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Happy Easter!
Frohe Ostern!
The dominating image of our Easter celebration today is the Easter
egg. Ancient believes paved the way for the egg from pre-christian days
into our customs. The egg is the source of live in it self and a symbol
for the formation of the living.
Because the Easter egg is supposed to have miracle effects in folklore
they originate not from an ordinary hen but from other mystical animals.
In Hesse it was the fox, in Holstein and Saxony the rooster, in the Alsace
the stork and in Switzerland even the cuckoo who brought the Easter eggs.
The hare or bunny as the deliverer of easterly eggs or gifts is a relatively
young appearance; the first secure news originated in the year 1682. But
the hare appeared already much earlier in connection with the spring and
Easter celebrations; it was the holy animal of the Germanic spring goddess
Ostara from whom the name of "Ostern" (= Easter) originates from.
Beyond this the hare was long known as a symbolic animal in mythology.
In early Christianity the reputation of the hare deteriorated. Because
of its fertility it seen as the symbol of lewdness. But despite its christian
damnation the fertile hare couldn't be banned from the Easter custom. It
even succeeded during the centuries to defeat all other "egg bringing
competition" to be the only egg deliverer in toady's Easter folklore.
In Germany the Easter celebration is generally first connected with
the Easter bunny (hare).
Despite the fact that it is known to be biologically not correct it
here has the reputation since 1678 (Georg Franck) to lay and deliver the
Easter eggs.
From the religious rules of the Jews to prepare and eat together a
lamb for the Passover holiday originates the custom of the Easter lamb.
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One of the most common traditions is the giving away of decorated Easter
eggs.
The beautifying techniques reach from coloring and pasting to painting
and even art decorating with wax, like the Sorbs of the Lausitz still do
today.
Other traditions are also known for centuries. Easter has next to the christian significance common in Europe other, sometimes much older origins. For example are the connections to the spring holiday or the jewish Passover holiday traceable. Easter mass, Easter night, Easter fire (as a symbol for the sun), Easter water (pre-christian origin) as well as Easter candles (the different religious light traditions united) are only some of the examples for the large number of origins of our Easter holiday today.
In christian dogma death is not seen as the end but as a beginning of a new life. In Christianity the Easter time lasts 50 days until Whitsuntide. Before this Easter time lays the 40 day period of Lent (passion time).
Other christian holidays of the Passion week:
- Palm Sunday
- Maundy Thursday
- Good Friday and Easter Sunday
(important days in christian holiday calendar)
With Easter christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. At the council of Nicäa in the year 325 Easter was committed to the day following the day of full moon after spring equinox. After introduction of the Gregorian calendar the western churches agreed to celebrate Easter on the first Sunday that followed the first full moon after spring equinox.
The Easter vacation in Germany are fixed part of every school
year. Depending of the federal state at Easter time two or even three weeks
are school free. While one part of the family leaves for vacation the other
stays home to craft Easter ornaments and decorate Easter bushes. Others
visit family and friends.
Easter links:
For Easter to Germany, Austria or Switzerland? Book your hotel with  |
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