Fischerei-Bruderschaft zu Bergheim an der Sieg

The Fischerei-Bruderschaft zu Bergheim an der Sieg is a guild-like association of professional fishermen based in Troisdorf-Bergheim, Germany, at the mouth of the Sieg river where it meets the Rhine. It traces its origins to 987, when a community of professional fishermen formed and over time adopted the organisation of a guild, making it the oldest body of its kind in Germany. The brotherhood holds fishing rights at the Sieg mouth and in the Rhine, and these rights are inherited from father to legitimate sons. Twice a year, on the first Saturday after Epiphany and on the Saturday after the Feast of John the Baptist, the fishermen hold assemblies known as Gedinge. Today the brotherhood is both a living cultural tradition and a small heritage operator. Together with the association for the promotion of the fishing museum (Verein zur Förderung des Fischereimuseums der Fischerei-Bruderschaft zu Bergheim an der Sieg), it runs the Fischereimuseum Bergheim, which was rebuilt and expanded in November 2010. The museum is owned by the brotherhood and operated by its support association, serving as an experience space, lecture venue and event location. The brotherhood's historic eel schokker (Aalschokker) Maria Theresia is a particular source of pride; it was restored between 2017 and 2019 at the Lux-Werft in Mondorf, after which its cabin was renovated. The brotherhood's tradition has received official recognition. On 30 June 2014, the river fishing customs, traditions and craft techniques of the Rhine and Sieg fishermen as carried by the Fischerei-Bruderschaft were entered into the inventory of intangible cultural heritage of North Rhine-Westphalia. In December 2016, the traditional river fishing of the brotherhood was added to Germany's intangible cultural heritage; the UNESCO commission praised the brotherhood's work as an identity-forming, ecologically valuable and culturally shaping traditional complex. In 2012 the brotherhood celebrated its 1025th anniversary. Of the fourteen former fishing clans (Fischerstämme), nine have survived: Boss, Brungs, Engels, Grommes, Heinzen, Hennes, Klein, Mertens and Schell. The brotherhood continues to maintain its fishing boundaries, having installed nine additional boundary stones alongside six existing ones in 2020 and created a bicycle tour along the fishing boundaries.

The Fischerei-Bruderschaft zu Bergheim an der Sieg is a guild-like association of professional fishermen from Troisdorf-Bergheim that holds fishing rights at the mouth of the Sieg and in the Rhine. It originated in 987 as a community of professional fishermen and over time took on the organisation of a guild, making it the oldest such body in Germany. Fishing rights are inherited from father to legitimate sons. Twice a year, on the first Saturday after Epiphany and on the Saturday after the Feast of John the Baptist, the fishermen hold assemblies called Gedinge. The prehistory of the brotherhood is tied to the settlement of Bergheim on the Sieg. Around 500 AD, Frankish settlers founded a small settlement on the high bank of the Sieg, named Bergheim auf der Sieg after its location; it is documented by soil finds from 1925. The old village core lay in the Witschgasse. Subsequently, five large manorial farms belonging to the Vilich lordship arose on the Rupp and along today's Siegstraße, around which the Bergheim neighbours settled; they were farmers and fishermen. Around 980, the Vilich lord Megingoz and his wife Gerbirga founded a women's convent from the inheritance of their son who had fallen in battle. It was endowed with the manorial estates of the lower Sieg and placed under the direction of their daughter Adelheid, the first abbess. In the Middle Ages, in 987 the young King Otto III took the convent under his protection. By a royal diploma of 18 January of that year, he granted it the legal status of a imperial convent, endowed it with the usual privileges and confirmed its customary rights as then exercised. It is assumed that the legal situation of fishing on the lower Sieg was also fixed by this document. In 1144 King Conrad III guaranteed the convent its freedoms, possessions and rights on 25 December; in this important document, fishing is connected with the village of Bergheim. Comparison with neighbouring villages on the Rhine indicates that the manorial lords shared fishing rights with the villagers, so that the fishing rights in the Sieg delta and the associated stretch of the Rhine were divided between the Vilich lordship and the neighbours of the Bergheim parish; if the document grants the convent one third, the Bergheim fishermen held two thirds. In 1484 the Bergheim fishery was mentioned directly for the first time, when the 'Fischer vann Berchem' took part in the Vilich Kammergeding; the document also names the boundary points of hunting and fishing rights for the first time. In the early modern period, the 1530 fishermen's court protocol already lists the Bergheim fishermen by name, though the list is poorly legible and most fishermen are named by first name. In 1555 the Bergish lordship had the duchy 'investigated'; the report clearly guaranteed the Bergheim fishermen their fishing rights in the Sieg from the mouth to the Sieglar boundary and in the Rhine from Beuel to Mondorf to the extent of two thirds, while the Vilich convent was granted one third for the same area. The fishermen brothers had to deliver this 'third fish' to the convent, a duty secured by oath. On 12 January 1593 a notarial document set out Vilich law and described the fishing rights. In the following annually recurring Gedinge, these fishing rights and their boundaries were repeatedly recited, as they were at the fishermen's court. On 24 March 1647, the Sunday after the feast of St Gertrude, such a fishermen's court was held as usual; the protocol records that it took place on the so-called Bruderstück in the Sieg lowland near Bergheim. At such court assemblies not only the boundary points of the rights were enumerated but also the rules of the fishermen's craft were discussed and decided, and violations reported and punished. On 28 June 1666 the fishermen appeared in Vilich for the Johannisgeding; the protocol lists the following fishing clans: Boß, Brungs, Engels, Grommes, Heintzen, Hennes, Ludwig, Mertens, Orths, Pohl, Schell, all 'Vereydte fischer zu Bercheim im fürstenthumb Bergambt Lülsdorf', plus the Schumacher clan then living in Schwarzrheindorf. Two clans, Klein and Cöhnen, were absent at that Geding but appeared regularly at subsequent ones. Thus since the 17th century fourteen fishing clans have been documented by name. In modern times, the brotherhood has continued its traditions while adapting to new roles. In 2012 it celebrated its 1025th anniversary; of the fourteen former fishing clans, nine have survived: Boss, Brungs, Engels, Grommes, Heinzen, Hennes, Klein, Mertens and Schell. On 30 June 2014, the river fishing customs, traditions and craft techniques of the Rhine and Sieg fishermen as carried by the Fischerei-Bruderschaft were entered into the inventory of intangible cultural heritage of North Rhine-Westphalia by certificate handed over by Culture Minister Ute Schäfer; the jury recommendation praised the impressive over-thousand-year tradition that finds new solutions in dealing with nature and the environment, especially for sustainable use of the natural resource fish and for long-term thinking for the social community. In December 2016, the traditional river fishing of the brotherhood was added to Germany's intangible cultural heritage; the UNESCO commission honoured the brotherhood's work as an 'identity-forming, ecologically valuable and culturally shaping traditional complex'. Between 2017 and 2019 the Aalschokker was restored at the Lux-Werft in Mondorf, and afterwards the cabin was renovated. In 2020, nine further boundary stones were installed in addition to the six already existing, and a bicycle tour along the fishing boundaries was created. The brotherhood today, together with the association for the promotion of the fishing museum, operates the Fischereimuseum Bergheim, which was rebuilt and expanded in November 2010.

• 2020

  Nine additional boundary stones installed and a bicycle tour along the fishing boundaries created.

• 2019

  Restoration of the Aalschokker completed; cabin subsequently renovated.

• 2017

  Restoration of the Aalschokker began at Lux-Werft in Mondorf (until 2019).

• 2016

  In December, traditional river fishing added to Germany's intangible cultural heritage.

• 2014

  On 30 June, river fishing traditions entered the intangible cultural heritage inventory of North Rhine-Westphalia.

• 2012

  Brotherhood celebrated its 1025th anniversary; nine of fourteen former fishing clans survive.

• 2010

  Fischereimuseum Bergheim rebuilt and expanded in November.

• 1666

  Fishermen appeared in Vilich on 28 June for the Johannisgeding; fishing clans listed by name.

• 1647

  Fishermen's court held on 24 March on the Bruderstück in the Sieg lowland near Bergheim.

• 1593

  Notarial document of 12 January set out Vilich law and described the fishing rights.

• 1555

  Bergish investigation report guaranteed the Bergheim fishermen two thirds of fishing rights in the Sieg and Rhine.

• 1530

  Fishermen's court protocol lists the Bergheim fishermen by name.

• 1484

  First direct mention of the Bergheim fishery; the 'Fischer vann Berchem' took part in the Vilich Kammergeding.

• Community of professional fishermen formed; King Otto III's royal diploma is assumed to have fixed fishing rights on the lower Sieg.

• King Conrad III guaranteed the Vilich convent its freedoms, possessions and rights; fishing is connected with the village of Bergheim.

A hereditary guild of professional river fishermen and a recognized bearer of Germany's intangible cultural heritage, combining traditional fishing rights with museum and heritage preservation activities.

• Fischereimuseum Bergheim

  Fishing museum owned by the brotherhood and operated by its support association; rebuilt and expanded in November 2010, serving as experience space, lecture venue and event location.

• Aalschokker Maria Theresia

  Historic eel schokker and museum ship, restored between 2017 and 2019 at Lux-Werft in Mondorf.

• Angelkarten (fishing licenses)

  Fishing licenses offered by the brotherhood.

1. 1Fischereibruderschaft Bergheim/Sieg – 1000 Jahre Traditionfischereibruderschaft.de
2. 2Geschichte – Fischereibruderschaft Bergheim/Siegfischereibruderschaft.de
3. 3Fischerei-Bruderschaft zu Bergheim an der Sieg – Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Fischerei-Bruderschaft zu Bergheim an der Sieg – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org