Celebrating Easter in Germany

Celebrating Easter in Germany starts many weeks before the actual Easter Day. Since the Easter Egg and Easter Bunny seem to have originated in Germany, much is seen of this in decorations throughout the country.

Ostermarkt (Easter Market) are in many towns, selling decorated eggs, chocolates, bunnies, flowers, spring ornaments, and Easter crafts. The houses and gardens are widely decorated, especially with eggs.

A beautiful German Easter tradition is the Osterstrauch. This is a branch or small tree decorated with hollowed-out eggs.

The raw eggs are prepared by poking pinholes at each end of the shell and blowing the contents out (saving the egg yolk and egg white mixture for Easter baking).

Allowed to dry out, the egg shells are then dyed and hand painted. These eggs are hung with ribbons on the branches of trees either hung from the ceiling or put into vases. Outside, eggs are hung on the trees too. These eggs are usually made from plastic or wood.

On the Thursday before Easter, known as Gruendonnerstag or Green Thursday, the custom is to eat green foods such as soups made with spinach, leeks, and parsley. There’s even a green sauce to go with hard boiled eggs and served with boiled potatoes.

Fish is eaten on the following day, Good Friday, known as Karfreitag. On this day, the beginning of the religious activities start, with church services remembering the crucifixion of Jesus. Sometimes there are prayer services in the churches starting on Saturday evening and continuing until dawn on Easter Sunday.

At church, Easter Sunday, the resurrection of Jesus is celebrated. This, after all, is the reason for Easter.

Traditionally the Dinner we serve is roasted lamb, served with white asparagus and potatoes. Of course, other meats can be served. As a treat, rouladen and potato dumplings are offered, served along with spring peas and carrots.

Easter desserts often feature eggs and bunnies – in decorations. A lamb-shaped cake is common, but it’s always right to serve traditional German tortes. A hazelnut cake is a treat, as is the famous Black Forest Cake

Happy Easter from our Family to yours……..