WALPURGISNACHT PDF, EPUB, EBOOK Gustav Meyrink,Mike Mitchell | 169 pages | 01 Jun 2011 | DEDALUS LTD | 9781907650178 | English | Cambs, United Kingdom Walpurgis night | Definition of Walpurgis night at Locals would therefore come together on April 30 to protect themselves from the witches. What had originally been a celebration of spring morphed into a desperate attempt to protect oneself from evil. Some of these activities still continue today in modern-day celebrations of Walpurgisnacht in Germany. This includes dressing up in costumes, hanging blessed sprigs of foliage from houses and leaving offerings of Ankenschnitt bread with butter and honey for phantom hounds. Ironically enough, the sprigs of foliage were originally hung by pagans as offerings to goddesses. As time went by, however, superstitious beliefs were gradually replaced by faith in science and knowledge, and hysteria about witchcraft began to die down. Walpurgisnacht might have died out completely were it not for the arrival of Romanticism in the 19th century. This prompted a revival of interest in ancient customs and folk beliefs, which were respun into works of literature and art. Rather than something to be feared, Walpurgis Night became a lighthearted celebration of fireworks, folk songs and dancing. The Brocken became a site of pilgrimage and the witch the source of titillating jitters. As Goethe put it in his famous poem, Faust:. So over the valley our company floats, With witches a-farting on stinking old goats. Some traditions from the medieval period still remain, such as hanging sprigs of greenery and leaving out Ankenschnitt for the hounds. There are also some new traditions, including the lighting of fireworks and singing of folk songs. When the flames have subsided, the corn jump takes place, which sees lovers jump over the fire together. The festivities are accompanied by plenty of beer and traditional German food. Home Lifestyle Lifestyle Articles. Lifestyle Articles. Walpurgisnacht: The German Night of the Witches explained 0. They would light huge bonfires in hopes of scaring away evil spirits. But the name "Walpurgis" comes from a very different source. In the 8th Century, a woman named Valborg other iterations of the name include Walpurgis, Wealdburg and Valderburger founded the Catholic convent of Heidenheim in Wurtemburg, Germany. She herself later became a nun and was known for speaking out against witchcraft and sorcery. She was canonized a saint on May 1, Although not widely known in the US, this May-Eve night shares many of the traditions of Halloween and is, in fact, directly opposite Halloween on the calendar. According to the ancient legends, this night was the last chance for witches and their nefarious cohorts to stir up trouble before Spring reawakened the land. They were said to congregate on Brocken, the highest peak in the Harz Mountains -- a tradition that comes from Goethe's Faust. In the story, the demon Mephistopheles brings Faust to Brocken to consort with the coven of witches:. To ward off the witches' evil, the citizenry would burn bonfires, sprinkle holy water and adorn their homes with talismans of blessed palm leaf. One of the best ways to keep evil at bay, they thought, was through noise. This is an idea that probably dates back to early man. On Walpurgis Night, the citizens would ring bells, bang drums, crack whips and beat blanks of wood onto the ground. As technology advanced, they would shoot firearms into the air. Walpurgis Night even features its own version of Trick or Treat in some parts of Europe, especially Germany. In Bavaria, for example, where the celebration is known as a Freinacht or Drudennacht, the young might roam the neighborhoods pulling mischievous pranks, such as wrapping cars in toilet paper and smearing doorknobs with toothpaste. In Thueringen, Germany, some of the little girls dress up as witches, wearing paper hats and carrying sticks. In Finland, where the holiday is called Vappu, the ordinarily reserved Finns run screaming through the streets wearing masks and carrying drinks. Walpurgisnacht, the Germanic Pagan Celebration The origins of the holiday date back to pagan celebrations of fertility rites and the coming of spring. After the Norse were Christianized, the pagan celebration became combined with the legend of St. Walburga , an English-born nun who lived at Heidenheim monastery in Germany and later became the abbess there. Walburga was believed to have cured the illnesses of many local residents. Walburga is traditionally associated with May 1 because of a medieval account of her being canonized upon the translation of her remains from their place of burial to a church circa Although it is likely that the date of her canonization is purely coincidental to the date of the pagan celebrations of spring, people were able to celebrate both events under church law without fear of reprisal. Walpurgis Night Article Additional Info. Print Cite. Facebook Twitter. Give Feedback External Websites. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article requires login. External Websites. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree See Article History. This article was most recently revised and updated by Jeff Wallenfeldt , Manager, Geography and History. Learn More in these related Britannica articles:. Sweden , country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in northern Europe. It's April 30 and it's Walpurgis Night. Like Halloween, Walpurgis has its roots in ancient pagan customs, superstitions and festivals. At this time of year, the Vikings participated in a ritual that they hoped would hasten the arrival of Spring weather and ensure fertility for their crops and livestock. They would light huge bonfires in hopes of scaring away evil spirits. But the name "Walpurgis" comes from a very different source. In the 8th Century, a woman named Valborg other iterations of the name include Walpurgis, Wealdburg and Valderburger founded the Catholic convent of Heidenheim in Wurtemburg, Germany. She herself later became a nun and was known for speaking out against witchcraft and sorcery. She was canonized a saint on May 1, Although not widely known in the US, this May-Eve night shares many of the traditions of Halloween and is, in fact, directly opposite Halloween on the calendar. According to the ancient legends, this night was the last chance for witches and their nefarious cohorts to stir up trouble before Spring reawakened the land. They were said to congregate on Brocken, the highest peak in the Harz Mountains -- a tradition that comes from Goethe's Faust. In the story, the demon Mephistopheles brings Faust to Brocken to consort with the coven of witches:. To ward off the witches' evil, the citizenry would burn bonfires, sprinkle holy water and adorn their homes with talismans of blessed palm leaf. One of the best ways to keep evil at bay, they thought, was through noise. This is an idea that probably dates back to early man. On Walpurgis Night, the citizens would ring bells, bang drums, crack whips and beat blanks of wood onto the ground. As technology advanced, they would shoot firearms into the air. Walpurgis Night even features its own version of Trick or Treat in some parts of Europe, especially Germany. Walpurgis Night The Other Halloween She became a member of the community at the Wimborne Abbey, Dorset, and was later summoned by Winebald, her brother, to serve as abbess at his double monastery of monks and nuns at Heidenheim, in modern day Germany. She died in AD and was buried in Heidenheim. As this occurred on May 1st , this date has become associated with the saint. Saint Walpurga. Public Domain. Instead, the origins of this festival may be found in the period before the arrival of Christianity in northern Europe. As the festival falls during the period when spring arrived, the pagans conducted rituals to welcome spring and ensure the fertility of the land. For some reason, Walpurgis Night is also associated with witches. In German folklore, for instance, it is said that witches from all over the land would gather for a great sabbath on top of the Brocken also known as the Blocksberg , the highest peak of the Harz mountain range. Lewis Morrison as "Mephistopheles" in Faust! Poster for a theatrical performance of Goethe's play showing Mephistopheles conjuring supernatural creatures on the German mountain, the Brocken or Blocksberg , which according to the tale is the scenery for the Walpurgis night, from 30 April to 1 May. In line with the belief that Walpurgis Night was a night when witches and other evil entities were roaming freely around the land, certain practices were developed to keep them at bay. Thus, in Germany, on Walpurgis Night, people would dress up in costumes, and make loud noises. Another typical activity carried out on Walpurgis Night is the lighting of bonfires, which, according to one tradition, was also a means of warding off witches. Another tradition states that the lighting of bonfires dates back to pre-Christian times. During that period, the pagan Germans would leave their livestock to graze around the spring equinox. In order to scare away wild animals, they would light bonfires, dance around them, and make much noise. When Christianity arrived, the bishops found that these activities were a little too pagan. Instead of banning it, however, the bishops decided to shift it to Walpurgis Night, so that it could be associated with the Christian saint. A Walpurgis Night bonfire. Saint Walpurga was never associated with Scandinavia and Walpurgis Night originated in Germany, where she served as abbess for about half her life.