Volga German Customs That They Had to Have the Sacks on Ha and We Would Fill Them: So Many Pea So Many Pieces of This Candy and So M by Bernard J
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in the grocery store. We bought the s Volga German Customs that they had to have the sacks on ha and we would fill them: so many pea so many pieces of this candy and so m by Bernard J. Brungardt, Phyllis A. Dinkel, ually a penny in the bottom of that. If and Fr. John B. Terbovich, O.F.M. Cap. of the family, there was a nickel or a were a close relative or not a close you might get considerably more than I. Calendar Customs. Now that was the wunsching. I A. New Year's. people generally were concerned, for t [B]New Year's customs were a little bit different among our the older people would go wunsching people. Our people had a habit of wishing each other happy New Year Feast of the Three Kings-that is, the each New Year's morning very early. That is, of course, winter time, folks, instead of getting, of course, th and it is dark at that time, but it was not unusual I know for people to and get their drinks of liquor, and th come to our door at five o'clock in the morning, and you had better that is, the eats were standing on the t be up at that time of the morning. They were always using- The older in, well~-if you wanted to eat a little boys, the teenagers, would always use a shotgun or something to be drink a little whiskey, why, they were i sure you knew they were coming, or that you knew they were outside the door. The small ones would have cap pistols, and they would come B. Holy Week. in and wish you a happy New Year, which in literal translation was a [B] ... those of you folks wh little bit longer than the ordinary "Wishing you a happy New Year," Church know that during Holy Wee because in addition to a happy New Year you wished them unity and we don't ring the bells. The bells, e happiness in this life and life in the ever after. There was a little sign ties-and this is traditional in Germ: ificance attached to that.' church. In our community, of course, Everybody had to be ready with something to give to these hour before church time with a single wiinschers and wishing this happy New Year. The older folks, of ten till, depending on how big the tow course-that is, the teenage boys, those which were of marriageable away, why. the bells would all ring to age-they would normally go to the place where there were girls of ing you that this was fifteen minutes that age, and the girls were there with ribbons. They would attach a on your horses to get there. Well, to ribbon to the lapel of the boy who they wished a happy New Year. don't have that; we have what we ca Or if for- Incidentally, there were several colors of ribbons; if there stance, instead of having our little be was a boy they particularly liked, the girl had one color of ribbon for tant parts of the Mass, why, they u him, and another color ribbon for the usual run of the boys. But the in these communities they would-t small children, boys and girls together, when they came to wish happy the clappers in town, had pretty go New Year, they usually got candy, nuts, and things like that, which down the street instead of having th .. was a carry-over from probably St. Nicholas Day, and when people bell ringing for the second time. in Germany used to give nuts and candy and sweets. I know that it was And then as a reward for doin quite an event for us; several days before New Year's we would try Easter Day, usually the servers would to get a big box of some kind. We would be- In later years, little sacks each door with the clappers, and they Glapper, glapper, Eier'raus, Somst schlage ich dir ein L As collected from Lawrence A. Weigel. Hays. \958: "Ich wunsche Euch em g.luckseliges Neujahr. langes leben, Which is the equivalent of "I'm rapp' Gesundheit. Friede und Enigkeil. nach dem Tode die ewige Gluckseligkeit." Translared. I wish yOU a happy New me eggs I'll knock a hole in your ho Year. long life. health, peace and unity, and after death eternal happiness. {Reprinted from Kansas Folklore, p. 200. by permission oflhe University of Nebraska Press.1 they would get the eggs and sweets as 62 63 j.;' ,~ in the grocery store. We bought the sacks-and the local grocer knew that they had to have the sacks on hand--and we would buy the sacks, and we would fill them: so many peanuts in each; one apple in each; so many pieces of this candy and so many pieces of that candy; and us ually a penny in the bottom of that. If you had a particular good friend of the family, there was a nickel or a dime. It all depended on if you were a close relative or not a close relative. If you were a godchild you might get considerably more than that. Now that was the wunsching. It would continue, so far as the people generally were concerned, for the New Year's Day. But actually the older people would go wiinsching For the next five days, until the Feast of the Three Kings-that is, the sixth of January. And the older folks, instead ofgetting, of course, their sweets, would just sit and visit and get their drinks of liquor, and there was always something to eat; that is, the eats were standing on the table, and if anybody would come in, well-~if you wanted to eat a little something, or if you wanted to drink a little whiskey, why, they were in the mood to eat a little bit. B. Holy Week. [B] ...those of you folks who may be going to the Catholic Church know that during Holy Week, the latter part of Holy Week, we don't ring the bells. The bells, especially in the small communi ties--and this is traditional in Germany--ring to call the people to church. In our community, of course, the bells rang usually at the half hour before church time with a single bell, and then at a quarter till or ten till, depending on how big the town was or how far the people were away, why, the bells wou Id all ring together, usually three of 'em, tell ing you that this was fifteen minutes before time and you'd better get on your horses to get there. Well, towards the end of Holy Week we don't have that; we have what we call "clappers." In charch, for in stance, instead of having our little bells to call attention to the impor tant parts of the Mass, why, they used these wooden clappers. And in these communities they would--the servers would go around with the clappers in town, had pretty good sized ones, to do the clapping down the street instead of having the bell ring for the first time, the bell ringing for the second time. And then as a reward For doing that service to the people, on Easter Day, usually the servers would come, and they would knock on each door with the clappers, and they would say: Glapper, glapper, Eier 'raus, Somst schlage ich dir ein Loch in's Haus! Which is the equivalent of ''I'm rapping for eggs, and if you don't give me eggs I'll knock a hole in your house," or something like that, and they would get the eggs and sweets as a reward for that. 63 [T] ...A custom which disappeared in Hays, but which still substituted for noodle soup. My infl exists in Schoenchen, Park, Antonino, and Munjor is that of summon precisely the reasons for the particular ing the people to devotions on Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy B. First Communion and Confir Saturday by striking wooden clappers, rather than by the ringing of [T)ln the religious life of t bells.... of all Catholics, the second momento In the homes of the early German- Russians, no cooking was per receiving of the sacrament of the mitted on Good Friday. The older people would fast all day; the small settlement in former times on First H er children would frequently only eat wheat grains on this day. No a youngster of the family was receivin washing of any sort was permitted on Good Friday among many Ger or not. Presents were always given to man-Russians. One informant related that this custom went back to cross was always given to a girl-com a popular fable of Our Lord. When Christ was carrying His cross on ually of St. Joseph, to the boy. the way to Golgatha, He passed a woman washing, and the smell was The administration of Confirma very offensive to Him. He cursed her and moved on. When He passed lighted the public religious ceremon' a woman baking, He stopped and said: "Blessed is she who bakes on hop, who journeyed from Concordi this day." Baking was, therefore, permitted on this day according to the present-day Salina Diocese, w some. On Holy Saturday the altar boys would visit the different par station with much enthusiasm and spl ishioners and receive Easter eggs for their faithfulness as servers at from village to village.