1 CULTURAL FESTIVALS IN GERMANYPRESENTATION BY LISA KAMPIRA AND HAZEL CHIMUSORO

2 WHAT IS CULTURE IN 1952 the American Anthropologist Kroeber and Kluckhohn critically reviewed concepts and definitions of culture and complied a list of 164 different definitions. In simple terms culture can be the behaviours and beliefs or characteristics of a particular social ethnic or age group

3 WHAT IS FESTIVALS An occasion for feasting or celebration, especially a day or time of religious significance that recurs at regular intervals. An often regularly recurring program of cultural performances, exhibitions and other observed programmes

4 VOLKFESTE The cities of the Historic Highlights of Germany have preserved their customs and traditions as well as their “Volksfeste” (lit. peoples' festivals) whose characters are often closely connected to the history of the respective cities During your visit to Germany, a trip to a “Volksfest” should definitely be part of the itinerary, the perfect time for this is the summer season from March to OctobMay Week Osnabrueck ©Sascha Mayererer.

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6 OKTOBER FEST Oktoberfest is the world's largest funfair held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. It is a 16-day folk festival running from late September to the first weekend in October with more than 6 million people from around the world attending the event every year. Locally, it is often simply called Wiesn, after the colloquial name of the fairgrounds (Theresienwiese) themselves. The Oktoberfest is an important part of Bavarian culture, having been held since Other cities across the world also hold Oktoberfest celebrations, modeled after the original Munich event. Crown Prince Ludwig, later to become King Ludwig I, was married to Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen on October 12, The citizens of Munich were invited to attend the festivities held on the fields in front of the city gates to celebrate the happy royal event. The fields were named Theresienwiese ("Theresa's meadow") in honor of the Crown Princess, and have kept that name ever since, although the locals have since abbreviated the name simply to the "Wiesn".[1] To end the celebrations from the Royal wedding on 17 October, horse races were held in their honor, presumably thought to have been a repetition of the Scharlachrennen (Scarlet Race) which took place in the 15th century in front of the Karlstor and was part of the Jakobidult. The idea was proposed by Andreas Micheal Dall’Armi, who was a Major in the National Guard. It is reported that the initial idea that led to the horse races and Oktoberfest were proposals from a coachman, and Sergeant in the National Guard, Franz Baumgartner. However, the origin of the festival is controversial.

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8 THE VIEW OF THE NIGHT OF OKTOBER FEST

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10 THUERINGER BRATWURST One of the oldest records referring to the existence of the famous “Thüringer Bratwurst” (Thuringian bratwurst) can be traced back to the year It is not surprising that the Thuringian capital Erfurt uses this as an occasion to celebrate the bratwurst. Every year in March the “Thüringer Bratwurstfest” (Thuringian Bratwurst Festival) – a big barbecue to welcome the new summer season – transforms Erfurt's cathedral square into probably Germany's largest barbecue area. 20 barbecue grids are glowing while friends and manufacturers of the Thuringian bratwurst present their skills. Besides expert talks and discussions about the best recipe, the event is also a lot of fun: One attraction for the adventurous among you is the bratwurst-rodeo! While the conquerors need to ride the bucking sausage as long as possible, the people behind the barbecues are comparably calm. Broiling takes time, after all the ultimate goal is a good sausage

11 THE SEND IN MUENSTER Some fairs even go further back in history, such as the Send in Münster or the Dult and Plärrer in Augsburg. The name “Send” is a derivation of the German word “Synode” (synod'), the meeting of clergymen and senior representatives of the diocese in Münster which has been held twice a year since the 9th century. On this occasion, a market has been held since the the 11th century which differed from the regular weekly market for townspeople and lifted sales restrictions or privileges for local merchants and craftsmen. Since 1578, the so-called “Sendschwert” ( Send sword) has been hung out at the Town Hall in Münster, a reminder that any unruly behavior at the fair used to be punishable. The “Send” takes place three times a year on the square in front of the “Schloss Münster” (Münster City Palace). 

12 OSTERDULT In Augsburg, the existence of a fun fair can be traced back to the year Originally, the “Osterdult” was a cloth market which continued to develop over the centuries and offers all sorts of goods for sale. The “Dult” is accompanied by the “Plärrer”, another fun fair with amusements and rides, whose name derives from the “Geplärre” (German for 'blubbering') of the visitors. In his poem “Das Plärrerlied” (lit. The Plärrer Song), Augsburg-born author Bertolt Brecht honors the event which now looks back on a 1000-year old tradition.

13 MAIWOCHE The tradition of putting up a maypole goes back to pre-Roman times and is an old Germanic custom. In Osnabrück, this ceremony is celebrated each year with the “Maiwoche” (May Week). The entire Old Town transforms into a festival, culinary delights meet music of all styles and the whole city gets into a party mood. For those of you who love Christmas markets, this will seem like an atmospheric summer version.  

14 WARNEMUNDER WOCHE The maritime history of the Hanseatic city of Rostock has preserved the tradition of sailing regattas, especially in the seaside resort Warnemünde. The “Warnemünder Woche” (Warnemünde Week) in spring is the start of the summer season and a living tradition at the same time. A special event is the so-called “Niege Ümgang” on the first Saturday in July. Brass bands, local costume groups, Neptune and his entourage, pilots and fishermen, millers and bakers, butchers, merchants and innkeepers come together in a historical parade through the town. Accompanied by drums, barkers and shanty singing, another highlight of the event is the traditional “Warnemünder Hochzeit” (Warnemünde Wedding) with the “Brautwaschen” (lit. washing of the bride). The event ends with the tapping of the beer keg by the “Hanseatische Brauerei Rostock” (Hanseatic Brewery Rostock).

15 JOHANNISNACHT Celebrated every June, the “Johannisnacht” (Johannis Night) in Mainz is a festival in honor of the most famous son of the city: Johannes Gutenberg. This “Volksfest” is closely linked to the tradition of the art of printing in Mainz. One event highlight is the so-called “Gautschen” in front of the Gutenberg Museum. This traditional ceremony in the book printing trade is often described as a baptism ritual for apprentice printers. As new journeymen of their guild, the former apprentices are ducked into a large tub of water in public. This ritual is meant to wash off the lead dust and the sins of the apprenticeship.   

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17 KILIANI VOLKFEST In Würzburg, the first “Volksfest” already takes place in July, with classic beer tents and festival beer that has been especially brewed for the Kiliani- Volksfest. It is a traditional festival with folk music, traditional costumes and fun rides. A festival in honor of Saint Kilian, the patron saint of the city of Würzburg. The Regensburg Dultfestival, whose roots can be traced to the 14th and 15th centuries, takes on something of an Oktoberfest feel. Numerous amusement park rides, stalls selling an array of local products and crafts and fresh baked fish and other food specialties take center stage for many of the visitors.

18 HEIDELBERGER HERBEST The “Heidelberger Herbst” (Heidelberg Autumn Festival) is a street festival in the Old Town, celebrated every year in September. There is a large arts & crafts market in the main street and the medieval spectacle “Churpfälzer Market” (lit. Electoral Palatinate Market) on the “Universitätsplatz” (University Square). A wide range of different music styles is offered on all squares of the Old Town and the gastronomical offer attracts with all kinds of specialties.   

19 STADTFEST Another autumn festival is the Stadtfest (City Festival) in Wiesbaden which is celebrated at the end of September. Entertainment programs and attractions await you throughout the entire city center, on all squares and in the parks in front of the “Staatstheater” (Hessian State Theater). May it be autumn decoration, the first wines of the new season, hot chestnuts or painted pumpkins and crafts. If your feet are tired after the stroll from attraction to attraction, have a rest in front of one of the many stages and enjoy the last rays of autumn sunshine accompanied by, for instance, jazz music and a glass of excellent sparkling wine.

20 KARNEVAL Different Traditions, Different Dates There are three different words in German for “Carnival” or “Mardi Gras”: Karneval, Fasching and Fastnacht. Although all three refer to the same pre-Lenten observance, each has a different tradition and reflects somewhat different customs in different regions of the German-speaking world. Let’s take a closer look. In general, Karneval is the word used for the Rhenish (Rhineland) version of carnival in northwest Germany (except in Mainz), while the word Fasching refers to the similar celebration in southern Germany and Austria. The big day for Karneval is the Rose Monday parade, whereas the big Fasching parades are usually the day before, on Carnival Sunday. (The big final parade for Mardi Gras in New Orleans is on Shrove Tuesday.) But one of Germany’s biggest carnival parades takes place in the northern German city of Braunschweig, also on Carnival Sunday. Called “Schoduvel” (“scaring away the devil”), the Braunschweig carnival dates back to 1293. As we can see from the examples above, keeping track of carnival customs is far from simple. The term Fasching is also seen and heard in Berlin and other parts of northern Germany. Fastnacht, mostly used in Swabia and Switzerland, is also used in the northern city of Mainz. However, that still does not mean that these words are interchangeable. In fact, if we examine the origin of the three words, we discover that each is derived from a different source. The word Fasching dates back to the 13th century and is derived from the Germanic word vaschanc or vaschang, in modern German: Fastenschank = the last serving of alcoholic beverages before Lent. In olden times the 40-day Lenten period of fasting was strictly observed. People refrained from drinking alcohol or eating meat, milk products and eggs. The English word “fast” (to refrain from eating) is related to German fasten. Karneval, on the other hand, is a newer, much more recent (17th century), Latin-based word borrowed from French and Italian. The true origin of the word is uncertain, but it probably comes from Latin carne levare (“away with meat”) > carnelevale > Karneval or Carnival. In earlier times, the German word was even written with a C rather than today’s K-spelling. (Some German carnival associations still use the Carneval spelling in their names.) The Carnevale in medieval Venice is one of the earliest documented carnival celebrations in the world. It featured still-popular traditions, including carnival parades, masks and masquerade balls. Gradually the Italian Carnevale customs spread north to other Catholic European countries, including France. From France it spread to the German Rhineland and, through colonization, even to North America (Mardi Gras). The third common term for carnival in German, Fastnacht, refers to the Swabian-Alemannic carnival, which differs in some ways from Fasching and Karneval, and is found in Baden-Württemberg, Franconia (northern Bavaria), Hesse and much of Switzerland. Although this word looks like it comes from the German for the “eve of Lent,” in fact it is based on the Old German word fasen (“to be foolish, silly, wild”). Thus the word, sometimes spelled Fasnacht (without the t) actually means something like “night of being wild and foolish.”

21 DER ERSTE MAI May 1* | May Day (der erste Mai – Tag der Arbeit) – Known in most parts of the world as Labor Day (Tag der Arbeit), this day is also related to the Maypole (der Maibaum) and the welcoming of spring, especially in Austria and Bavaria. May 1 is a legal holiday in Europe and all the German-speaking countries. In May there is also mothers day. May | Mother’s Day (Muttertag) – On the second Sunday in May in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. In Germany, if Mother’s Day happens to fall on Pfingstsonntag (Pentecost), the holiday is moved to the first Sunday in May

22 GERMANY UNITY DAY German Unity Day, on October 3rd, is the German national holiday, a sort of German Fourth of July. Both the observance date and the holiday are recent. The third day of October has only been a national holiday since Why this date? Before the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and German unification in 1990 (known in German as die Wende, the “turning point”), few West Germans even knew the date of their nation’s founding (23 May 1949). It was never celebrated as an official holiday. East Germany’s national day was October 7 (Tag der Republik), commemorating the founding of the socialist German Democratic Republic in In West Germany after 1954, the date of June 17 was observed as a national holiday (see below), but it was never anything like July 4th in the US. Since the Nazi era, nationalism and overt patriotism were frowned on by most Germans. Flag-waving was only seen at soccer matches and neo-Nazi gatherings. The selection of the date for united Germany’s new national day was subject to concerns about events related to Hitler’s rule and Nazi crimes against humanity. Even the day on which the Wall opened in 1989 (November 9) coincided with the date of the infamous Kristallnacht (“night of broken glass”) anti-Jewish pogrom in Were it not for this unfortunate historical coincidence November 9 probably

23 would have become the German national holiday.It would have been a much more appropriate date than the day the German reunification treaty took effect, which is what happened. (By the way, the American Declaration of Independence was approved on July 2, 1776, not on July 4th. The fourth was simply the date at the top of the document, and the date it was sent to the printer. The Declaration was not actually signed until August 2.

24 N ATIONAL DAY OF MOURNINGIn November on the Sunday two weeks prior to the first Advent Sunday. In memory of Nazi victims and the dead in both world wars. Similar to Veteran’s Day or Memorial Day in the US.