Why is the German Chimney Sweep so Lucky?

You see him down the way, and your heart skips a beat with excitement… the man in black. He turns and gives you a smile,  touching his top hat with a little salute, his gold buttons shining bright in the sunshine. You feel lucky, do you dare push it? Why not…. you approach him, this German Chimney Sweep, and ask…

The Wild Hunt- An old Germanic Story of Ghost Riders in the Sky

Cover image- Johann Wilhelm Cordes, Wilde Jagd Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons A ferocious storm hit my corner of California in December. The wind howled as it battered the house, moaning sounds came down the chimney, doors rattled, and we could hear branches cracking outside. A sudden popping sound, and we were plunged into darkness. Thankfully the extra candles i…

Eisheiligen in Germany – The German Ice Saints of May

There’s a good reason why all Germans carry an Allwetterjacke (all weather jacket), German weather can fool you. One moment you bask under a warm sun in the local Biergarten, and the next you need to pull on your sweater. Especially in May, when after a long Winter of cold dreary weather everyone seeks the sun. But, just because the…

Ostara and Easter- A Legend that May be Younger than You Think

While digging in to stories about Easter in Germany, I frequently come across references to the Germanic pagan goddess Ostara. In fact, Ostara and Easter appear to be so entwined, that even the word Ostern (Easter) comes from this goddess of Spring. And sources attribute many of the non-religious Easter symbols like eggs and rabbits directly to her. So, I…

Schutzengel- Guardian Angels in Germany

A few years ago when I learned to drive, my cousin gave me a sticker that said, “Fahr nicht schneller als dein Schutzengel fliegen kann!” (Don’t drive faster than your guardian angel can fly). She firmly believes in Schutzengel, and as someone who tends to be a little clumsy, I really like the idea of a celestial being keeping an…

Frau Holle- Grimm Fairy Tale, Legend, and Goddess

, Frau Holle Cover Image- Nickge4, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons When it snows in Hessen, people say that Frau Holle shakesg out her feather beds. And thanks to Grimm’s Fairy Tales, we all have an image in our minds of imagine an old woman airing her bedding out the window. But the story of Frau Holle goes further…

Rauhnächte- In Germany, it’s the Time Between the Years

My mother’s Oma refused to do laundry during the Twelve Days of Christmas. To me, this makes perfect sense, the Christmas Season is just so busy… who wants to do laundry? But the reason goes deeper, to the legends of the Rauhnacht.  The Rauhnächte, the time between the years, are a time when old memories carry out traditions from pagan…

The Linden tree in Germany – The Tree at the Heart of Germany

A friend sent me a clip from a news story out of West Virginia about the removal of a Linden Tree. What made him curious was not the toys found under the tree… it was the tree itself. This special tree was the last survivor of three Linden trees brought to the United States by German immigrants. Why, he asked,…

What is Frau Perchta? Goddess or Belly-Slitter?

Deep in the Alpine region of Germany, the Christmas Season is bookended by two frightening beings, Krampus who roams on December 5th, and Frau Perchta is associate with Berchentag, the Feast of the Epiphany, January 6th. But Who is Frau Perchta? Or WHAT is Frau Perchta? Is she an evil hag who kills lazy women and children? Or is she…

German Good Luck Symbols- We Could All Use a Little Luck

In Germany, especially around Christmas and the New Year you see them everywhere… Toadstool ornaments, Chimney Sweet figures, Marzipan Piggies with coins or 4 Leaf Clover in their mouths. These German good luck symbols didn’t just come out of nowhere… they all have history and legend to explain why they are lucky. Some luck charms go back to Pagan times,…

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