Perhaps for the first time in the long history of the Guild (which was founded on the 16th of December 1942) the chief-bencher moved away from his high-backed chair at the benchers’ long table in Jens Bangs Stonehouse in Aalborg.
he occasion was the initiation into the Guild of member no 25,000, the Norwegian Anne Linn Salvesen, who was on a prolonged weekend in Aalborg with 35–40 other Norwegians from Tvedestrand in Norway. Anne Linn Salvesen was one of 11 new members, who were initiated during their stay in Aalborg, most of the others in the party – who visits Aalborg every year - having been initiated at earlier occasions. “I’m happy to leave my chair for a moment on such an occasion” said chief-bencher Niels Voss Hansen, when Anne Linn Salvesen was welcomed. Beside a lifelong membership of the Guild she received chocolate and a bottle of “Laugsbitter”.
Many of the visitors to Aalborg, who over the years have been initiated into the Guild of Christian the Fourth, have left us, either because they have died or because they have not kept up their memberships.
“But we are proud, that we today have 8000 active members from nearly 100 different nations” said chief-bencher Niels Voss Hansen”.
Photo: Fini Ryming