Swiss 1939 Shooting Prize

Bronze commemorative or shooting prize (desk decoration / award of honor) for the Wehrmannstich during the Eidgenössisches Schützenfest (Swiss Federal Shooting Festival) in Lucerne in 1939.

The historical context behind this object is fascinating and reflects one of the most tense periods in modern Swiss history. The piece was designed by the well-known Lucerne medalist and goldsmith Arnold Stockmann and carries a deep symbolic meaning.

The 1939 Eidgenössisches Schützenfest

The Eidgenössisches Schützenfest was held from June 16 to July 11, 1939, in Lucerne. This is the largest and most important shooting festival in the country, a tradition deeply rooted in Swiss identity and direct democracy.

The 1939 edition took place in an extremely charged political atmosphere: just a few months before the outbreak of the Second World War. While neighboring countries (particularly Nazi Germany) were rearming, the Swiss government and public used the shooting festival in Lucerne as a powerful statement of "Geistige Landesverteidigung" (Spiritual National Defense). The event was intended to demonstrate national unity, armed neutrality, and the determination to defend the nation's borders to the outside world.

The Symbolism Behind '1914' and the Wehrmannstich

The year 1914 on the bronze work does not refer directly to the start of the First World War as a conflict, but specifically to the Grenzbesetzung 1914 (the mobilization of the Swiss army to guard its own borders).

In 1939, it was exactly 25 years since this 1914 mobilization took place. With the renewed threat of Nazi Germany at the border in 1939, a direct parallel was drawn with the preparedness of a quarter-century earlier.

• Wehrmannstich: This was the specific discipline within the shooting competition reserved for active militia soldiers (Wehrmänner).
• The Design: The combination of the army helmet (the type of steel helmet worn by the Swiss army at the time), the bayonet/sword, the year 1914, and the Swiss cross symbolized the centuries-old Swiss tradition of the citizen-soldier who stands ready to protect the homeland at all times.

This specific object was awarded at the time as an official prize or award of honor to marksmen who achieved an outstanding performance during this historically significant competition.