HAVE GERMAN WILL TRAVEL FEST I (der 30. April)

WALPURGISNACHT I WITCHES' NIGHT

Walpurgis Night Observed by The Czechs, Dutch, Estonians, Finns, Germans, Latvians and Swedes Type Cultural Celebrations Bontrres, dancing Date 30 April or 1 May Frequency annual

Walpurgisnacht in Related to ,

Walbu.rglsnacht The night of

' with noise and commotion, and so every­ ou sort of feel sorrv for them. Witch­ The answer is actually quite simple. one make noise. And, well. since spring­ es. after all, are people iust ltke you While nature was reviving, German farm­ Y time is at its best in May, advantage can be and I! And they have a right to places ers had quite a problem on their hands. taken of the first warm nights for other where they can socialize. One of them, the The first of May was their so-called hunger activities which might drive away evil in the Harz mountains, known or cuckoo season because they had used spirits too. among the better witches as the Blocks­ up all their supplies and the fruits of the berg, was in a military zone off limits in the new year had not yet matured. They must In this regard, normal mortals are no GDR. Now that the border which ran right have had a lot of confidence in themselves different than the witches on the Blocks­ through the Harz mountains no longer ex­ '. and hope. And a bit of prophylactic care, , berg. The devil awaits the witches. sprink­ ists, witches and other such beings are free as one might say today, cannot harm. Ex­ ' !es them with water from his devil's bowl to haunt the region again, for example on orcising demons on the eve of the first of and has them recite their exploits. Experi­ , Walpurgis Night. May was part of it all. If there was no way enced as he is in the ways of evil, he to burn demons and witches that night, counsels them before the feasting starts. The eve of the first of May is quite an they could at least burn their vehicles: old There is meat, fruit and beer and then event on the Brocken, and elsewhere too. brooms which had been in use all winter witch dancing. The dance around the he­ Goethe. whom we have often quoted, . were thrown into a and set ablaze. goat is by no means the end of the noctur­ loved it and gave free rein to his fantasies. : Pitchforks are stuck into the ground and nal escapades which among devils and In his , he described Walpurgis Night the he-goats are taken out of the stalls and witches usually end in lusty orgies. So say as follows: "Are you not in need of a penned up somewhere. the folklore experts. Even Goethe has his broomstick? I'd love a lusty he-goat," says I word to add when Faust finds himself Mephisto. revealing what you really need Ghosts are customarily driven away Idancing with a nice young witch, "I once to take part in a genuine Walpurgis Night. had a fair dream, I saw an apple tree. Two Witches at any rate held great store in the I gleaming apples caught my attention and I broomstick to get where they were going mounted." To this, the fair witch replies, faster, or as Goethe says, "The broom "You hold great store in apples, which are bears, the stick bears, the fork bears, the indeed divine. I am moved with joy at he-goat bears!" And why? knowing that my garden, too, holds such fruits."