Easter is one of the most popular holidays in Germany. After a long, cold German winter, the festivities of Carnival, Lent, and Easter celebrations welcome the eagerly anticipated spring season.
During this time of year, there is a resurgence of Germany's
longstanding Easter traditions, some of which may seem very familiar to
Americans. Like many Christmas traditions, some popular Easter traditions actually have roots in German culture. However, Germany also has some Easter traditions
that are less widely practiced and unique to Germany. If you do plan on
visiting Germany at this time of year, don't forget to wish everyone a "Frohe Ostern!" or "Happy Easter!"
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Easter Trees
Like Christmas trees, Osterbaum, or Easter trees, are kept
in the home during the holiday season and some people may even decorate
the trees in their yards or public parks. Unlike the bushy evergreen
trees that are iconic of Christmas, Easter trees tend to have bare
branches and are decorated with colorfully decorated eggs instead of
ornaments.
One of the most famous Easter trees in all of Germany is located at
one family's home in the eastern state of Thuringia. For more than 50
years, the Kraft family in the town of Saalfeld has made a tradition of
hanging thousands of hand-decorated eggs on their tree, a sight that
attracts visitors from all over Germany every Easter.
Easter Eggs
Easter eggs symbolize new life and in Germany, eggs are often still
hand-blown and delicately decorated. Eggs were once traditionally dyed
with natural materials like tea, roots, and spices. That said, you can
also buy egg-dying kits or bright, pre-dyed eggs in the store.
If you want to see traditional egg decoration, visit the Sorbian Easter Egg Market in Bautzen
in Saxony. Here, you'll see people in traditional Sorbian dress selling
meticulously hand-blown and painted eggs. You may also be interested in
visiting the Easter Egg Museum in Sonnenbühl, which is about an hour's drive south of Stuttgart. This niche museum has an impressive collection of decorated eggs and other Easter-related exhibits.
Easter Fountains
Osterbrunnen, Easter fountains, are another festive way
Germans like to celebrate the holiday. During the season, public
fountains are typically draped in arches made of Evergreens, flowers,
and colorful Easter eggs. You'll find them particularly in the
Catholic-observing regions of southern Germany.
For example, the fountains in the Bavarian village of Bieberbach are
some of the most grandly decorated in the whole country and draw
thousands of visitors to see them around Easter.
Easter Weekend
Germans are lucky to enjoy a very long Easter weekend. From Good
Friday to Easter Monday, everything is closed including shops, banks,
and offices. The only exception is on Saturday when everything opens
normally, although beware that grocery stores, in particular, will be
busy with people restocking.
Keep in mind that trains and buses
will operate on a limited holiday schedule and are often crowded with
people going on vacation or visiting family. School vacation also
coincides with the Easter season and are usually in the two weeks around
Easter weekend, so you should expect many families planning travel
around this time. Here are some of the traditions by day you can expect
to see if you plan to spend the weekend of Easter Sunday in Germany:
- Good Friday: The Easter weekend in Germany begins with a quiet Good Friday (Karfreitag). Many families eat fish as their traditional Good Friday lunch before enjoying a weekend together.
- Easter Saturday: This is a great day to visit an open-air Easter market where you can shop for artistically handcrafted Easter eggs, carved Easter decorations, and local arts and crafts. Stop by a German bakery for a special Easter treat like a sweet cake in the shape of a lamb. Also on Saturday evening, regions in the north of Germany will light Easter bonfires, chasing away the dark spirits of winter and welcoming the warmer seasons.
- Easter Sunday: Easter Sunday is the highlight of the holiday weekend. In the early morning, parents hide baskets filled with colored, hard-boiled eggs, chocolate bunnies, sweets, and little presents for the kids. Many families attend an Easter service, followed by a traditional Easter lunch, lamb, potatoes, and fresh vegetables.
- Easter Monday: This is another quiet family day, but it's also a national holiday so expect offices and stores to be closed.
