After a short pause in the Guild’s induction activities, we were able on Wednesday, 12 November 2025, to welcome no fewer twenty-nine new members.

Once the ritual toast “Our thirst first” had properly wetted our throats, the chief bencher began in earnest. The guests—among them former employees of Provinsbanken and a group of men whose hobby is metal detecting—were warmly welcomed. The chief bencher elaborated on the distinguished company they were joining, including none other than Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II and His Majesty King Frederik X, along with many well-known personalities worldwide. In total, the Guild has around 8,700 members from 120 countries.

The guests were also introduced to the individual benchers around the table, although the chief bencher forgot to introduce himself (he is a bit shy). Fortunately, this oversight was quickly corrected.

Before their induction, the guests were informed of the conditions of membership. The chief bencher went through the articles of the Guild Charter one by one and introduced the Guild’s “Virgin Expert.”
When all agreed to uphold the rules, they were presented with the golden key, enabling them to enter Duus’ Wine Cellar with friends in the future—though naturally only during opening hours.

To demonstrate this in practice, a short walk followed. Unfortunately, the route did not include the Guild’s beautiful linden tree at Aalborg City Hall due to preparations for the Christmas market at the Old Square. Instead, an “economy tour” led to the secret back entrance, where the newly inducted members heard the story of the incident in World War II, when a bomb was thrown into the restaurant from the front of the building and the unfortunate consequences that followed.

The head of ceremonials then asked one of the newly inducted to evaluate the key. It worked, and everyone returned safely to the Wine Cellar, where they were introduced to the old Danish drink mead, before enjoying the Guild’s distinguished lunch and learning the proper way to drink Aalborg’s famous “potato juice.”

There was an excellent atmosphere in the cellar, further lifted when the Guild’s two-man band led several songs from the Guild songbook.

As always, all good things must end. The benchers sang their brief farewell to the newly inducted, who continued to enjoy conversation and the warm atmosphere.

There were thirty-eight people seeking induction. Among them was the new restaurateur of Restaurant Duus Vinkjælder, David Olsen, accompanied by his wife. In addition, several guests attended, so the cellar was completely full.

The chief bencher warmly welcomed the large gathering, who were then introduced to the world of Christian the Fourth’s Guild. They were presented with some of the distinguished figures they now joined as fellow members, including Queen Margrethe II, King Frederik, and Prince Joachim, among others. The Guild’s benchers were also introduced, and the Guild’s historical expert provided insight into the Guild’s history.

The new brothers and sisters were then called to the high table and presented with the conditions of membership — which they all accepted. Afterwards, the newly inducted were sent on a walk through old and new Aalborg, ending at the secret entrance, where they had the chance to evaluate their newly issued keys, which fit perfectly.

Back in the cellar, the chief bencher welcomed them once again as new brothers and sisters and offered them the ancient Danish drink, mead.

Following the tour, Christian the Fourth’s Guild served its traditional Gala Lunch of sausages and bread, and the atmosphere grew even livelier when the participants were introduced to the so-called “potato juice.”

Songs from the Guild’s songbook were sung, guided with great spirit by the Guild’s troubadours, who kept the entertainment joyful. As all good things must come to an end, time passed quickly, and the benchers bid farewell to the company, while conversations happily continued afterwards.

Four benchers from Christian the Fourth’s Guild participated in the event, together with the chairperson of the Guild’s Foundation, councilor Vibeke Gamst. The Foundation had donated 5.000 Dr.kr. to the project.

German artist Gunter Demnig created the Stumbling Stone Project. The first stone was placed in Cologne in 1995, and since then more than 116,000 stones have been laid across the world.

Stumbling Stones are small memorials, the size of a cobblestone, laid in remembrance of people who were persecuted and perished under Nazism.

The first Stumbling Stone in Aalborg honors Police Superintendent Poul Larsen, who was highly active in the resistance movement during World War II. Poul Larsen was executed in Ryvangen on March 10, 1945.

The stone was laid by his son, Niels Peter Juhl Larsen, and his daughter and grandchildren were also present.

The Stumbling Stone has been placed at Gabels Square, the former site of Aalborg’s old police station.

As part of their advanced training program in Aalborg, 30 international military police officers were recently inducted into Christian the Fourth’s Guild—continuing a tradition that has lasted for more than half a century.

The ceremony introduced the participants to the Guild’s history, founded in 1942 during World War II, and its ongoing charitable work in Aalborg. After pledging to uphold the Guild’s rules, the new members joined a symbolic walk through the city, passed through the historic secret passage, and received their own golden keys.

Back in Duus’ Wine Cellar, they experienced Danish culture firsthand with mead, the Guild’s gala lunch, music, and song—a lively finale to an unforgettable day of fellowship and tradition.

See more pictures here