Witches played an important and powerful role as forest goddesses
in the Germany of pagan times, while until the 18th century German maps pictured them flying over the Brocken peak in the Harz mountains where they were believed to live. However any sign of Halloween, the witches and demons very own celebration, was hard to find in the country before the late 1990’s.The Celtic festival of Samhain, (Sah-ween), on 31 October, All Hallow’s Eve, marks the end of the Celtic annual calendar, because for our ancestors, an agricultural community, the new year started when the seeds were put to bed ready for winter’s long sleep, and the festival for the 'Lord of the Dead' was the most important celebration of the year for the Celtic tribes found all over pre-Christian Europe.
The origins of what became known as Halloween were festivities held on the eve of Samhain, the end of summer and a time of harvesting and preparation for winter. A brief few hours during which it was believed that, along with ghosts, fairies and demons, the spirits of the dead could return, unnoticed by the living, to visit those relatives and friends they had left behind.
Bonfires were lit not only as part of the Samhain celebrations, and to warm up the cool winter air, but as a tribute to the dead while hopefully encouraging them to stay at a safe distance.
The Christian Church moved throughout Europe replacing pagan celebrations with Christian festivals, and November 1st, Samhain, became Hallowmas, All Saints Day or All Hallows, a celebration of the lives of saints and martyred Christians. Nevertheless that did not stop All Hallows Eve, ultimately Hallowe’en, continuing to be a feast for the 'un-dead', and throughout the ages 31st October was the focal point of much tradition, festivity and partying by the peoples of both Scotland and Ireland.
In Germany, especially in the Catholic areas, November 1st
is a local holiday. For over half of the population there is no work, no school, just a quiet day of religious remembrance in which to visit the graves of those who have departed from our lives, and decorate them with fresh flowers, wreaths and the special candles which are lit and burn throughout the night into Allerseelen, All Souls Day. Traditionally the days leading to the holiday are used to prepare for All Saints, Allerheiligen, and All Souls Day, with graves tidied and plants taken away to be replaced by fresh ones, now, although it has never been one of the country’s traditional festivals and is still not celebrated throughout the country, the week is often shared with Halloween.
Shops, offering everything from luminous skeletons and ghosts to Halloween sweets and chocolates, are decorated in shades of orange and black, with swinging black bats, spiders in webs, and of course witches’ pointed hats and brooms. While pumpkins, until recently simply known as a popular vegetable in Germany, appear hollowed out and carved on doorsteps, gateposts and in windows.
This sudden recognition and embracing of a centuries old
tradition has not been inspired by longtime Halloween celebrating neighbours the Scottish and Irish, where turnips are used as lanterns, children go 'guising', dressing up and singing, telling a joke or reciting a poem in return for gifts, and with no tradition of playing 'tricks'. Instead it is the US version of the festival as it has been portrayed by Hollywood films, and in the seasonal specials of imported television serials and soap operas, which is gradually becoming part of the German 'holiday' celebrations. With the traditional St. Martin’s Day candle lit processions taking place just days later ‘Trick or Treat’, or ‘sweet and sour’ as it is called in Germany is still a rarity, although there begin to be occasional acts of vandalism in the name of festival, however in many parts of the country the Halloween party scene has taken off and enjoyed by children, as well as those who have left childhood far behind.
The night can now be celebrated in genuine centuries old Haunted Castles, at Witches Fairs held in cobblestoned medieval towns, in the amusement parks that turn October 31st over to horror nights, ghosts and ghouls, watching 'back to back' horror films at the cinema, or at one of the thousands of private or communal and local celebrations.
Unlike during the German Karnaval even at a private Halloween theme party it is not necessary for the guests to wear costumes, although the idea is catching on with children, however the recently introduced and obligatory Grusel food, ‘horror food’, is a winner, as long is it only looks but doesn’t taste grauenhaft which is 'gruesome'.
Severed fingers made from frankfurters with sliced almond or chopped onion fingernails and tomato ketchup blood, and edible eyes from cherry tomatoes filled with white cheese stuffed black olives, or lychees with black grapes, are consumed with enthusiasm together with all the other everyday Halloween delicacies such as Halloweenkaese, which is flavored with ginger and pumpkin.
In general man-made or secular celebrations do not become popular in Germany but despite the reservations of many, and initially possibly because of some clever marketing by Germany’s toy industry, as the first real opportunity of the winter season 'to party' Halloween has developed into something of a cult, and is becoming increasingly popular, especially in the Rhineland, which is the part of the country with the most Carnival season fans, and amongst the young.
It certainly appears that having arrived back in Germany die Hexen - the witches, as well as die Gheister – the ghosts, and die Teufel – the demons, show no signs of leaving anytime soon.
