!!!Schützenwesen

Marksmen´s associations (shooting): The origins of 
marksmen´s associations date from the Middle Ages. 
Klosterneuburg´s support for Duke Albrecht I against 
rebellions in Vienna in 1288 is considered the beginning of the 
Klosterneuburg marksmen´s association; a champion marksman in 
Vienna was mentioned in a document in 1305. Every Sunday shooting 
exercises were organised in order to recruit and train citizens who 
were fit to fight; in addition, every year a Koenigsschiessen 
championship took place, as well as other kinds of competitions on 
various occasions (Festschiessen, Bestschiessen and Ladschiessen). In 
the Late Middle Ages the bow was replaced by the crossbow. In the 
16%%sup th/%  century, when the use of firearms began to spread, 
target shooting at painted wooden boards became increasingly common. 
These boards are of great documentary value and can be seen at museums 
in Scheibbs and Sankt Veit an der Glan.

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The marksmen´s associations in Tyrol and Vorarlberg were based 
on the Landlibell document (1511) by Emperor Maximilian I and the 
mandate of King Ferdinand I (1534). The latter also guaranteed 
the peasants the freedom to carry weapons. Towards the beginning of 
the 17%%sup th/%  century, marksmen began to organise themselves 
as "Standschuetzen" and their ability and efficiency soon 
enabled them to take over the function of the militia (from 1703). 
From the time of  Tyrol´s Fight for Freedom in 1809 until today, 
these marksmen have had a strong influence on Tyrolean identity.

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The marksmen´s associations were equally popular in the 
Salzkammergut region, and a close connection developed between the 
marksmen´s associations and the salt industry, which spread far 
beyond the boundaries of the region. This gave rise to the head of the 
imperial salt board traditionally holding the position of the superior 
master marksman; and even in 1683 a "salt shooting" 
competition was held in Neunkirchen.

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In the modern age no clear-cut distinction can be drawn between civic 
guards and marksmen´s associations, only from the 18%%sup th/% 
 century onwards did the civic guards embark on a separate 
development.

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The Age of Promoterism saw the rapid development of marksmen´s 
associations. The German Marksmen´s Association, to which the 
Austrian marksmen belonged until 1879, was founded on the Swiss model 
in 1861. After the decline of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy the 
marksmen´s associations were reorganised and the Workers´ 
Association of Hunters and Marksmen was founded in 1923. Between 1934 
and 1945 shooting was promoted by the authoritarian and the Nazi 
regimes, with the Austrian Sports and Gymnastics Front forming the 
organisational basis until 1938 and the German Marksmen´s 
Association from 1938-1945.

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In Salzburg, Tyrol and Vorarlberg marksmen´s associations were 
legalised again in 1948, the Alpine Marksmen´s Association was 
founded in 1951, which also included Carinthia. From 1955 
organisations were also set up in eastern Austria, the latest being 
the Provincial Association of Burgenland (1965). The seat of the 
Austrian Marksmen´s Association is in Innsbruck.

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From a sporting point of view the most important meetings were the 
federal meetings in the 19%%sup th/%  century (1%%sup st/%  German 
Federal Meeting in Vienna 1868, 1%%sup st/%  Austrian Meeting 1880). 
The Austrian marksmen owed their success mostly to the development of 
the Tyrolean stock, a special form of stock for the traditional target 
carbine. From 1891 and especially from 1899 skeet and trap shooting 
replaced shooting at glass balls, which had been common in Austria and 
the first major skeet shooting competitions were held in 1910. From 
1890, pistol shooting also started developing, and the Viennese 
engineer Krickl-Rheintal introduced pistol shooting as an Olympic 
discipline. The most successful representative of the past decades was 
H. Garschall, who was national champion several times and also took 
part in the Olympic Games three times.

!Literature
W. Galler, Schuetzengilden und Buergerkorps, exhibition 
catalogue, Niederoesterreichisches Landesmuseum, Vienna 1976; H. Goja, 
Die oesterreichischen Schuetzengilden und ihre Feste, 1500-1750, 1963; 
J. Grieshofer, Das Schuetzenwesen im Salzkammergut, 1977; H.-T. 
Michaelis, Schuetzengilden, 1985.


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