For medicinal purposes only...

Well now – I’m new around these parts. I can see where you, having stumbled – purely by accident – across this place, might be a bit confused? I know what you’re thinking. “Guns? Beer? Is that what you’re all about?” Hell no – I’ve got Culture. With a capital ‘C’. No joke! In fact, if you would grant me the pleasure, I’d be glad to relate a tale that’s certain to prove we’re all about honoring the traditions of our forefathers and our cultural heritage. It’s not all about the booze, I tell ya’.

Now then, where to start – ah yes, Jägermeister. As I said, it’s not all about the… um, err… oh, just bear with me.

Long before that familiar green bottle became omnipresent on college campus across the nation, long before orange hot-pants clad Jägerettes became a mainstay at Bikerfests and Metal gigs from coast to coast – in fact, long before the mocha-colored concoction of herbal goodness was first officially imported to these shores – Jägermeister, and all its 56 herbs and spices, has been a fixture in our little neck of the woods.

Lesson 1 – THERE IS NO DEER BLOOD in Jägermeister! No elk blood, bear blood, badger blood, weasel blood… NO blood! No secret ingredient to boost the libido or give you super-human strength. See – good news! It ain’t the booze – it’s all you, baby!

Lesson 2 – There really are 56 herbs and spices. More years ago than I care to admit, I, along with a merry band of fellow folk dancers (insert your own joke here, if you must) had the good fortune to receive a personal reception at the Wolfenbüttel headquarters of Mast-Jägermeister AG – the makers of everybody’s favorite Kräuterlikör. The highlight of the visit – excluding the lunch spread, complimentary shots and “longdrinks” – was, for many of us, the bushel-basket display of most (need to preserve those secrets…) of those 56 herbs, roots and spices. I get misty-eyed just thinking about all that natural goodness in one spot…

Lesson 3 – That cute little “deer’” head logo was not made up by some overpaid marketing dweeb. There’s history and tradition in that symbolism, my friend. And that is the lesson I’m about to convey:

The Jägermeister logo, a stag’s head with a glowing cross floating beyond the beast’s massive rack is derived from the iconography associated with the legend of St. Hubertus – one time bishop of Maastricht and Liege. Similar images – a stag’s head adorned with a cross, or in some cases a crucifix – are an integral part of the imagery surrounding the hunt throughout much of Europe.

Hubertus, a seventh-century nobleman, led, by all accounts, a life typical of those of his privileged birth – directionless, indifferent, and consumed with the search for worldly pleasures. Consumed by grief after the death of his wife Floribana during childbirth, Hubertus, the legend tells us, falls even further into a state of despair and emptiness. Seeking comfort in the solitude of the forest and the pursuit of game, he spends an inordinate amount of time alone afield – ignoring both his obligations and responsibilities, and his fellow man.

One Good Friday, the holiest of Holy Days, Hubertus, yet again roaming the woods in search of distraction, is overcome by a vision – a massive stag, a glorious vision of Creation, with a glowing cross between its antlers. Deeply moved by this apparition, and discerning it to be a sign from the Creator, Hubertus dropped to the forest floor, knelt in submission and awaited a Divine message…

The message? In the modern vernacular: “Dude, get your act together or you’re off to the fiery gates of Hell!”

Called to attention by this, justifiably upsetting, message, Hubertus reforms his life. Turning his back on the material comforts of his previous existence, he devotes himself to spiritual pursuits and dedicates his life to serving both his Lord, and his fellow man.

In time, St. Hubertus came to be recognized as the patron saint of, amongst others, the huntsman, and has also become closely related to all endeavors that seek to preserve the value of the natural world. In appreciating the wonders of Creation, honoring the Creator.

There you have it, my fine barfly friend. You’re not looking to end up passed out on the men’s room floor. No, you’re partaking of this most-potent elixir with intent to honor longstanding tradition and the glories of nature!

One more thing, if your drinking buddy doesn’t buy the story, throw this at him:

This is the short verse that is found on the label of the Jägermeister bottle in front of you. That ought to do the trick…

Once somewhat commonplace in the German-American milieu, the tradition of erecting a Maibaum seems to have fallen by the wayside in the local German community. How could this be? Even our Scandinavian friends at the Swedish Club of Detroit still erect a Majstang – of course, theirs goes up at Johannis, or Midsummer, but a Majstang – is a Maypole – is a Maibaum, no? Notice was taken – it had been awhile since any of us could recall having a spin around the tree to greet the coming May, and all it promises – and plans were made to rectify this situation.

An opportunity presented itself when, while cleaning up after a long winter, a fallen tree was reclaimed from the snow melt and rain-swollen waters of the Clinton River, which flows through our club grounds. The tree, which had grown to maturity in the fertile soil of the Schützenpark, was stripped of its bark, shaped, sized and prepared by club members for duty as the official DASV Maibaum. Initially dedicated in the spring of 2007, it now stands guard – for its second season – over our shooting range and the back-end of our property in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

The linked video provides you a quick glance at our take on the 1st of May. A small group of DASV members broke away from our monthly meeting, to gather together for a few words of dedication and a short ceremony.

As this is a “new” old tradition by us, we’ve kept it, for now, low-key and small in scale. Perhaps in coming years, we may see it grow in both size and importance – possibly an event we might come to share with the greater community as a whole…

Addendum: While searching for information on an unrelated subject, I stumbled upon this posting from an interesting fellow in Bad Goisern (Upper Austria). I think it’s worth a glance, as he offers an intriguing take on some of the more earthy origins of the custom. Nice photos and video are included.