Berlin: The German court ruled on Wednesday that women could not be excluded from traditional events where fishermen compete to capture the largest fish in the flow flowing through the city of Bavaria.
The District Court in Memmingen said the group organizing fischertag city, or fishermen’s day, had to allow female members to participate in the climax of the annual summer event, which featured people who entered the river with nets to catch trouts.
Anyone who caught the largest fish was crowned, “the king of fishermen.” The tradition was said to be dating back to the 16th century.
The 1931 Statute of the group that organizes competition states that “to preserve centuries,” only male members who have lived in Memmingen for at least five years are permitted to participate.
A member of a woman who objected to taking her case to the District Court in Memmingen and Won, and on Wednesday the District Court waste the appeal by the committee.
It was found that the purpose of their services mentioned for local history, culture and environmental protection did not justify unequal treatment of members.
The District Court also said the event had longev for a long time to be a fully loyal reproduction of history.
The group said it planned to decide on Thursday whether to appeal to the Federal Court, the DPA German news agency reported.
Major Mayor Manfred Schilder said the verdict was clear and the event “will change.” Both parties last month rejected the suggestion of the chairman’s judge that they achieved completion outside the court.
The organizer argues that the majority of their delegates must agree to the compromise, but they have refused twice to open events to women.
This case complains the freedom of the Association’s law to set their own rules for the requirements for equal care.
The head of the group that held a Memmingen event, Michael Rupert, said the verdict “could affect many, many associations throughout Germany.”
German court rules for women must be permitted in fishing rituals
