BNA INDIA - March / April 2015

GERMAN TRADITIONS
Easter (besides Christmas) is the
most important holiday in Germany.
On this day all Christians celebrate
the resurrection of Christ from
the grave. This is the greatest and
most joyful event of the year for the
believers, when the tragedy of Jesus'
crucifixion on Good Friday
was healed by the message of the
angel at the empty tomb "He is not
here. He is risen!"
The Easter season starts in earnest on Thursday
with Maundy Thursday (this year on 2nd
April) marking the last meal Jesus had with his
disciples. Easter traditions follow the religious
calendar with Friday a day of mourning (the
crucifixion of Christ) before celebrating on
Monday to mark his resurrection.
The time of celebration is very special and
determined by the Church on the Sunday,
following the Vernal Equinox. Thus Easter is
always the first Sunday, after the first full
Moon. Thus, honoring of Christ coincides with
awakening of the nature to the new life after
the wintry sleep. In German households there
Traditions how to
Eat something green: “Gründonnerstag” - Maundy
his disciples before he was crucified. The word “grü
colour green but from the old Germ
crying. But some people still e
Eat your fish and be quiet: On Good Friday, “Karfr
sung and no music should be played as this is the day
German “kara” meaning lamentation. It is a day of
Make a fire: On the night before Easter Sunday, thou
ditionally the wood of old Christmas trees is used. It m
also drives away the
Eat a lamb: The lamb is also a symbol of spring and
also bake a cake in t
Paint some eggs: Painting Easter eggs is a tradition
strong in Germany. Painting the eggs was seen as a fo
the end of the East
82 BNA INDIA March / April 2015