle (Kreisjugendring), water spraying (Starnberg fire brigade) and other activities.

In the delicacies beer garden you can get supplies at the grill stand or at the fish stand.

The drinks come from the Starnberger Brauhaus.

There is also coffee and cake.

At the event, betting slips on individual fishermen will be accepted.

Prizes in kind await at a raffle.