Wooden toys from the Ore Mountains

Ore Mountain folk art (Erzgebirgische Volkskunst) is a well-known form of highly artistic wood carving from East Germany. Typical creations include Christmas decorations and products such as wooden miners’ figures (Bergmannsfigur), Christmas angels (Weihnachtsengel), Reifendrehen figures of animals made by wood turning, smoking figures (Räuchermann), Christmas mountains (Weihnachtsberge) and Christmas pyramids (Flügelpyramiden), as well as candle arches (Schwibbogen), nutcrackers, and music boxes. Even today these are made entirely by hand, primarily in small craft businesses.

The history of wooden toy-making in the Ore Mountains is closely bound to regional circumstances. The Ore Mountains are located in Central Europe on the border between Germany and the Czech Republic. For many centuries it was a countryside in which the local population eked out a hard existence from the land. Long and harsh winters restricted agriculture; in addition the region had very poor communications. With the onset of ore mining a new line of commerce developed, but the hard labor and high risks involved meant that it was only work for young and strong men. Many were injured or died as a result of accidents. The miners rose early in the morning whilst it was still dark in order to go to work and did not return home again until late in the evening after dark. From those times comes a custom that has survived to the present day, the practice of placing lights in the window. These lights were intended to show the miners the safe way back to the homes of their families.

Painting of Räuchermänner (Seiffen, 1947)
Schule des Weihnachtsmannes.
Bild zeigt: Bemalen von Räuchermännchen
Aufnahme: Dumm
989-47

It was not long before the winnings of silver ore fell in many parts of the mountains and numerous pits had to close. This hardship forced its inhabitants to look for other work and, thanks to abundance of timber in the region, the manufacture of wooden toys became an important secondary source of income. Entire families were engaged in wooden toy-making, especially in the harsh winters. Child labor in conditions of poor lighting and equipment was the rule rather than the exception. The children often had to work more than 12 hours a day. Families developed a high degree of specialization. For example, an experienced turner would be working on turning animal shapes (Reifendrehen), another man carved the animal figures out of it and another family took over the painting and the manufacture of small boxes. Earnings from the individual steps in the process were very low. Production was usually bought by traveling merchants who used their position without mercy, to force down the prices. The majority of these products was taken to the toy markets of Nuremberg and redistributed from there. The formation of associations and cooperatives (such as Dregeno) was in order to ensure a minimum level of income.

One of the largest collections of folk art is at the Ore Mountain Toy Museum in Seiffen. In the neighboring village of Neuhausen is the first nutcracker museum in Europe, which houses more than 5,000 examples, the largest collection of nutcrackers in the world.

The logo of the craftsmen is a miner on a rocking horse.

Räuchermann Hochzeitslader

The Smoking Man (or Räuchermann) has been a Christmas tradition in the Ore Mountains since 1850, and his popularity has only increased over the centuries. The Smoking Men are little wooden figurines stuffed with incense, that blow smoke out through their mouth when lit. Smoking Men are modeled on father Christmas, miners, craftsmen, foresters or native townsfolk of the Ore Mountain region. In fact, don’t be surprised to see Incense Smokers in the shape of houses, dragons or dinosaurs! Incense for Smoking Men come in a variety of fragrances, including pine, honey and cinnamon, among others. There is even a museum dedicated to Smoking Men in the town of Sehmatal-Cranzahl.

Nutcrackers

Nutcrackers are the star attraction of Christmas markets all across the country, but their origin is believed to be the Ore Mountains. For over 150 years, the skilled artisans of this region have laboriously hand-crafted these beauties in an astounding range of shapes, sizes and styles. Popular subjects are famous personalities, soldiers, foresters, miners and doctors, but the list goes on and on.

Ore Mountains is the place to shop for Christmas ornaments. Expect to be bewildered by an eclectic range of tiny pink-cheeked wooden angels, fairy-tale characters, lovely animals, Santa Claus figurines, snowmen, red-nosed reindeer, elves with pointed hats, carolers, silver snowflakes, trees, ball figures, and lots more, each more adorable than the last.

Wooden Christmas pyramids

Wooden Christmas pyramids are an essential part of households in the Ore Mountains. When the candles in the pyramid are illuminated, the tiers of the pyramid turn slowly, creating a beautiful play of light and shadow in the room. Most Christmas markets in this region have at least one towering Christmas pyramid. These pyramids are available in several sizes (from one-tiered to six-tiered or taller), price ranges and with varied kinds of figurines.

Bavaria may be the home of BMW and Audi, but there are still some age-old rural traditions that surprise even visitors from other parts of Germany. One of which is the annual festival which celebrates the return of the prodigal cows, the Viehscheid. Because here the cows really do come home, every autumn, after having spent their summers up in the mountains.

In September and October the cows and bulls are brought down from the lush mountain pastures to the valley and their winter quarters. An event with a long tradition, which is enjoyed by locals and visitors alike. The Viehscheid (and its close partner the Almabtrieb) are part of the same thing, and both are particularly celebrated in the alpine region of the Allgäu. At the beginning of the summer, when the vegetation has really started to grow up in the mountains, cattle are herded up into high alpine pastures, where the herbal grasses are particularly good for their physical condition. Here they’ll be looked after by a cowherd or team of cowherds and their dogs, who’ll continue to do all the daily milking, fence mending etc necessary, and sometimes also offer milk, cheese and other forms of refreshment to passing walkers. This tradition of almost nomadic pastoralism, still very widespread in eastern Europe, involves around 50,000 cows in Germany.

The sound of bells announces the arrival of the herd. Spectators by the side of the path are in for a colorful treat. It’s that time of year again: as the summer draws to a close, the well-fed cattle with their festive decorations come down from the mountain pastures and back into the valley. The whole village joins in the celebrations.Visitors come from far and wide to experience the spectacle. A brass band plays. The convivial beer tents gradually fill up. Regional costume associations showcase their skills at Schuhplatteln dancing and Alphorn blowing. The aroma of Bavarian specialties wafts through the air. Every year during the Almabtrieb, the ceremonial cattle drive which in the Allgäu is also known as the Viehscheid, young and old get to experience anew a piece of Bavarian tradition.

Come the end of September, when it starts to get colder, the herdsmen bring them down again (the Almabtrieb). To celebrate that there were no cattle injuries or losses during their stay high up in the mountains, the leading cow is adorned with flowers, spruce, and sometimes a cross or mirror to deflect evil spirits. All the cows wear big cowbells, polished especially for this occasion. Upon arrival at the village green, the cows are separated from each other (the Viehscheid), the herdsman calls out the name of the owners and each owner takes care of his cows, presumably grateful that his investment has been returned, safe and sound, and hopefully considerably fatter.

This festive adornment, the crown, goes back to pre-Christian times. The loud bells around the necks of the animals are designed to protect them from hostile demons and bring them safely down into the valley. The traditional craft of the bellsmiths still exists in Bavaria today: Kilian Trenkle, for example, from Pfronten im Allgäu, produces cow bells that the animals wear around their necks during the Viehscheid. There are two kinds of bells: “Glocken”, which are cast, and “Schellen”, which are wrought from plate metal. The resulting combination of fine, high tones and deep, earthy notes lends the day its distinctive sound.

There is always a big party when the cows come home, with a large beer-tent, an orchestra playing, etc. One of the specialities served will be the Hirtenkäse, a distinctive cow’s cheese from the milk of the cows who participated in the Almabtrieb.

Here are some superstitions – or Aberglauben – that you may come across in Germany. Knowing what these are might help explain any ‘unusual’ behavior you see in Germany, and help you to avoid making an embarrassing faux-pas yourself!

1. Chimney sweeps
Chimney sweeps are repositories of good luck everywhere. In Germany, they are particularly associated with New Year’s Day, when you should do your best to shake hands with your friendly neighborhood sweep. He won’t mind at all.

2. Toasting with water
Never, ever say “cheers,” or “Prost,” with water in Germany. Not even for a joke. Especially not for a joke. You are literally wishing death on all your drinking buddies. It means you really want your friends to die. Is that what you want? Because that’s what it means.

3. Knocking on the Stammtisch
When greeting your German drinking buddies, instead of waving, you should knock on the table. According to legend, this is because the Stammtisch, the regulars’ table in the tavern, was traditionally made of oak. Since the devil is unable to touch oak, considered a holy tree, knocking on it proved you weren’t the devil. It always makes for a nicer evening if your friends don’t consider you a disguised demon.

4. Theatrical spitting
Theaters are of course famously superstitious places. British and American thespians cheerily tell each other to “break a leg” before the premiere, but Germans spit on each other’s left shoulders – though only once they’re in costume. Instead of actually bringing up phlegm, you’re meant to say “Toi Toi Toi.”

5. Housewarming gifts
A traditional German housewarming gift is bread (Brot) and salt (Salz). It’s believed that if you give bread and salt to someone, they will never go hungry in their new home. However, do not give knives as a housewarming gift. The superstitious believe doing this brings injury and even death!

6. Lucky coin
If the cutlery shop has sold out, and you’ve seriously run out of gift ideas, why not give someone a nice, shiny new leather wallet? But don’t forget to put a penny in! This ensures that the recipient will never be poor. Or you could put in this enormous gold coin to be really sure.

7. Old ladies
It’s considered bad luck to walk in-between two old women in the street.

8. Wedding stockings
At the end of weddings, the bride and groom are meant to sit down on the marriage bed, while the bridesmaids and attendant young men turn their backs and attempt to fling their post-celebration socks and stockings into the happy couple’s faces. Whoever succeeds will be the next to marry. Really.

9. Press your thumbs!
If you want to wish someone good luck, you shouldn’t cross your fingers but rather press your thumbs with your fingers. During Gladiator fighting in Ancient Rome, a thumbs-up indicated for the gladiator to be executed, while holding the hands up with hidden thumbs indicated that they shall live. This is why Germans say “Ich drücke dir die Daumen!” – “I will press my thumbs for you” – to wish someone luck.

In Germany, Walpurgisnacht, the night from 30 April to 1 May, is the night when witches are reputed to hold a large celebration on the Brocken and await the arrival of spring.

Walpurgis Night (in German folklore) the night of 30 April (May Day’s eve), when witches meet on the Brocken mountain and hold revels with their gods…”

Brocken is the highest of the Harz Mountains of north central Germany. It is noted for the phenomenon of the Brocken spectre and for witches’ revels which reputedly took place there on Walpurgis night.

The Brocken Spectre is a magnified shadow of an observer, typically surrounded by rainbow-like bands, thrown onto a bank of cloud in high mountain areas when the sun is low. The phenomenon was first reported on the Brocken.
—Oxford Phrase & Fable.

A scene in Goethe’s Faust Part One is called “Walpurgisnacht,” and one in Faust Part Two is called “Classical Walpurgisnacht.” The last chapter of book five in Thomas Mann’s The Magic Mountain is also called “Walpurgisnacht.” In Edward Albee’s 1962 play Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Act Two is entitled “Walpurgisnacht.”

From Bram Stoker’s short story, Dracula’s Guest, an Englishman (whose name is never mentioned) is on a visit to Munich before leaving for Transylvania. It is Walpurgis Night, and in spite of the hotelier’s warning not to be late coming back, the young man later leaves his carriage and wanders toward the direction of an abandoned “unholy” village. As the carriage departs with the frightened and superstitious driver, a tall and thin stranger scares the horses at the crest of a hill.

In some parts of northern coastal regions of Germany, the custom of lighting huge fires is still kept alive to celebrate the coming of May, while most parts of Germany have a derived Christianized custom around Easter called “Easter fires” (Osterfeuer).

In rural parts of southern Germany, it is part of popular youth culture to play pranks such as tampering with neighbors’ gardens, hiding possessions, or spraying graffiti on private property.

In Berlin, traditional leftist May Day riots usually start at Walpurgis Night in the Mauerpark in Prenzlauer Berg. There is a similar tradition in the Schanzenviertel district of Hamburg, though in both cases, the situation has significantly calmed down in the past few years.