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Never since the birth of the Guild (December 1942) have so many persons been initiated on the same day.
When the cruise ship “Viking Star” - ultimo May - visited Aalborg, 96 passengers were initiated at two initiation ceremonies on the same afternoon – and the (slightly breathless) benchers could afterwards look back on no less than two “firsts”: The number of initiated in one day, and the number of initiations (two) in one day.
The 96 new member of the Guild are mostly professional people from the tourist trade. The shipping company, Viking Ocean Cruise, had invited a number of people from travel bureaus to go on this, the first cruise of the summer in the Danish waters. 64 new members were from USA, 17 from Australia, 9 from Canada, 4 from New Zealand, 1 from Mexico – and 1 from Denmark. Soon they will be back in the travel bureaus – and perhaps they will have fond memories of their visit to Duus’ Vinkjælder, and give Aalborg some good PR, when in the future they are selling cruises to northern Jutland and Aalborg. At least they were enthusiastically photographing, while the initiations took place.
“Viking Star” arrived at Honnørkajen in the center of Aalborg, and left again 8-9 hours later. The cruise ship will return several times over the summer.
Saturday the 18th of April was a great day in the Guild. H.R.H. Prince Joachim and H.R.H. Princess Marie was to be initiated into the Guild and become a member of Honor. Prince Joachim has been a member of Honor since he was initiated in 1988, when he was doing his military service, stationed in Aalborg.
The Prince and the Princess were welcomed by the benchers and the chief bencher, Niels Voss Hansen, on the red carpet outside Jens Bangs’ Stenhus. A granddaughter of the chief bencher performed the presentation of the flowers to the Princess.
When the Princess were seated in Duus’ Winecellar, the benchers made their usual entrance; the initiation ceremony had to be shortened a little, but away from that it was an usual initiation – almost; as everybody knows, usually nothing are being served to the applicants, who are being initiated, before the end of the ceremony. But this time – as the people, who were going to be initiated together with the Princess, were already sitting in the audience with the other guests – the chief bencher had to decide, that there would be no serving at all during the ceremony (except of course for the benchers themselves).
After the ceremony in the cellar, the newly initiated all wandered around Jens Bang’s Stenhus, and Princess Marie got an opportunity to try her new key to the secret back entrance to the winecellar. Back in the cellar the traditional glass of mead was served, and at the table the Princess served not only her husband but all sitting at the table with the red sausages. And the “snapses” were enjoyed, as is the custom in the Guild.
About twenty VIPS’s were initiated together with the Princess. The Bishop of Aalborg, Henning Toft Bro, was among them, and so were the chief of Air Station Aalborg, colonel Karsten Fledelius Jensen, major general Jørgen Høll, principal magnificus of the University, Per M. Johansen, and leader of the Music House, Lasse Rich Henningsen.
Photo: Jens Morten
Niels Kaj Strøyberg has for many years been an outstanding and highly esteemed person in Aalborg’s commercial, educational and cultural development. That is why the Guild has chosen to present him with the Guild’s Prize of Honor.
That was revealed at the Guilds general meeting in February, but Niels Kaj Strøyberg was out of town then. Now the Prize – and a check and the Guild´s special tie – has been presented to him at a small event in The Guild’s room over the winecellar in Jens Bang’s Stonehouse. The Prize of Honor is given to a person or an institution, who or which has done something special for Aalborg.
“For decades Niels Kaj Strøyberg has - with his optimism, his knowledge and his great network - been primus motor for a great many initiatives and projects, which have developed into very good things for our city and for its inhabitants” said the chief bencher Niels Voss Hansen, when the Prize of Honor was handed over.
“One of Niels Kaj Strøybergs latest initiatives has been his tireless efforts in the committee, which worked for the establishment of Musikkens Hus (House of Music) in Aalborg. He was instrumental in raising the 80 million DKK for this purpose and the building is now standing proudly at the Aalborg waterfront” said the Chief bencher.
Niels Kaj Strøyberg and his wife Kirsten have been members of the Guild for years, and they brought their key to the secret door “just to be sure …”
Photo:
The Troubadour of the Guild blew a fanfare for N.K. Strøyberg and his wife Kirsten, when chief bencher, Niels Voss Hansen, and other benchers presented the Prize of Honor.
Photo: Jens Morten
Last year 463 people from 24 countries were initiated into Christian The Fourth´s Guild here in Aalborg at 21 initiation ceremonies. These persons´ visit to the Guild are contributing to “putting Aalborg on the map” and to make it possible for the Guild´s Foundation to donate 100.000 DKK to social, humanitarian and cultural purposes every year.
The Guild got 20 more members when the general meeting was held in February in Duus' Winecellar. It is a tradition that on this occasion the Guild will initiate anyone who wishes to join the Guild. It is also at this annual general meeting that some of the Guild's prizes and donations are given away.
This year´s Aalborg Prize went to the young swimmer Mie Østergaard Nielsen as an extra honor to celebrate her many championships. “You have with your many international medals been a fantastic representative for Aalborg and for Denmark, and we are happy that you will accept our Aalborg Prize” said chief bencher Niels Voss Hansen.
The Aalborg Prize consists of the Honor and a check from the Guild – and checks were also presented to two residents of the Fourth of May College in Aalborg. The Guild is the sponsor of two rooms in the college, the Tolstrup-room and the Churchill-room and once a year the successive occupants of these rooms get a greeting from the Guild. This year it was Rune W. Larsen and Martin Beermann Staal.
PFC Aksel Wedel Bang Jensen was nominated to “Soldier of the Year”. He was selected by the Aalborg Garrison as a hardworking, competent, diligent, conscientious and co-operative soldier, who has also done military service abroad.
Niels Kaj Strøyberg was honored with Guild´s big “Prize of Honor”. He has for decades been an outstanding and highly esteemed person in Aalborg´s commercial, educational and cultural development. Latest he has been doing a magnificent job in the committee which worked for the establishment of the House of Music on the Aalborg waterfront. The house is now completed and successfully in use and the Guild wished on this occasion to present the “Prize of Honor” to Niels Kaj Strøyberg. Niels Kaj Strøyberg was out of town on the day of the general meeting and will receive the Prize at a later time.
Photo: From the left: The two residents from the “Fourth of May College” Rune W. Larsen and Martin Beermann Staal, chief bencher Niels Voss Hansen, swimmer Mie Østergaard Nielsen, PFC Aksel Wedel Bang Jensen and the treasurer of the Guild Ib Regnarsson.
Photo: Fini Ryming
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