Easter Sunday (Ostersonntag) in Germany annually celebrates Jesus Christ’s resurrection after his crucifixion on Good Friday, according to the Christian Bible. People mark the day by attending special church services, giving gifts and sharing festive meals with family members.
The Easter season starts in earnest on Thursday with Maundy Thursday marking the last meal Jesus had with his disciples.
Easter traditions follow the religious calendar with Friday a day of mourning (the crucifixion of Christ) before celebrating on Monday to mark his resurrection.
From rolling wheels filled with burning hay down a hills, to waiting for a fox to bring eggs, here are the nine best German Easter traditions.
Many people prepare a festive breakfast, lunch or evening meal on Easter Sunday. Popular treats are:
- Fried, scrambled or boiled eggs.
- Roast lamb.
- Lamb stew.
- Rich loaves of sweet bread decorated with frosting and candy eggs.
- Cookies shaped like chicks, eggs or lambs.
- Butter in the shape of a lamb.
- Cakes baked in the shape of a hare or lamb.
- Various salads.
Many people give and receive Easter eggs and Easter hares on Easter Sunday. Children are often told that the Easter hare brings and hides Easter eggs.
Make a fire: On the night before Easter Sunday, thousands of Germans gather around huge bonfires. Traditionally the wood of old Christmas trees is used. It marks the end of winter and the coming of spring. It also drives away the evil winter spirits.
Eat a lamb: The lamb is also a symbol of spring and fertility and is traditionally eaten at Easter. Germans also bake a cake in the form of a lamb.
Paint some eggs: Painting Easter eggs is a tradition now done in many countries but it is particularly strong in Germany. Painting the eggs was seen as a form of blessing them before they were eaten to mark the end of the Easter fasting period.
Eat your fish and be quiet: On Good Friday, “Karfreitag” in German, no church bells ring, no songs are sung and no music should be played as this is the day Jesus was crucified. The word “kar” comes from old German “kara” meaning lamentation. It is a day of fasting where the only meal eaten should be fish.
Eat something green: “Gründonnerstag” – Maundy Thursday in English – is the last time Jesus ate with his disciples before he was crucified. The word “grün” in Germany does not in this case come from the color green but from the old German word “grönan” which means crying. But some people still eat just green food on this day, like these amazing eggs in green Frankfurter sauce.
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