German Easter Traditions

On Good Friday the crosses in churches are covered with cloths, and people have fish-based meals. It is also a time for Spring cleaning and decorating houses with flowers such as crocuses and daffodils, willow and birch branches or wheat sprouts. Decorated eggs are also hung from trees.

On the evening of Easter Saturday, Sunday or Monday in parts of northern Germany they light large bonfires (Osterfeuer), consisting mainly of Christmas trees which have been saved especially for the occasion. This practice dates back to the 16th century at least, and possibly to pre-Christian times, and nowadays the fires symbolise the resurrection of Jesus.They are an opportunity for people to get together, drink beer, eat snacks and play games. In some places candles are lit from the bonfires and carried in solemn procession into churches while people sing Lumen Christi (Light of Christ), while in the town of Lüdge there’s a variation on the bonfire tradition involving rolling huge flaming wheels made of wood and straw down hills.

In ancient times bonfires were thought to banish the darkness and cold of winter and welcome the light and warmth of spring. They were also supposed to increase the fertility of fields and protect households from illness.

Families have a special Easter lunch on Easter Sunday (Ostertag) which includes lamb, chicken, eggs and a lamb-shaped cake. Traditionally the “Easter hare” (Osterhase) – the origin of the Easter bunny – hides eggs and chocolates in gardens for the children to find on Easter Sunday, and children write to the Easter hare with their wishes for Easter.

There are other Easter traditions that are specific to certain regions or cities in Germany too. For example, in parts of northern Germany there’s a tradition, known as Eiertruellen, of rolling or throwing Easter eggs down hills. Children compete with one another to see who can get their egg to the bottom of the hills in one piece! In the Bavarian town of Oberammergau there’s also a famous Easter ‘passion play’ that is based on the life of Jesus. Usually, there are over two thousand participants and the play can last up to seven hours! The tradition dates back to 1870 and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year…

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