At the end of an apprenticeship, the German crafts hold a ceremony called the Freisprechung, the release. The apprentices are released from their training contracts and receive their journeyman’s certificates. In Spaichingen in 2023, more than 250 apprentices from 33 trades were released together in what the local paper called an ancient tradition. In Dortmund in July 2026, 85 scaffolders were released with three blows of a hammer. Mit dem ersten Schlag wird die Aufnahme in den Gesellenstand besiegelt. (The first blow seals their admission to the rank of journeyman.) The second blow stands for respect and solidarity among journeymen and masters. The third reminds them to stay true to their trade.