The Easter bunny, the Easter egg hunt and the Easter lamb are perhaps the most famous traditions in Germany. Where did they come from?
Dyed and painted eggs have been an integral part of Easter for centuries. In Christianity, the egg is considered a symbol of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The opening of the shell is compared to the opening of an empty tomb on Easter morning. Today, the search for colorfully decorated eggs is especially popular among children, without which it is difficult to imagine a holiday.
The exact meaning of the egg-laying rabbit is not known. For early Christians in Byzantium, the hare was a symbol of Jesus. According to other interpretations, the hare personified the resurrection. In the second half of the 17th century, a custom developed according to which the Easter Bunny lays eggs and hides them in the gardens, where children collect them on Easter Sunday.
The Passover lamb, a symbol of the sacrificial death of Jesus, originated from the Jewish ritual of slaughtering a lamb at Passover in memory of God. John the Baptist, pointing to Jesus, says, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” Today, lamb meat is considered a traditional Passover food.
But that’s not all…
From the point of view of the church, the fire symbolizes the joy of the resurrection of Jesus, “the light of the world.” Even in pagan times, the flame was believed to bring renewing power. The burning tree was supposed to drive away the winter and protect the seeds from evil spirits. In some places, a witch’s doll was burned along with firewood. On the consecrated Easter bonfires, they light the Easter candle as the light of Christ and carry it to the still dark church.
On Ash Wednesday people’s faces are traditionally smeared with ashes. Depending on local customs, the ashes are either scattered on the head in the shape of a cross, or a cross is drawn on the forehead. In former times, this was considered a saving act, since a special power was attributed to the ashes. Farmers made sure that the ashes from the Easter fire flew to their fields and meadows. In this case, grass and grain will be especially plentiful.
On Easter morning in Germany, people can be seen scooping water from a running pond or wetting their faces with it. This custom dates back to pre-Christian times. It is believed that Easter water guarantees eternal youth and beauty, heals diseases and protects from misfortunes.
There are also regional customs and traditions.
Osterreiten: In Upper Lusatia (Saxony), festively dressed men in tailcoats and hats drive through the countryside to proclaim the message of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Lusatian Catholic Serbs ride horses adorned with bows and flowers to neighboring parishes. On the way they pray and sing songs in Serbian.
Steckenpferd-Reiten: In Dingelstadt (Thuringia), on Easter Monday, first-graders ride around the church on decorated sticks and receive sweets in return.
Kohlenschlagen: In some places in the north of Thuringia, men on this day take the so-called “Ostergolf” walk through the fields, during which they hit wooden balls (“coals”) with a stick (“heath”).
By the way, unlike us, German Lutheran and Catholic Easter (Ostern) is a holiday of national importance, which accounts for not one, but two whole days off. And the weekend always turns out to be Friday and Monday, which turns the Easter weekend into a small vacation.
