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After preparing the maypole it is important to guard it because, traditionally, young men from surrounding villages may attempt to steal it. To prevent this, the inhabitants and predominantly young men, stay awake the whole night. Young men from surrounding villages also stay awake the entire night looking for their chance to steal the pole. If, by chance, they should be successful in absconding with the pole, the pole is returned after negotiations take place over barrels of beer and food.
A few unwritten rules govern the stealing of the maypole:

1. Thieves who are captured inside the village have to give the maypole back.
2. No force is allowed!
3. The maypole must remain undamaged.
4. After May Day, it is not allowed to steal the tree.
5. A tree can only be stolen when it is in the village.
6. The larcenist must commit the deed unobserved.
7. If a stolen tree is not redeemed, the thieves can put it up as their maypole or can put it up as a disgraced tree next to their own.
8. The theft and the redemption should be made without the need of police and the courts.
9. Only the maypole can be stolen not the figures or the wreaths.

If the maypole survives all of these dangers then positioning begins. An unwritten law is that this should be accomplished only by physical strength. For this purpose, the entire village of men are mobilized. This is a traditional event which takes place on only one day of the year and so the entire villages comes together to celebrate this tradition in a big festival. Before erecting the maypole, the mayor of the village says a few words to the assembled villagers. After that the Reverend blesses the tree and then command is assumed by the "maypole chief". With commands such as Hauruck and Zugleich and with the aid of so called Schwalben the tree gets higher and higher. As soon as it is upright it is fixed in place. The band then plays for the traditional May dance. The festivities continue until late into the evening with plenty to eat and drink.
Summary
The setting up of the maypole is a tradition going back to the 16th century.
Young people of the village work together to select and cut down the tree, to transport and to decorate it. During the preparation it is necessary to guard the maypole because young people from other villages who would like to steal it. The setting up of the maypole is a big feast for the whole community.