Alaaf und Helau! - German Festivals and Celebrations

Nobody celebrates like the Germans! Germany has a festival for nearly every occasion and every time of year. Here's a brief glimpse of Germany's better-known festivals.

Karneval

The celebration of Carnival (Karneval, Fasching or Fastnacht, depending on the region) is similar to our New Orleans Mardi Gras and is a time for eating, drinking and merriment before the solemn days of Lent, the period between Ash Wednesday and Holy Saturday in the Christian calendar..Although Carnival is celebrated in several regions throughout Germany, the most popular regions are Cologne, Düsseldorf and Mainz. Officially, Carnival starts on November 11th at 11:11 am. At this time people celebrate the beginning of the so-called "fifth" (Carnival) season. In the weeks leading up to the festivities, Carnival clubs meet to discuss upcoming performances, costumes, and parade.

Carnival is traditionally kicked off on Thursday with "Women's Day" (Altweiberfastnacht). On this day all women are allowed and expected to cut off the ties of the men. On Monday at approximately 11:11 am the Rose Monday parade (Rosenmontagszug) begins. With excitement and anticipation, people line up along the main street to wait for the oncoming floats. After the parade marchers dressed in crazy costumes (Narrenkostümen) gather in the side streets to continue the celebration. On Tuesday, which is known as ìFaschingsdienstagî, the festivities continue with smaller parades and parties after which everything must finally calm down for the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday.

To accompany this great fun, typical simple German fare is available to all Carnival enthusiasts. At each and every corner one can buy fresh pretzels (Brezen) and hot Bratwurst served with mustard (Senf) in a bread roll (Brötchen / Semmel) and stay warm by drinking hot-spiced wine (Glühwein). One of the most popular foods eaten during the Karneval seasons are Krapfen or Berliner. These are donuts that are available plain filled with jam, or filled with chocolate or vanilla cream.

Easter

Easter (Ostern) is a very important holiday in Germany and the government, schools and most businesses close for 4 days during the Easter holiday, which begins on Good Friday (Karfreitag) and ends on Easter Monday (Ostermontag). Germans celebrate Easter in much the same way that Americans do, not surprisingly since many Easter traditions were brought to our shores by German immigrants.

Easter in Germany starts on Gründonnerstag (Green Thursday) or Maundy Thursday. On that day people eat preferably green dishes like "seven herbs soup" with spinach, parsley, leek, chive, dandelion and sorrel. The name comes from the word greinen, an old German word for mourning or crying. The Friday before Easter is known as Karfreitag (Good Friday) and traditionally people eat fish for dinner with their family. The main day of German Easter celebrations however is Easter Sunday. The whole family gathers together to celebrate with a festive meal. A very common dish is lamb since it represents innocence and humbleness.

German children believe that if they are good the Easter Rabbit (Osterhase) will lay a nest of colored eggs and hide them throughout the home and garden on Easter Sunday (Ostersonntag). On the day before Easter, they put together baskets stuffed with straw so that the Osterhase will know where to leave the eggs. Before chocolate Easter eggs were available, children would seek brightly colored hard-boiled eggs. Today the Osterhase has a big selection of delicious chocolate eggs and bunnies to choose from and will bring a mixture of boiled and confectionery eggs (Ostereier). You can find chocolate Easter bunnies and a large selection of other German Easter confectionary items in specialty food stores and at online retail sites in North America.

Children also decorate hard boiled eggs for the breakfast and hollowed eggs shells for decorating an Easter branch (Osterstrauch).In some areas of Germany children will play a fun game called Eiertrudeln which involves rolling colored eggs down a grassy slope in the hope that their egg will be the first to reach the bottom! Another common practice is to knock eggs together to see whose will shatter first!

Mayfest

In May, Germans celebrate springtime with the ancient festival known as Maifest (May Festival) in many towns and villages. Mayfest was first intended in pre-Christian agricultural ritual to ensure crop fertility. Although their original significance was gradually lost, the practices survived as popular festivities. During this season Maiglocken (Maybells) are in bloom and children can purchase chocolate Maikäfer (May beetles) for good luck. Many villages also erect a Maibaum or Maypole on the village square before their Maifest celebrations. The Maibaum is either taken down after the festivities at the end of the month, or, as is the case in Bavaria, it is left standing all year round.

Maifest celebrations are becoming increasingly popular in cities across the US where traditional dancing, food and, of course, the customary Maibock beer and Maiwein are all important elements. Maiwein, also known as Waldmeisterbowle, is a white wine flavored with woodruff or Waldmeister, a fragrant herb that grows in forests. Maibock is a strong German ìBockî beer that is traditionally enjoyed in the springtime.

German Wine Festivals

German wine festivals or ìWeinfesteî are as diverse as the wines they celebrate and some date back 500 years. They take place in the courtyards of ancient castles, on village squares, on vineyard slopes and on city streets and all celebrate the harvest of the grapes whose products will be enjoyed throughout the world.

Germany's approximately 1,250 wine festivals range in size and scope, from small counters serving two varieties to large street festivals featuring hundreds of booths and thousands of vintages. Some last for a single evening, while others involve weekends over two months.

The entertainment is as varied as the populations and the cities in which the festivals take place, with everything from rock and roll to Bavarian oom-pah.

The food is of course plentiful. From classic German fare such as sausages, pretzels, confections, cheeses and meats to regional and local specialties such as Käsespätzle (cheese noodles) and Maultaschen (square dumplings with a savory filling, similar to ravioli).

About 500 wine festivals take place in the towns and villages along the Rhine, particularly in the Rheingau region, while another 300 or more take place along the Mosel river in the vicinity of the renowned Mosel Weinstraße (Mosel Wine Route). There are also festivals along the Main and Neckar rivers.

In October, there are also numerous ìFederweißerî festivals, celebrating the arrival of the new wine, often sold at roadside stands. Federweißer is new wine that has not yet fully fermented. Once yeast is added to the grapes it begins to ferment and once the wine has reached an alcohol level of 4-5% it can be sold as Federweißer, meaning literally ìwhite as a featherî- so named for the milky color caused by the fermenting yeast. It is available from early September to late October and is traditionally accompanied by Zwiebelkuchen, or onion cake, a pie made of onions, bacon, cream, and caraway seed on a yeast dough.

A further contribution to Germanyís diverse drinking culture is the German equivalent of apple cider known as ìApfelweinî (apple wine). Apfelwein, or Ebbelwoi as it is known regionally, is produced and consumed mainly in the state of Hessen and particularly in Frankfurt am Main, which hosts an Apfelwein festival every year in late summer.

Oktoberfest

Known as the world's largest public festival, the Munich Oktoberfest, held during the last week of September and the first week of October, is enjoyed by almost seven million visitors each year. During the two-week long event, more than five million liters of beer, 600,000 roasted chickens and over 400,000 sausages are consumed. in beer tents serving the food and beers of sponsoring regional German breweries and restaurants.

The origin of Oktoberfest dates back to 1810, when citizens of Munich celebrated the royal wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Theresa of Bavaria. The festival honored the newlyweds and included horse races in front of the city gates. To honor the princess, the festival grounds were named after her ñ ìTheresienwiese,î or ìTheresaís Meadow.î Still today, Oktoberfest takes place on the Theresienwiese grounds, known to locals as simply die Wiesn. The first agricultural show presenting Bavarian food products was added the following year, and in 1819 the city of Munich became the official organizer of the event.

Today, Oktoberfest does not involve horse races or weddings, but attractions such as carousels and other fairground rides have been gradually introduced over the years. From tents, several select German restaurants serve authentic German food to revelers from all over the world. And we canít forget the most notable part of the Oktoberfest celebration ñ the beer! Only those who brew beer within Munichís city limits are allowed to sell beer on the grounds of die Wiesn. Spaten, Augustiner, Paulaner, Hacker-Pschorr and Löwenbräu are a few of these local breweries ñ many of whom create a special ìOktoberfest beerî that is only served during the 16 days of the festival.

St. Martinís Day

After Halloween is over, German children have another opportunity to do a little more "trick or treating" of sorts. On November 11 each year German children celebrate St Martin's Day. Carrying lanterns, and singing special lantern songs they walk around the streets in a procession after darkness falls. The procession often ends with a bonfire after which they may go from door to door singing songs. Much like trick or treating in the USA, the children are given candy, money and other goodies as a reward for their singing and the beauty of their homemade or purchased lanterns. The lanterns may be used to store the candy and treats until they return home.

St. Martin's Day is one of the most popular saint's days in Germany and is celebrated mostly by youth and rural populations. Martin of Tours was born in the 4th Century and started out as a Roman soldier, later becoming a monk, and because of his exemplary way of life was later appointed Bishop of Tours (against his will). Many legends surround his life, the most famous of which tells how he cut his cloak in half to share with a beggar who was dying in the cold.

A popular sweet treat eaten at this time of the year is the traditional Weckmann, a sweet bread roll shaped into a gingerbread man form with raisin eyes and a white clay pipe in his mouth. The Weckmann can be purchased in the majority of German bakeries in regions where St. Martin's Day is celebrated or can be made at home.

St. Martin's Day is also the official start of Karneval, Fasching and Fastnacht at eleven minutes past eleven on the eleventh day of the eleventh month. It's at this time that carnival clubs and neighborhood groups start their preparations for the carnival season that culminates with the big Fasching (Mardi Gras) parades in February.

Another typical symbol of St. Martin's Day is the goose. Legend has it that St. Martin was betrayed by geese gabbling whilst he was trying to hide in a stall to avoid being appointed Bishop of Tours. Actually the real reason that the first goose of the season is eaten on St. Martin's Day is that they are ready for harvesting at this time of year. Moreover the eggs and fat were used for baking and the feathers were used for pillows and featherbeds and even to create a sort of Christmas tree. Roast goose frequently appears on menus all over Germany.

Christmas (Weihnachten)

Nothing means more to Germans than Christmas. You might be surprised to know that many, if not most, of our own Christmas celebrations, including Santa Claus, the Christmas tree, gingerbread cookies and many popular carols, come to us from Germany.

Christmas in Germany begins four Sundays before Christmas Eve. The so-called Advent season and its celebration have changed over the years from being quite serious (including giving up pleasures similar to the Lenten season before Easter) to one of a more joyous nature ó where treats like chocolate-filled Advent calendars are received. This Advent calendar tradition is meant to "count-down" the four weeks leading up to Christmas Eve. It began as a plain card with paper backing. On the face were 24 windows that, when opened, revealed various Christmas symbols and scenes. Today the most popular version of this calendar is the candy-filled variety. Instead of just pictures, the windows open to reveal pieces of chocolate shaped to resemble stars, fir trees, and other Christmas symbols.

Many families also set up an Advent wreath on the first Advent Sunday (the fourth before Christmas) to start off the Advent season. Traditional families gather around the wreath on each Advent Sunday to light the next candle and sing Christmas carols. This was even more important in the past, when the Christmas tree was usually reserved for a special unveiling only on Christmas Eve. Until then, the Advent wreath provided the evergreen look and aroma in the house.

A very popular activity during the Advent season is baking. Families bake a Christmas Stollen (yeast fruit cake) early so that thereís enough time for the rum-soaked cake to mature during the weeks leading up to Christmas. Also traditional is the baking of Plätzchen or Weihnachtsgebäck (Christmas cookies) of which there are hundreds of different types. Instead of baking, some families also purchase their Christmas cookies and cakes in the store. They then enjoy these holiday treats as they sit around the lighted Advent wreath. Typical cakes, cookies and other treats for the Christmas season are Lebkuchen (gingerbread), Stollen (fruit cake), Spekulatius (spiced cookies), Dominosteine (gingerbread cubes filled with jelly and marzipan) and Pfeffernüsse (sugar-glazed gingerbread cookies).

During the Advent season youíll almost always find a selection of typical Christmas decorations in German homes such as wooden nutcrackers (Nussknacker), Smokers (Räuchermännchen), Christmas cribs (Weihnachtskrippen), gingerbread houses (Hexenhäuschen) and Christmas pyramids (Weihnachtspyramiden).

For children the best day in Advent is the 6th of December which is known as Nikolaustag. The tradition of Nikolaus is based on the legend of the former holy bishop Nikolaus of Myra who was later named St. Nicholas or Santa Claus. On the evening of December 5th, St. Nicholas knocked on the doors of homes and asked about the behavior of the children living there. He would then reward the children that had been well behaved with gifts. Today children still place their boots in front of their bedroom doors or hang their socks in front of the fireplace and hope to find them filled with delicious German candies and chocolates on the morning of December 6th.

For German families, the most important day during the Christmas season is Christmas Eve, which is known as Heilig Abend (Holy Evening). More often than not, businesses and shops close early that day and, traditionally, it's when the Christmas tree, or Weihnachtsbaum is decorated.Some families like to decorate the tree together, whereas others prefer to keep the children busy while the adults decorate the tree and surprise the children afterwards. A typical meal on Heilig Abend is carp (Karpfen), which is referred to as Weihnachtskarpfen. It is breaded and fried and served with Kartoffelsalat (potato salad), Gurkensalat (cucumber salad), Zitronenspalten (lemon wedges) and Salzkartoffeln (boiled potatoes). Later that evening families exchange their gift, unlike in the US, where the gift exchange takes place on Christmas Day.

On Christmas Day, families sit down to a traditional meal of roast goose (Weihnachstgans) which is often stuffed with Äpfel (apples), Kastanien (chestnuts) , Zwiebeln (onions) or Dörrpflaumen (prunes). It is served with Rotkohl (red cabbage) and Klösse (dumplings). Other typical meals eaten on Christmas Day are Truthahn (turkey), Ente (duck) and Rinderbraten (roast beef).

Christkindlmarkt (Christmas market)

One of the many delights of the Christmas season in Germany is the Weihnachtsmarkt, or Christkindlmarkt (Christmas market). These take place in town centers and village squares all over Germany.The most famous Christkindlmarkt takes place in the ancient city of Nuremberg, beginning just before the Sunday of Advent and lasting through noon Christmas Eve. Other famous Christmas markets include the Dresdner Striezelmarkt and the Weihnachstmärkte in Munich, Augsburg, Aachen, Leipzig and Rothenburg ob der Tauber.

A typical Weihnachtsmarkt consists of numerous decorated stalls or little wooden huts selling baked goods such as Lebkuchen, Spekulatius, Stollen, chocolate novelties, Zuckerwatte (cotton candy), gebrannte Mandeln (roasted almonds), Maronen (chestnuts) and Pfannkuchen (pancakes). To protect against the cold there are warming beverages such as Glühwein (mulled wine) and Kinderpunsch (non-alcoholic red punch). There are also plenty of booths selling gifts and Christmas trinkets and decorations such as Glaskugeln (glass balls), Adventssterne (Advent stars), Krippen (cribs) and Räuchermänner (smokers).

In addition to the food, beverages and decorations for sales, there are activities such as an appearance by St. Nikolaus or the Weihnachstmann who will stop by and hand out gifts to the children. Some markets also have concerts of live cribs with real animals.