Easter in Germany.

[Solly Mack]

The word Easter itself comes from the Germanic goddess Eostre, who was associated with spring and fertility. It is said that her earthly symbol was the rabbit -- meaning even chocolate bunnies are linked to pagan traditions.





Meant to be the first dab of spring color, Easter eggs are often hung from trees all over Germany.





Easter egg painting is a strong part of the Sorbian tradition and visual elements within the paintings are meant to ward off evil.





One of Germany's oddest Easter traditions is the Easter Fire Wheel custom in the town of Lügde in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.



Germany's Easter Enthusiasm

http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/fotostrecke-53448.html">Photo Gallery




I don't celebrate but thought some might enjoy this.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. My dear Solly Mack!

We don't celebrate it either, but these pictures are stunning!

I love the painted eggs the most...such incredible detail.

And that fire wheel...yikes!

Thank you so much for posting these...

The traditions are fascinating...

:hi:

[Solly Mack]

3. Good Morning, CaliforniaPeggy!

The painted eggs are gorgeous! I've been lucky enough to get a few.

I'm glad you enjoyed the pictures!

[Jackpine Radical]

The colored eggs have pagan origins, just like the "hex signs"

of the Pennsylvania "Dutch." Look at those eggs--the same sort of stars & other designs that you might see on a PA barn.

[KittyWampus]

35. I do Pysanky. The designs are based on geometry! What happens if you bisect an egg vertically

and/or horizontally. Similar to quilting.

[aikoaiko]

2. I've always been intriqued by the Czech tradition of pomlázka

pomlázka



used by boys to lightly whip girls on the backs of their thighs.

:shrug:

[Solly Mack]

4. I'll have to take a pass on that tradition

I've seen them for sale in Bayern....mostly decorative.

[aikoaiko]

5. I think there is copious amount of drinking involved too -- that might help the participation rate

;)

[Solly Mack]

9. I'd imagine so

I know that's my excuse during Oktoberfest. :)

[spanone]

6. great pics!!!!!

r

[Solly Mack]

14. Good morning, spanone!

[Jackpine Radical]

7. Vielen Dank.

[Solly Mack]

8. You're welcome

[starroute]

10. Sounds like Eostre was probably a Moon goddess

Cultures all over the world have tended to see the markings on the Moon as a rabbit. The Mayan Moon goddess, for example, was often shown either holding a normal-sized rabbit or snuggling up to a large one. The Chinese Moon goddess is also often shown with a rabbit companion.

And of course the Moon, rabbits, and eggs are all symbols of fertility. So by all means, let us celebrate springtime and fertility with the appropriate symbols.

[Solly Mack]

12. Germany's got some big rabbits for the celebrating...

[loudsue]

21. Dude!! Throw a saddle on that one!!

That's not the usual size German rabbit, is it?

[Solly Mack]

22. No...it's a specific breed called the German Giant.

[Gaedel]

29. Osterhaas = Easter hare (bunny)

Ostara/Eostre was the goddess of the spring equinox and the hare (not the rabbit) was her "sacred animal". The colored eggs were a fertility symbol for a good crop and fecund livestock in the coming year.


The fire wheel is representative of the sun and the sun wheel. The fire wheel used at the vernal equinox shows the passage of the sun The entire Indo-European culture was based on sun worship. Hinduism is the sole remaining religion based on the old culture as Christianity and Islam have pretty much pushed out the old beliefs. The Christmas wreath on the door is also representative of the "sun wheel".

Before it got co-opted by the German Nazi party, the swastika was an honorable graphic representation of the sun wheel (and still is in Hinduism).

[Jackpine Radical]

31. Etymologically, I believe that Eostre is related to Astarte, estrus, etc.--

the feminine aspects of fertility.

[Odin2005]

50. No, it's cognate with Eos, Greek goddes of sunrise, Latin Ausos, Sanskrit Ushas.

Both are derived from a Proto-Indo-European name for a goddess of dawn and fertility, "Heusos"

[Jackpine Radical]

55. Very interesting. Thanks.

[Odin2005]

56. You're welcome!

:hi:

[EFerrari]

11. What is the firewheel for? I've never seen that.

Maybe this was an folkway for flea control? lol

Lovely pix!

[Solly Mack]

13. If the wheel is still standing at the bottom of the hill, that means a good harvest

...according to the site.

Maybe the idea is after a field is burned it will yield better? After fire, rebirth?

[EFerrari]

17. Rebirth sounds better than insurnce adjustors.

:)

[Solly Mack]

19. and it does fit in with the holiday...

[EFerrari]

54. It's beautiful

[Odin2005]

57. IIRC in earlier times old dead crop stubble was burned away in the Spring.

[proteus_lives]

15. Wow! That firewheel thing looks like a hoot!

[Solly Mack]

18. They roll multiple wheels down the hill...looks fun!

Never had the pleasure to see it in person.

[leftstreet]

16. That tree is awesome!

I remember the tradition from my childhood, although we never had anything quite so stunning!

Nice pics

Danke!

[Solly Mack]

20. There are several decorated trees around my neighborhood

but none that come close to the one in the picture.

[RandomThoughts]

23. I thought it was. Rabbi T

Rabbi being teacher, T being the cross.

:)

[14thColony]

26. There's a South Park episode that explains the Easter Bunny very well

It's called Hare Club for Men :-)

[Solly Mack]

36. Teehee

[Altoid_Cyclist]

24. My Sister and her family live in Westendorf near Augsburg.

She's an ardent kayaker and has told me about the extra large beavers that she encounters while kayaking.

She never said anything about pony sized rabbits though. Those things are adorable.

Fantastic pictures. Thanks for posting! My internet service keeps going out so I bookmarked this to return to later.

[tango-tee]

33. I live in Nuremberg - not far from Augsburg!

Do you have plans on visiting you sister?

[Mira]

58. HI! I grew up in Augsburg. I love it and at Easter, I miss it. N/T

[tango-tee]

60. Frohe Ostern, Mira!

The weather isn't really all that nice this weekend, but we're used to it here...

[Mira]

62. Dir auch! Vielen Dank - freut mich. N/T

[Altoid_Cyclist]

61. I wish, but I don't see it in the near future.

She and her family have been here 4 or 5 times, but we haven't been able to make it over there yet. Maybe I'll be able to arrange a trip to see them now that I'm retired. It sounds like it would be an interesting area to see. She grew up in the US but married a German that she met during her travels and has lived there for over 20 years. She joked that if the US was stupid enough to re-elect Reagan then she was leaving the country for good. He was and she took off. She's only been back to visit since then.

I think that the locals have learned to trust her. At first, they were a little leery of her since she was from the US. The good thing is that anywhere that she's ever gone in the world, people have commented that she doesn't act like their image of what Americans are like.

She sent us some pictures of a family outing at Neuschwanstein Castle which were so impressive that it would be worth a trip just to see that area.

This is a link to the club that she kayaks with. Somewhere there is a video of her demonstrating how to do a roll in the kayak but I haven't been able to find it yet. For some reason there are parts of the home page that I am unable to see on my computer. I also don't understand German so I'm not sure what to look for anyway.


http://www.kanu-schwaben-augsburg.de/

[Solly Mack]

38. You're welcome!

I haven't see the big bunnies up close and personal yet - need to find a breeder. I agree - they're adorable!

[malaise]

25. Truly lovely

Thanks Solly :hi:

[Solly Mack]

40. Hey malaise!

You're welcome! I enjoyed the pictures and thought I'd share.

[old mark]

27. Why not celebrate? I'll party for ANY holiday, so long as I don't have to believe

in the crap behind it - nothing wrong with a little spring festival...
Never deny yourself a party...life is too short.

mark

[Solly Mack]

41. Good point! I do get a toy bunny every year - private joke from my BH.

Thanks!

[pruple]

28. K&R

[Solly Mack]

49. Thank you, pruple

:hi:

[Sparkly]

30. I just got back from Switzerland

and the chocolate bunnies were outrageous! (I have some like the ones in your first picture.) A place where food prices are astronomical, an enormous dark chocolate bunny is $4!! Most amazing were the ones in the patisseries and candy shops where they made virtual works of art from the chocolate.

Yup -- Spring, fertility, renewal, rebirth. Kind of weird how it ended up associated with a rabbit delivering eggs, but oh well!! It's a beautiful Spring day and it makes sense that way, at least!

:hi:

[Solly Mack]

43. I agree. ("works of art") I've seen chocolate goodies that were too pretty to eat!

:hi:

[tango-tee]

32. Ich wünsche Dir ein frohes Osterfest, dear Solly Mack.

Thank you for the photos of German Easter traditions via DU - while I'm living in Bavaria!

Whether Christian, Jew, Muslim, agnostic or atheist: What brings us together is the faith in the possibility of a better tomorrow, a just world, and the willingness to work towards this goal together. It will take time and effort and only too often, we allow ourselves to be kept apart by those who benefit most from the divisions amongst us. Haves vs have-nots, men vs women... we know the drill by now.

To all who celebrate: Happy Easter!

To each and every DUer: Solidarity, sisters and brothers!

[Jackpine Radical]

39. Fröhliches Osterfest!

[tango-tee]

42. Das gleiche wünsche ich Dir und Deinen Lieben, JR!

Happy Easter!

:hug:

[Solly Mack]

45. and to you, tango-tee! Thank you.

I do believe in the possibility of a better tomorrow - and chocolate. :)

[Blue_Tires]

34. i want a FIRE WHEEL!

why do the germans get all the fun things?

[Solly Mack]

48. LOL! It does look fun. Maybe next year I'll take a little trip to see the rolling fireballs.

[Quantess]

37. Nothing half-assed about that easter tree!

Lindt dark chocolate is my favorite.

[Solly Mack]

46. That tree is awesome! Did you see the closer look at the link?

A lot of beautiful eggs on the tree.

[Quantess]

59. Yes. Lots of great photos at the link!

[jdadd]

44. I lived 2 years in Bayreuth

While in the service, I loved the way the German people celebrate everything.....Lots of Bier, Love that Maisel brau :toast: Prost!

[Solly Mack]

47. It's been one of the best things about living here - the celebrations &

learning various traditions. I've been very lucky!

and to you!

:toast:

[Odin2005]

51. EASTER TREE!!!

:)

[City Lights]

52. Thanks so much for sharing these.

:thumbsup:

What wonderful photos. We checked out all of them at the link you provided. Fantastic!

[Bluebear]

53. Froeliches Osterfest, liebchen!