8/30/2023 0 Comments Hexenbrut witchesTo scare the witches and ward off any evil spirits, the locals would light bonfires as witches apparently don't like smoke. In Germanic folklore, the people from the Harz Mountains of central Germany believed that witches rode across the sky on 30th April, which they called Witches Night (Hexennacht), and held a coven on Brocken Mountain. ![]() The date has a strong connection with Beltane, the Celtic festival that was considered the last day of winter and was a celebration of the beginning of summer. The night of April 30th is halfway between the spring equinox and summer solstice. For instance, a popular tradition of Walpurgis Night is burning an effigy of a witch on a bonfire in the evening of April 30th. ![]() The customs of Walpurgis Night give it the nickname 'the other Halloween'. ![]() In German-speaking countries, it is known as Walpurgisnacht, Valborg in Sweden and as Čarodejnice in the Czech Republic. In parts of Northern and Eastern Europe, from Sweden to the Czech Republic, the Mass of Saint Walburga or Walpurgis Night is celebrated on the evening of April 30th.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |