Every September, Zurich teenagers prove their marksmanship skills in a target shooting competition dating back to the 16th century.
Called KnabenschiessenExternal link (boys’ shooting), the event used to be the sole domain of boys who were wrapping up a marksmanship course for defence purposes. It wasn’t until 1991 – the year Switzerland turned 700 – that girls were allowed to participate.
Now, the competition is open to all 13- to 17-year-olds living, studying or taking part in apprenticeships in canton Zurich, all of them vying to be crowned as the king or queen of marksmanship.
It is accompanied by a three-day festival with food and market stalls, live music and a fun fair. Monday is a local public holiday.
Despite its popularity in recent times, there hasn’t always been a Knabenschiessen each year through the centuries. Cancellations occurred sometimes during wartime or periods of economic difficulty.
Over the years, many have criticised or questioned the event. In 1990, some argued for a youth festival without the shooting competition. In 1992, Zurich narrowly rejected making such a change.
This year, 4,300 teens participated. Thirteen made it to the final round before 14-year-old Niel Geiger fired the winning shots. He won the top prize, CHF5,000 ($5,131), and he and the runner-ups also get a ride in a Super-Puma army helicopter.
Images: Keystone and RDB, Text: Susan Misicka, swissinfo.ch
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Thurgau woman scores Switzerland’s first Olympic medal in Rio
This content was published on
Gerber will take home the bronze medal in the 25 metre pistol shooting event, having beaten out Chinese competitor Zhang Jianjian 8-4 for the third place honour on Tuesday. She just made it to the finals, slipping into the seventh spot of the top eight in the qualifying round. She went on to place fourth…
This content was published on
Every summer, children in Swiss cities can take part in a wide range activities to keep busy during the holiday months. One course offered by Bern’s youth office and the surrounding municipalities is aimed at children from the age of five. They can do activities ranging from art to sport and nature camps. The activities…
This content was published on
swissinfo.ch visited Nicola Berta, the owner of a weapons shop near Locarno in southern Switzerland. The trained gunsmith has had a life-long passion for firearms. He says banning guns from the home would create more problems than it would solve. Berta is among many arms dealers, shooters, hunters and collectors who made up their mind…
This content was published on
The idea now has to pass through both houses of parliament, where it is likely to be vigorously opposed by the gun lobby. At the moment, only guns acquired after 2008 have to be included in cantonal registries. It’s thought many of the undeclared guns sitting in Swiss homes pre-date 2008. Recent shooting incidents have…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.