Witches have long been part of Germanic culture. You’ll find witches in Fairy tales, in legends, in songs, and in poetry. The Gingerbread house Witch in Hansel and Gretel, the flying witches on Walpurgisnacht, and even the Kitchen Witch flying above your stove. Today, we look at witches as bedtime stories or cute tales, like Die Kleine Hexe. But in…
Category: German Halloween
Johannes Kepler, Life & Work, His Mother Katharina & Witchcraft
Johannes Kepler, a German mathematician, astronomer, and astrologer, wrote the laws of planetary motion, was appointed mathematician to the Holy Roman Emperor, and is considered the father of modern optics. But also the son of a WITCH? It’s hard to believe, but Johannes Kepler put his career on hold and spent 6 years defending his widowed mother against charges of…
Fun and Spooky Baiser Geister Meringue Ghosts
A few years ago I started making these cute little Baiser Geister or Meringue Ghosts for Halloween. The kids love them, and since meringues are favorites of mine, I love them too. I can hear it now, “but Halloween isn’t a GERMAN THING.” Well, no. Germany isn’t Halloween crazy like here in the US. But… the celebration is taking off…
German Beer Brewing Witches? The Dark History of Women Brewers
Did our current image of witches (pointy hat, broom, cat, cauldron) come from Medieval female Beer Brewers? Did German Witches Brew Beer?? Were female brewers WITCHES? Or were they victims of worldwide hysteria? There has been some interesting speculation lately, so I wanted to share the bits and pieces I found. After all, Germany does have plenty of witch stories…
Castle Frankenstein in Germany- A Castle Swirled in Mystery and Legend
What’s it like to visit Burg Frankenstein? One beautiful Summer’s day (still months away from the annual Halloween Festival), so we weren’t scared of monsters or things that go bump in the night. Three of us drove to Darmstadt, and up the mountain to visit Frankenstein’s Castle. We enjoyed climbing around the ruins and imagining what the castle was like before…
A German Kitchen Witch Brings Good Luck to Your Kitchen!
When I was growing up, my mother always had a flying Kitchen Witch hanging in the kitchen window. And naturally, as an adult with my own kitchen, I have one too. Now, the legend says that a German Kitchen Witch will protect your food as you cook it. No more pots boiling over, no more burnt cakes, just delicious foods that…
Do they Celebrate Halloween in Germany? Yes and No
Traditionalists have argued for years over whether they should celebrate Halloween in Germany. In fact, a recent poll shows that 48% of Germans over the age of 35 feel that it displaces German Culture, and many more Germans feel that it is too commercial. But most Germans under 35 have embraced the celebration with open arms, which means it’s probably…
What Is Walpurgisnacht? And How did An English Nun Become Associated with Witches?
Legends, stories, and traditions featuring witches have long been part of German culture. Think about all the Fairy Tales you heard as a child cautioning you about witches. Witches in Germany date back to the pagan times, before Christianity, and some celebrations and customs still appear in the modern world. Walpurgisnacht or Hexennacht (Witches’ Night) mixes Pagan tradition with a…
German Smoker Witch- Fun Decoration for Halloween and Walpurgisnacht!
A German Smoker Witch is a fantastic decoration for Halloween, Christmas, or even Walpurgisnacht! I know we associate Räuchermannchen with Christmas. But, since smokers are just decorative incense burners, you can display different styles all year. What child wouldn’t love watching a smoking witch? Or a witch with a bubbly cauldron? Incense comes in many scents; you can easily find…