party
Butter week, the Russian carnival
Butter or pancake week alias Maslenitsa also known as Butter Lady, Butter Week, Crepe week, or Cheesefare Week is an Eastern Slavic religious and folk holiday, which has retained a number of elements of Slavic mythology in its ritual, celebrated during the last week before Great Lent, that is, the eighth week before Eastern Orthodox Pascha.
The date of Maslenitsa changes every year, depending on the date of the celebration of Easter. It corresponds to the Western Christian Carnival, except that Orthodox Lent begins on a Monday instead of a Wednesday and the Orthodox date of Easter can differ greatly from the Western Christian date.
The traditional attributes of the Maslenitsa celebration are the Maslenitsa effigy, sleigh rides, festivities. Russians bake bliny and flatbread, while Belarusians and Ukrainians cook pierogi and syrniki.
Traditions
During the week of Maslenitsa, meat is already forbidden to Orthodox Christians, and it is the last week during which eggs, milk, cheese and other dairy products are permitted, leading to its name of “Cheese-fare week” or “Crepe week”. The most characteristic food of Maslenitsa is bliny – thin pancakes or crêpes, made from the rich foods still allowed by the Orthodox tradition that week: butter, eggs and milk.
Since Lent excludes parties, secular music, dancing and other distractions from spiritual life, Maslenitsa represents the last chance to take part in social activities that are not appropriate during the more prayerful, sober and introspective Lenten season.
In some regions, each day of Maslenitsa had its traditional activity. Monday may be the welcoming of “Lady Maslenitsa”. The community builds the Maslenitsa effigy out of straw (из соломы), decorated with pieces of rags, and fixed to a pole formerly known as Kostroma. It is paraded around, and the first pancakes may be made and offered to the poor. On Tuesday, young men might search for a fiancée to marry after Lent. On Wednesday, sons-in-law may visit their mother-in-law, who has prepared pancakes and invited other guests for a party. Thursday may be devoted to outdoor activities. People may take off work and spend the day sledding, ice skating, snowball fights and with sleigh rides. On Friday, sons-in-law may invite their mothers-in-law for dinner. Saturday may be a gathering of a young wife with her sisters-in-law to work on a good relationship.
Sunday of Forgiveness
The last day of Cheesefare Week is called “Forgiveness Sunday”. Relatives and friends ask each other for forgiveness and might offer them small presents. As the culmination of the celebration, people gather to “strip Lady Maslenitsa of her finery” and burn her in a bonfire. Left-over pancakes may also be thrown into the fire, and Lady Maslenitsa’s ashes are buried in the snow to “fertilize the crops”
At Vesoers on Sunday evening, people may make a poklon (bow) before one another and ask forgiveness. Another name for Forgiveness Sunday is “Cheesefare Sunday”, because for devout Orthodox Christians it is the last day on which dairy products may be consumed until Easter. Fish, wine and olive oil will also be forbidden on most days of Great Lent. The day following Cheesefare Sunday is called Clean Monday because people have confessed their sins, asked forgiveness, and begun Great Lent with a clean slate.
Modern times
During Soviet times, Maslenitsa, like other religious holidays, was not celebrated officially. However, it was widely observed in families without its religious significance, as an opportunity to prepare crêpes with all sorts of fillings and coverings and to eat and share them with friends. After the start of perestroika, the outdoor celebrations resumed, although they were seen by some as an artificial restoration of a dead tradition. Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, many Russians have returned to practicing Christianity, the tradition is still being revived
With increasing secularization, many Russians do not abstain from meat and Maslenitsa celebrations can be accompanied by shashlik vendors. Nevertheless, “meat still does not play a major role in the festivities”.
Many countries with a significant number of Russian immigrants consider Maslenitsa a suitable occasion to celebrate Russian culture, although the celebrations are usually reduced to one day and may not coincide with the date of the religious celebrations.
On 20 March 2017, the British tabloid newspaper, the Daily Mirror described the Maslenitsa as a Hooligan training ground however one of the centuries-old traditions in this folk festival is “wall-on-wall” (‘stenka na stenku’, Russian), which involves sparring between men dressed in traditional folk clothes!
Prince Pückler invites you to his table
Dedicated to pleasure
I have just returned from a week’s adventure in Germany and, as always, I came back with a wealth of experiences. This year’s new discovery was the Branitz Castle (region Brandenburg) and its Duke Hermann von Pückler Muskau! This colourful character’s book “Zu Gast bei Fürst Pückler” was worth every penny. It gave me a glimpse into the 19th century gastronomy. The exquisite taste of the so called “Green prince” (he was a landscape architect as well) is evident not only in the preparation of the food but also in the presentation, the setting, in the attention to all our senses!
Hermann von Pückler Muskau (1785-1871) was a shining personality. He was a German nobleman, renowned as an accomplished artist in landscape gardening, as well as the author of a number of books mainly centering around his travels in Europe and Northern Africa, published under the pen name of “Semilasso”….no wonder why he is remembered above all for the ice cream named after him! But a look at Pückler’s books reveals many more discoveries.” If you go on a trip, you should always have a bottle of ketchup with you.” This is Prince Pückler’s urgent recommendation, which many a modern gourmet will turn up his nose at.
However, a glance at the list of ingredients is reassuring. Mushrooms, anchovies, walnuts and tomatoes enriched the seasoning paste in the 19th century, which enjoyed a much better reputation then than today. Pückler apparently brought back from England not only the latest garden ideas that made him known as the Green Prince, but also various sauces, a frying machine and a fondness for luncheons – a second breakfast. He even set up his own salon in Branitz Palace for this purpose: with violet silk upholstery, black wood panelling and furniture. -“My main characteristic is a taste that seeks to achieve perfection in everything,”- he said of himself. He referred quite immodestly to the culinary disciplines and in particular to the culinary disciplines. This is evident from many letters that were published in anthologies during his lifetime. They brought the prince the necessary money, which he gladly spent on his extravagances.
The importance he attached to refined dining culture is also shown by the Branitzer Tafelbücher (table’s book). Between 1854 and 1871, Pückler’s court marshal documented the complete gift-giving at the princely table, who was invited to dinner and when, what dishes were served and what wines went with them. Beef with anchovy sauce, Gottbuss crayfish and pineapple pralines were often served – and ice cream only once. If a menu offered a choice of two soups, the guest could be sure that he was paying for an extremely exclusive round. Especially if “pudding a lá Nesselrode” was then served for dessert. The name alluded to an important politician of the time. For the dishes were also meant to stimulate conversation. If the prince’s gardener friends were visiting, rare vegetables such as ice cabbage or chervil would appear on the plate.
They formed the basis for one or the other shop talk and were preferably from the castle nursery. Pückler liked to refer to the philosopher Seneca, who praised country life with produce from one’s own field. Regional was the seal of quality: with cucumbers and asparagus from the neighbourhood or pike slices in Spreewald sauce. Parsley soup is mentioned more than 200 times in the table books and the prince himself created a recipe for potatoes a lá Semilasso-as he called himself (a remoulade made from egg yolk and vinegar is the simple secret!) “If you please me with your visit, I promise you good dinners, where the culinary art only helps nature!”-he wrote in an invitation. Every ingredient should remain unaltered and all the good edible things should taste like themselves.
Pückler’s refined homecooking
He kept records of his dining pleasures. A total of five volumes with gold edging and bound in leather provide information about 3500 menus. At Branitz Palace, ladies and gentlemen received a feudal welcome in the 19th century. Serving a refined dinner with at least six courses demonstrated the host’s style and willingness to create. But the prince gave special honour to the potato, to that very common vegetable in numerous variations -he learned about its preparation as a salad with egg and vinegar during a journey through the Pyrénées and wrote it down.
At 1 o’clock luncheon in the breakfast room
Pückler liked the custom from England so much that he wanted to celebrate it at home as well: At a distinguished visit in the intimate atmosphere of a salon in gold and violet.
A lá francaise
The Prince wanted the furnishing of the breakfast room to be in Louis XIV style. He sent the carpenter pictures from a Parisian magazine after which he was to make the buffet and set it in black and gold.
Carp á lá Chambord
From his own breeding he paid to the Branitzer spezialiteiten. In 1864 it was presented to Queen Augusta, whose visit Pückler had long longed for. Days before, he had the menu rehearsed to perfection.
Sweet aftermath
“If we were also poor, Lucie would cook me pancakes!”- the prince noted. But even without need, he loved simple regional dishes, like Lusatian pancakes. A sauce made from fine port wine and egg yolk gives them that certain something.
May you come with a good hunger
The menu card of 1846 for a Berlin gentlemen’s party announces no less than 15 courses. Alexander von Humboldt was one of the most important guests each evening.
Eis-cream
Layered in red, white and brown is a bestseller today. Here is the recipe:
Neapolitan Ice Cream or Fürst Pückler Eis
Pückler ice cream was created by a confectioner from Brandenburg and named after the count Hermann von Pückler-Muskau. The ice cream consists of three layers – chocolate, strawberry and vanilla, and is commonly called Neapolitan ice cream or Harlequin ice cream. His elaborate presentation was: a piano made of ice cream
Ingredients
- 1 oz dark chocolate
- 2 tbsp whipping cream
- 7-8 strawberries hulled
- 6 cups vanilla ice cream softened
- whipped cream optional
Instructions
- Melt the chocolate with the cream, stirring until smooth. Mix two cups of the ice cream with the chocolate until well blended. Pour into the bottom of a 9×5 pan, smooth with a spatula, and freeze for about 2 hours.
- Layer 2 cups softened vanilla ice cream over the chocolate layer and smooth with a spatula. Freeze for one hour or, if it is firm enough, add the strawberry layer right away.
- Blend strawberries into a puree. (There should be about 1/4 cup.) Mix puree with the remaining vanilla ice cream. Pour over hardened vanilla layer, cover, and freeze for another hour before serving.
- To serve, turn over and remove from pan onto plate. Cut into slices and serve with sweetened whipped cream, if desired.
If you’re interested in the recipes of Prince Pückler’s you can order the book: Zu Gast bei Fürst Pückler (Guest at Prince Pückler’s): 65 historic recipes reinterpreted by Tim Sillack the chef in the Cabalier House next to the castle!
Summer soltice, breads, donkey and Priapos the God of fertilty
Back in the 1970s, a bakery from an oven line was excavated in Hungary, in the so called Aquincum village, located in Old-Buda (near Budapest) which probably served to supply the soldiers of the Roman legion. The ancient bakery included a mill, a bakery and a bread shop. In the old days, as we know, grinding grain was hard work – flour was made on millstones that rotated on a number of wheels – and these mills were turned by hand or animal power. To make the tedious work of kneading easier, stone and wooden kneading machines and centrifugal kneading machines were made. The excavations also revealed that they already knew how to make leaven, which was usually made from older, fermented dough. Baking in these workshops was done in ovens with chemicals similar to those used in wheat ovens. While bakers in Italy baked only wheat bread, in Pannonia other cereals were also used. The breads were then varied according to the spices mixed into the raw dough. White bread was called panis candidus or panis mundus and was made from the finest flour. The second-rate bread was panis secundarius (a favourite of the Emperor Augustus). The third-order bread was made from coarsely sifted, bran flour, and was the black bread, panis plebeius or acerosus, as the name suggests, the bread of the poor. In the city of Aquincum, bread was baked specially for the soldiers, although excavations have revealed that in the barracks and watchtowers the crew themselves provided the bread. They would grind the grain they received as rations on a hand grinder and make either porridge or bread.
In Roman times, Pliny (the senior, was a historian), who lived in Roman times, listed nine types of bread made with the addition of milk and eggs, and we can only guess what kind of bread they baked, unlike in Sicily, where in the National Museum of Naples we can see charred examples of bread from the last baking of the Pompeii bakery, and interestingly, they are exactly like a modern pizza, only thicker, because the loaves were divided into small pieces so that they could be torn more easily. One thing is for sure, the consumption of bread was probably as important in Aquincum as it is today and some bakers must have made a fortune from their craft! In Rome, for example, the tomb of a master baker called Eurysaces illustrates that in ancient times a bread baker was as famous as a celebrity today. In addition, millers and bakers had their own special feast day, Vestialia, which was celebrated from 7 to 15 June.
Feat of Vesta, the donkey, the bread and Priapus with the huge penis
Vesta is known to have been the goddess of the hearth and the burning continuer of the Roman sacred fire. In her honour, the feast of the goddess of the house and the spirits of the chamber – Vesta and the Penates – was celebrated on Vestialia, the feast of the house and family life in general. On the first day of the feast, on 7th June, the sanctuary of the temple of Vesta, was opened once a year, for the women to make offerings. While the curtain was drawn, mothers could come barefoot and dishevelled to leave offerings to the goddess in return for blessings for themselves and their families.
The animal dedicated to Vesta, the donkey, was crowned with garlands of flowers and pieces of bread on 9 June. According to Ovid, the donkeys were adorned with a necklace made of pieces of bread to commemorate the myth in which Vesta was almost desecrated by Priapus, the fertility god with the great phallus. In this myth, the untimely braying of a donkey frightens Priapus away from the sexual act, forcing him to flee.
The “great phallused” Priapus was the son of Aphrodite and Dionysus. His father went to India when he was conceived. While away, Aphrodite cheated on the god of wine and intoxication. Hera, outraged, arranged for the goddess of love to give birth to a deformed child. The body of Priapus was accentuated by a disproportionately large penis. Although her mother got rid of it and dumped it in the forest, the inhabitants of Lampsacus found it, raised it and spread her divine cult. Thus Priapus became the patron saint of vineyards and orchards, where it was customary to erect his small statue (which was often nothing more than a large, mounding phallus). In ancient Greece, the statue of Priapus became a symbol of fertility. In some Pompeii frescoes, he wore an apron full of fruit and held a pruning knife and a cornucopia in his hands.
According to another legend, Priapus wanted to embrace not Vesta but a nymph called Lotus. The beauty of Lothis aroused immense desire in the god, but he refused her advances, so Priapos decided to make the sleeping woman his wife one night, but while he was doing this, the nearby donkey of Silenus brayed. The inhabitants, awakened by the donkey’s voice, then let out a loud gasp of laughter. In his rage, the god struck the donkey to death and turned Lothis into a lotus tree (the collection of Latin poems in pig’s ear that was dedicated to him was called Priapeia). Now, the Lotus incident is the reason bakers sacrifice donkeys to the god on 9th of June, but they were celebrated for the first time in a long time, in gratitude for their services in bakeries.
On June 15, the last day of the Feast of the Last Days, was the day of the “legal removal of dung”. On this day, the Penus Vestae was solemnly closed, the Flaminica Dialis held a funeral service, and the church was subjected to a purification called stercoratio: the dirt was swept out of the church and carried along the road called the Clivus Capitolinus and then thrown into the Tiber. Work in the bakeries was suspended for 3 days during the feast.
The main food of the festive season, for instance the porridge, remained an important and indispensable food for the population for a long time, as we know from Cato (an ancient historian and statesman), who recorded several of its recipes: for example, punic porridge, wheat porridge and the scones that were served on festive occasions!
“Make a sacrificial cake like this: Crumble 2 pounds of cottage cheese in a mortar. When well crumbled, add 1 pound of wheat flour, or if you want something finer, half a pound of fine flour. Mix well with the cottage cheese. Beat in 1 egg and mix well. Form into loaves, put bay leaves underneath, and bake slowly over a hot fire under a pot lid!
According to Roman myths, the Etruscan goddess Anna Perenna, usually represented as an old hag, also fed her worshippers with this bread. Legend has it that Anna, who lived in Bovillae near Rome, fed the plebeians who had gone to the Holy Mountain with a home-baked flatbread for three days as a sign of her protest. After the reconciliation of the plebeians and the patricians, the name perenna, or Eternal, was attached to her name (mentioned by Ovid in his Fasti).
Cato also mentions plaited cakes, perhaps similar to our modern plaited loaf. It was made of flaky dough and was woven into strips like a rope.
But what’s exciting is that Cato also has a recipe for a cake called Scriblita, which was also a favourite treat at the summer equinox. Scribilita (also known as Scriblita or Scriplita ) was a thin cake in ancient Rome, a kind of cheesecake. It was eaten hot and consisted of flour and cheese with honey poured over it. According to another source, the original scribilitae was made from semolina. It was made with sheep’s cheese, honey, eggs, pine nuts and salt; the mixture was then put on a pastry made of wheat flour, eggs, butter and salt and baked. The recipe is described in the book Catos De agri cultura.
‘To make a cake: for 9 and a half kilos: take 2 pounds of common wheat flour, make the bottom dough base, for the sheets take 4 pounds of flour, 2 pounds of spelt flour. Pour the meal into water. When it swells, pour it into a clean mortar and dry it well. When smooth, slowly add 4 pounds of flour. Shape it into two sheets of dough, put them in a basket to dry well. When dry, assemble them neatly. When you have formed each sheet, after kneading it, smooth it with a cloth dampened with oil, rub it around and coat it. Once the layers are ready, preheat the oven. Then sprinkle with 2 pounds of flour and knead. Use this to make a thin bottom sheet. Put 14 lbs. of fresh, unleavened sheep’s curd in water, soak it, changing the water three times. Take it out, then knead it in your hands until thin. Then pass the curds through a sieve. Add 4 and a half quarts of honey, mix well with the cottage cheese. Then place the “belt” on a foot wide board, put a bay leaf underneath, and start shaping the tart. First place the layers one at a time across the width of the bottom layer then use the mortar to coat them, one layer at a time, and coat until all the honey curd is gone. Top with a few sheets, then “button” the bottom layer, decorate the tart, seal the stove, turn the heat to moderate, place the tart on top, cover with a warm earthenware lid, put coals (from the coals) on and around the lid! Be sure to cook slowly, without haste. Check the dough two or three times, lift the lid and check. When cooked, remove and brush with honey. The semi-modern tart is ready.
The same recipe was also used to make the so-called squint-eyed pie, erneum, for the Feast of the Lose, only baked in a clay POT -amphora. The pitcher was placed in a copper pot filled with boiling water and the dough inside was baked over a slow fire. Once the dough was cooked, the jug was rolled off!
Turmeric latte the golden drink
Turmeric latte or Golden Milk, as it is called in English-speaking countries, sounds like a magic drink from a fairy tale. Its story is that it was brought into fashion in the early 21st century by the famous American coffee chain Starbucks, whose logo is a long, green-haired siren! And like all legendary elixirs, there have been many myths about this drink ever since.
First, the drink’s ‘secret’ ingredients are: freshly grated ginger and turmeric, plus a dash of black pepper to maximise the potion’s potency. In addition, cinnamon and a spoonful of honey add a sweetness. But of course, it is not the coffee chain in question that invented this drink, but the Indians, where turmeric milk is an ancient recipe from the Ayurvedic, healing tradition.
One thing is for sure, it is important to use fresh turmeric in the drink if possible, as it has a particularly aromatic (and not bitter) flavour. If this is not available, do not use too much turmeric powder or it will make your drink bitter. The soft, yellow colour suits the drink much better anyway, so don’t use too much as the ingredients work together to create a fantastic flavour orgy.
The feeling of well-being starts after the first sip: warmth spreads through the body and the wonderful smell stimulates the senses. If you don’t like honey, you can sweeten it with coconut blossom sugar, which keeps blood sugar levels stable. If you prefer a different alternative to milk, you can use good quality oat milk, which gives the golden milk a creamy taste and a good froth. And if you don’t believe in magic, just try a warm, exotic spice-flavoured, glowing golden milk drink.
Recipes
Golden turmeric drink
2 important ingredients in a turmeric drink are: turmeric and ginger. When freshly grated, the essential oils in it prevent colds and aid digestion. As the healthy substances are located just under the skin, it is best to peel the ginger and turmeric bulbs as thinly as possible so that the healthy duo (ginger and turmeric) can work optimally together with honey, cinnamon and pepper. The “Golden Milk” is also excellent with vegetable milk, coconut or almond milk (for 4 persons: 800 ml oat milk, 4 cm turmeric root, 2 cm ginger, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 tsp cinnamon, coconut blossom sugar, turmeric powder for garnish).
Delicious breakfast
If you like a varied breakfast, try Golden Milk with oatmeal and fruit.
Cheesecake with golden milk
Ingredients for the golden milk: 20 gr turmeric, 25 gr ginger, 600 ml oat milk, 1 tbsp honey, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 tsp cardamom
for the filling: 450 gr cashew nuts, 100 gr coconut chips, 75 gr brown cane sugar
for the dough: 100 gr dates, 100 gr almonds, 1 tbsp honey, cardamom powder, saffron, cinnamon, 2 tbsp puffed quinoa
for serving: 30 gr candied ginger, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp butter, 4 tbsp puffed quinoa, 150 gr coconut cream, cinnamon, 1 tsp turmeric powder
Preparation: Grate them and put them in a bowl with the oat milk, honey, cinnamon stick and cardamom. Bring to the boil, cover and allow to simmer on a low heat for about 30 minutes, then cool.
To make the topping, place the cashews and coconut flakes in a bowl, strain the golden milk through a sieve and leave to stand, covered, for 8 hours (or overnight).
The next day, line a cake tin with baking paper. Wash the dates, chop 60g almonds, leave the rest whole. Mix the whole almonds with the dates, honey and spices, then blend in a blender until pureed (add 1-2 tbsp water if needed), finally add the almonds and the puffed quinoa. Pour the mixture into the prepared mould and smooth it out evenly.
To make the topping, drain the soaked cashew-coconut mixture (which has been refrigerated for 24 hours), add the sugar and puree it finely and thickly, a little at a time, adding just enough of the left-over liquid per spoonful to make the mixture spreadable when pureed.
Pour the mixture over the cake base and smooth it out. Leave to set in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
To serve, cut the candied ginger into pieces. Melt the sugar and butter in a pan and caramelise until golden. Stir in the ginger pieces and the puffed quinoa, spoon into mounds on a baking sheet and leave to cool. Whip the coconut cream until stiff peaks form. Mix the cinnamon and turmeric and sprinkle over the cake. Spread the coconut cream decoratively over the cake using a teaspoon and decorate with the caramel-ginger quinoa.
Turmeric in the world
Turmeric is a key ingredient in many Asian dishes, imparting a mustard-like, earthy aroma and a pungent, slightly bitter taste. It is used mainly in savoury dishes, but also in some sweet cakes, such as the Persian cake called sfouf. In India, the turmeric leaf is used to make special sweet dishes such as patoleo, where a mixture of rice flour and grated coconut husk is layered on the leaf, then sealed and stored in a special container (chondro). Most turmeric is used in the form of rice powder to give the dish a golden yellow colour. Turmeric is also present in many products such as canned beverages, baked goods, dairy products, ice cream, yoghurt, yellow-coloured cakes, orange juice, biscuits, popcorn, cereals, sauces and gelatine. It is also a major ingredient in curry powders. Although turmeric is usually used in dried, powdered form, if you want a more intense flavour it is better freshly grated, as is ginger. There are many other uses for it in East Asian recipes, such as pickles containing large chunks of fresh, soft turmeric!
Turmeric is also widely used as a spice in South Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine. Various Iranian khoresh recipes start with onions caramelised in oil and turmeric. The Moroccan ras el hanout spice blend typically contains turmeric. In South Africa, turmeric is used to give a golden colour to cooked white rice, known as geelrys (yellow rice), and is traditionally served with bobotie (a minced meat one-dish dish). In Vietnamese cuisine, turmeric powder is used to colour and enhance the flavour of certain dishes such as bánh xèo, bánh khọt and mì Quảng. The staple Cambodian curry paste, kroeung, which is used for many dishes including fish amok, typically contains fresh turmeric. In Indonesia, the base for the Sumatran Minang or Padang curry, such as rendang, is sate padangho.
Blueberry festival in Belgium: The Witch and the Black Goat
While witches have always existed in the Salm valley, just like anywhere else, the folklore group of the Macralles du Val de Salm from Belgium has only been in existence since 1955. Every year on 20 of July, the Macralles gather at a place: called Tienne-Messe to celebrate their Sabbath. This “Son et lumière” show stages amusing anecdotes about what has happened to certain of the people of the Salm valley during the last year, all in the Walloon dialect. Then the next day, they march in procession through the streets of the he Fête des Myrtilles (Blueberry Festival – July 21). The story of the Macralles is drawn from a local legend: the legend of Gustine Makra.
The course of the event: Every July 20 and for 24 hours, the “Neurès Bièsses” (the Macralles) symbolically take possession of the key of the city, and gather on the rocks of Tiennemesse to hold their Sabbath in the presence of their master, the “NeûrBo” (the Black Goat), who is none other than the Devil. This ceremony attracts more than 2,000 spectators every year. The macralleboast, in the local patois, of their harmful activities perpetrated during the year, whose targets are very diverse.
From 7:30 pm, musical and visual entertainment in the streets of Vielsalm
At 9:30 pm: taking the keys to the city; the macralles invade the communal park! During a scenario reviewed every year, they seize the key to the great displeasure of the mayor and the country guard. They then demand power for a period of 24 hours.
The “Neurès Bièsses” (the macralles) then gather at a place called Tiennemesse.
They review funny events and anecdotes of local and regional life. The devil, Neûr Bo (black goat) presides over this ceremony full of magic, terror and laughter. Every year, more than a thousand spectators witness this real sound and light.
Highlights of the Sabbath: – the arrival by the air of witches, with the help of their broom of course! – the establishment of the cauldron where the emmacrallée potion, the “tcha-tcha” will be concocted – the arrival of the devil on an authentic hearse – the enthronements of personalities, greeted by hunting horns and artifices. Not to mention the various more or less skilful attempts of the Country Guard (“the Emmacrallé”) who tries, without much success it must be said, to put an end to the Sabbath and tries to make public order reign!
Who has already once attended the Sabbath in the past should not be afraid to see the same things again from year to year because the Sabbath changes over the years. If we always strive to maintain a common frame to the various performances, we seek above all constantly not to tire the faithful spectators, especially through the use of many accessories and disguises, as well as music adapted and composed by our technical team. The lighting and a studied pyrotechnics make it possible to stage the highlights of the Sabbath, to enhance the play of the actors and the visual effects.
The “Neurès Bièsses” also take advantage of this sound and light show to induct certain personalities, both local and national, and thus confer on them the title of “Baron des Frambâches”. The ritual of enthronement consists in making the future Barons taste the “tcha-tcha” (potion based on crushed blueberries) and to make them ride
and broom and repeat the sentence that will “emmacraller” them forever: “Sôte, Mirôte, oût hayes èt bouchons!”
On the Sabbath are also enthroned the young Macralles nicknamed the ” loumerottes “. The loumerottes only become real Macralles after two years of apprenticeship.
After the Sabbath, a reception is organized and brings together all the members of the Macralles group, as well as the Barons of the Frambâches and the sympathizers. The opportunity for everyone to meet, and to sign the Golden Book, a real treasure illustrated by many cartoonists, each more prestigious than the other…
In addition to the outdoor processions, the Macralles are of course rampant in their own locality; collection of eggs and giant omelette offered each beginning of the year, local entertainment etc.
By the way every October 31 from 1999 to 2008, the Macralles also organized the Halloween party for children: torchlight procession in the streets of the locality, followed by a ball for all the little devils and other monsters!
Between 2000 and 2010, the Macralles of the Val de Salm were the initiators of 7 “Great Gatherings of Witches”.
The program of these diabolical days expanded as the editions went on: artisanal market ofthewitch, street entertainment: storytellers, fire-eaters, jugglers, magicians, puppet theater, medieval musicians and other troubadours.
In the evening, a large international procession of groups of witches took place: “sisters” came especially from the whole of Belgium, but also from France, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland; as early as 2001, for the first time in Belgium, the presence of luminous electric floats in the procession, always on the theme of witchcraft, which will dazzle more than one!
For the pleasure of the eyes, no less than 8,000 light points are needed per tank to perfect the magic of the show. The closing evening in the communal park is placed under the sign of fire, accompanied by wild music.
The legend of Gustine Makra: she had managed to awaken the fairies and gnomes from hibernation, but she had also revived tormentors and ghosts, werewolves and demons. Fortunately, the later canonized Gengoux, long ago, managed to conjure up the Beings of Darkness. But now that almost 1313 years have passed, they are about to wake up again… Do you manage to make contact with above- , extraterranean and subterranean creatures and reveal the Mysteries of the Macralle? You can learn the language of the black magicians, who not only uses words, but also sound vibrations –and waves, sound patterns and music? After all, don’t you shy away from fighting Gustine Makra & her Creatures of Darkness, and putting them back to sleep with the appropriate formula.
Tulip, Love and the Persian New Year
The superstar of the spring there is no doubt that the tulip is. They can take centre stage like no other flower can, creating unforgettable spring shows. Because the tulip is truly an extraordinary flower. It has a past steeped in legend and has been a muse for art and poetry, it has obsessed nations, and enthralled sultans. Here is one of the exotic legends of its origin from the 6th century. The tale goes…In Persian folklore, the first tulip is said to have bloomed from the blood of star crossed lovers, Farhad and Shirin, in a tale reminiscent of the infamous Romeo and Juliet.
A lowly stone cutter, Farhad, loved the Princess Shirin, and wanted to win her heart. When she heard of this, she would have none of it, and would not even see him, what would she want with a lowly tradie? So Farhad took to the hills with his flute and made beautiful music in praise of Princess Shirin. He fasted as he pined for his love, and soon the villagers made him the talk of the town. They saw Farhad’s plight and felt for him, so they conspired that the two should meet. Princess Shirin was led into the mountain’s forest by her courtesan and when she saw Farhad and heard his music, she fell in love.
The father isn’t happy When her father, the Shah heard that his only daughter had fallen for someone beneath her he was not happy. He could see that she loved him, but was adamant that she should not. He was no dummy, he knew if he told her no, then he may lose her, so he devised a clever plan. He decreed that Farhad, being a commoner, must complete a task, a task that no man could complete. A task that heroes would run from, and only if he was able to do this could he have any hope of ever being with his beloved princess. Now, you might think that that is clever, but it is not the best bit. He had Shirin ask this of Farhad, as a task she wanted complete.
So Princess Shirin went to Farhad and asked him to dig a canal through the bedrock of the hills. Not just any canal mind you, it had to be six lances wide and three lances deep, oh and forty miles long! She appears quite high maintenance by today’s standards!
Farhad didn’t blink, he loaded up his spade and headed for the hills. He laboured tirelessly for years. From dawn to dark he worked his spade, building the canal, and he was making real progress. The princess would visit, in secret to watch him work, falling deeper and deeper in love – he must have been rippling with muscles by this stage!
Word reached the Shah that Farhad had almost completed his task. The clever trick was not going to plan. The Shah sought council from his cunning Viziers. Together they plotted to send one of the princesses courtiers to tell Farhad that Shirin was dead, hoping that with a broken heart he would give up and go away.
So the courtesan was sent to tell Farhad that the princess was dead. He did not believe her, but was eventually convinced. Then, overcome by grief, Farhad used his spade to take his life, and his blood flowed into the canal.
Things didn’t go according to plan When news reached Princess Shirin she ran to the mountains to see if it was true. Upon seeing him, she then took her own life. Where they lay together, their scarlet blood pooled, and each drop formed a tulip. Ensuring their love will live forever.”
Unhappy end…but at least the tulip has become the most cherished flower since… The Iranian celebrate the spring with this flower at Nowruz‘s time, which is the name of the Iranian New Year, also known as the Persian New Year but it is celebrated worldwide by various ethno-linguistic groups usually on or around March 21 on the Gregorian calendar. Nowruz has Iranian and Zoroastrian origins; however, it has been celebrated by diverse communities for over 3,000 years in Western Asia, Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Black Sea Basin, the Balkans, and South Asia. It is a secular holiday for most celebrants that is enjoyed by people of several different faiths, but remains a holy day for Zoroastrians, Bahá’ís, and some Muslim communities. Nowruz is the day of the vernal equinox and marks the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. It marks the first day of the first month (Farvardin) of the Iranian calendars. The moment the Sun crosses the celestial equator and equalizes night and day is calculated exactly every year, and families gather together to observe the rituals. While Nowruz has been celebrated since the reform of the Iranian Calendar in the 11th century CE to mark the new year, the United Nation officially recognized the “International Day of Nowruz” in 2010.
House cleaning and shopping
House cleaning, or shaking the house (xāne tekāni) is commonly done before the arrival of Nowruz. People start preparing for Nowruz with a major spring cleaning of their homes and by buying new clothes to wear for the New Year, as well as the purchase of flowers. The hyacinth and the tulip are popular and conspicuous.
Visiting family and friends
During the Nowruz holidays, people are expected to make short visits to the homes of family, friends and neighbors. Typically, young people will visit their elders first, and the elders return their visit later. Visitors are offered tea and pastries, cookies, fresh and dried fruits and mixed nuts or other snacks. Many Iranians throw large Nowruz parties in as a way of dealing with the long distances between groups of friends and families.
Haft-sin
Typically, before the arrival of father Nowruz, family members gather around the Haft-sin table and await the exact moment of the March equinox to celebrate the New Year. Traditionally, the Haft-sin (seven things beginning with the letter sin are
- sabze– wheat barley, mung bean or lentil sprouts grown in a dish.
- samanu– sweet pudding made from wheat germ
- senjed -Persian olive oil
- serke-vinegar
- sib-apple
- sir-garlic
- somāq-sumac
The Haft-sin table may also include a mirror, candles, painted eggs, a bowl of water, goldfish, coins, hyacinth, tulip and traditional confectioneries. A “book of wisdom” such as the Quran, Bible, Avesta, the Sahname or the divān of Hafez may also be included. Haft-sin’s origins are not clear. The practice is believed to have been popularized over the past 100 years.
In Iran, the traditional heralds of the festival of Nowruz are Amu Nowruz and Haji Firuz, who appear in the streets to celebrate the New Year. Amu Nowruz brings children gifts, much like his counterpart Santa Claus. He is the husband of Nane Sharma, with whom he shares a traditional love story in which they can meet each other only once a year (one more love story!) He is depicted as an elderly silver-haired man with a long beard carrying a walking stick, wearing a felt hat, a long cloak of blue canvas, a sash, giveh, and linen trousers. Haji Firuz, a character with his face and hands covered in soot, clad in bright red clothes and a felt hat, is the companion of Amu Nowruz. He dances through the streets while singing and playing the tambourine. In the traditional songs, he introduces himself as a serf trying to cheer people whom he refers to as his lords. His face is covered in soot, and he is clad in bright red clothes and a felt hat. He dances through the streets while singing and playing a tambourine. In the traditional songs, he introduces himself as a serf trying to cheer people whom he refers to as his lords. As a black-faced serf, he is a controversial character, seen as symbolically racist. Therefore, half of his face is sometimes painted white in order to avoid the criticisms. According to some sources, Hajji Firuz is based on a tradition called Mir Nowruzi. Mir Nowruz was a comical figure chosen to rule the municipality for “the last five days of the year” (Panje). The temporary “five-day king” (Šāh e Panj Ruze) would often parade the city with a group of singers and dancers for the Nowruz celebrations
Later, it was claimed that the blackened face of Hajji Firuz symbolizes his returning from the world of the dead, his red clothing is the sign of the blood of Siavash and the coming to life of the sacrificed deity, while his joviality is the jubilation of rebirth, typical of those who bring rejuvenation and blessing along with themselves. Bahar speculates that the name Siyāwaxš might mean ‘black man’ or ‘dark-faced man’ and suggests that the term black in the name may be a reference either to the blackening of the faces of the participants in the aforementioned Mesopotamian ceremonies, or to the black masks that they wore for the festivities.
Pumpkin festival in Germany/Ludwigsburg
The fall is just around the corner. What better way to celebrate than to visit the world’s largest pumpkin festival in southwestern Germany? You probably never knew that there are 800 different kinds of pumpkin in the world and at the Blooming Baroque (Blühenden Barock), the gardens surrounding Ludwigsburg Residential Palace, is home to this annual event with over 600 varieties and over 450,000 pumpkins on display for all to see.
Facts: Each year the festival chooses a new theme keeping return visitors coming back again and again. The theme for 2016 was Rome, 2019 was “Fantastic World of Fairytales” and this year, in 2020 the theme is “Music.” As you make your way around, be sure to have your camera ready. You will see hundreds of thousands of pumpkins transform into interesting creations. The imagination and planning put into the design of these displays are mind-blowing. My respect to all of those working hard behind the scenes to make this event a success! Chapeau!
Food: Be sure to bring your appetite. There are plenty of pumpkin-inspired foods and drinks, and if you are lucky some free samples along the way. Delicious pumpkin beers, pumpkin lattes, champagnes and wines are available. The food menu has plenty to offer to range from pumpkin muffins, pumpkin soup, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin burgers, (it was excellent) spaghetti with pumpkin and the list goes on and on. Not a fan of pumpkin? Don’t worry there is plenty of traditional German fare to choose from, as well.
Shopping: For those of you eager to take a pumpkin home, there is a large array of pumpkins for purchase and even carving kits, too. In a shopping area and vendors to find decorative and food items such as: pumpkin Secco, pumpkin tea, a variety of pumpkin spice mixes for soups and other dishes, pumpkin ketchup, pumpkin fruit spread, roasted pumpkin seeds and so on, endless…
Just walking the grounds of Ludwigsburg’s Residential Palace warrants a trip in itself. As one of Germany’s largest Baroque palaces, the palace and the grounds are a must-see while visiting the area. If time allows, guided tours of the inside of the palace are offered in multiple languages. Not to mention, by purchasing admission to the pumpkin festival you will also have access to the infamous fairy tale gardens with over 30 scenes and activities for children big and small. The gardens include a funky little cave/tunnel that leads you from one part of the gardens into a little aviary where you could see a small collection of birds and ducks.
From the well-manicured landscaping to the dreamy fountains and impressive architecture, this is definitely a sight you will not want to miss. Add in some seasonable fun and it makes a perfect day trip for the whole family. Something that I did not expect to see was a huge display of pumpkins labeled with their origin country. I found it fascinating to look at all the different varieties of pumpkins and to see where each one originated from. I definitely recommend stopping by this interesting showcase of pumpkins.
Events: The festival hosts numerous special events on designated dates (from the end of August-to the end of December). Ranging from pumpkin carving contests to smashing pumpkins, to pumpkin weigh-ins to ‘tales from the pumpkin patch’, a beloved storytime for children, to the largest pot of pumpkin soup in Germany cooked and served to visitors.
But my favorite event of all is the German pumpkin paddling championship. Where competitors race in giant hollowed-out gourds to victory across the castle lake!
Germany’s biggest pumpkin soup
In keeping with the tradition, the pumpkin chefs of the Pumpkin Gourmet whip up the biggest pumpkin soup in Germany each year. This way, the Pumpkin Festival at Blühendes Barock in Ludwigsburg can once again did a good deed: for every dish of the record-breaking soup sold, they donate up to 1 Euro to the Helferherz campaign in the district of Ludwigsburg! And to raise as much as possible, the soup has to be enormous: the pot holds 555 litres of pumpkin soup and around 2000 servings. The pumpkin chefs are happy to swing their wooden spoons to ensure that even this huge amount of soup will taste delicious. If the pot is finished, the Pumpkin Festival organizer (Jucker Farm) will donate a further 50 cents per portion, to make the donation amount 1 Euro per portion consumed. So “lick your bowls clean” on one weekend and have set a goal of finishing the enormous pot of soup not just once, but twice!
Harvest Festivals in Germany
In Germany there are many festivals related to the harvest. For instance there is a celebration running from August to October devoted to the shepherds and cowherds who would return from the mountains. It is called Almabtrieb which literally means drive from the mountain pasture. It is an annual event in the alpine regions in Europe, referring to a cattle drive that takes place in late September or early October. The animals are covered with flowers, and the villagers put on their traditional costumes to welcome the procession.
During summer, all over the alpine region cattle herds feed on alpine pastures (Almen in Austria or Germany, Alpen in Switzerland) high up in the mountains, a practice known as transhumance. In numbers, these amount to about 500,000 in Austria, 380,000 in Switzerland, and 50,000 in Germany.
While there is often some movement of cattle between the Almen, or Alps respectively, during the summer, there is usually one concerted cattle drive in the autumn to bring the cattle to their barns down in the valley. If there were no accidents on the Alm during the summer, in many areas the cattle are decorated elaborately, and the cattle drive is celebrated with music, feasts and dance events in the towns and villages. Upon arrival in the valley, joint herds from multiple farmers are sorted in the Viehscheid, and each animal is returned to its owner.
In many places this Alpine custom of Almabtrieb has today evolved into a major turist attraction, with a public festival, and booths set up along the course for selling agricultural, as well as artisans’, products along with alcoholic beverages.
In the spring, the reverse cattle drive moves from the valley barns to the Alp (in Switzerland: Alpaufzug, Alpfahrt, Alpauffahrt; in Germany/Austria: Almauftrieb). It is celebrated in Switzerland, though less well known. It is not celebrated in Germany and Austria, however. In Germany, peasants used to break the first straws of hay brought into the barns saying, “This is food for the dead.”
Almabtrieb is super but the bigest harvest festival in Germany is known as Oktoberfest. It is the world’s largest Volksfest (beer fest and travelling funfair). Held annually in Münich, Bavaria, it is a 16- to 18-day folk fest running from mid or late September to the first Sunday in October, with more than six million people from around the world attending the event every year. Locally, it is often called the Wiesn, after the colloquial name for the fairgrounds, Theresa’s meadows ( Theresienwiese). The Oktoberfest is an important part of Bavarian culture, having been held since the year 1810. Other cities across the world also hold Octoberfest celebrations that are modeled after the original Munich event. The Oktoberfest festivities are officially opened when the Lord Mayor taps the first barrel of beer A large parade of colorfully decorated brewers’ drays and magnificent floats brings the festivities to an exciting climax on the first Sunday of October. Beer tents erected for the occasion provide an unending supply of drink and food and a carnival atmosphere permeates the entire festival.
During the event, large quantities of October Beer are consumed: during the 16-day festival in 2013, for example, 7.7 million liter (66,000 US bbl; 1,700,000 imp gal) were served. Visitors also enjoy numerous attractions, such as amusement rides, sidestalls, and games. There is also a wide variety of traditional foods available.
The Munich Oktoberfest originally took place in the 16-day period leading up to the first Sunday in October. In 1994, this longstanding schedule was modified in response to German reunification. As such, if the first Sunday in October falls on the 1st or the 2nd, then the festival would run until 3 October (German Unity Day). Thus, the festival now runs for 17 days when the first Sunday is 2 October and 18 days when it is 1 October. In 2010, the festival lasted until the first Monday in October (4 October), to mark the event’s bicentennial.
Where grape-growing and wine-making go on, a green branch or bush is hung over the door when it comes time for the wine tasting..
In Germany the Erntedanktag (Thanksgiving) is also official holiday just like in Canada or in USA. Harvest Festivals are celebrated in churches and market places, in homes and dance halls. Religious holiday traditions are a part of the local culture and are enjoyed by the whole community.The German Erntedankfest is primarily a rural and a religious celebration. When it is celebrated in larger cities, it is usually part of a church service. Erntedankfest is often celebrated on the first Sunday in October, which is usually also the first Sunday following Michaelistag or Michaelmas which is 29 Sept, but, various locales may give thanks at different times during September and October. Erntedankfest is not a big day of family get-togethers and feasting, but, there are some turkey substitutes, usually so-called Masthühnchen, or chickens bred to be fattened up for more meat. Der Kapaun is a castrated rooster that is fed until he’s heavier than the average rooster. Die Poularde is the hen equivalent, a sterilized pullet that is also fattened up. A “harvest crown” or Erntekrone is formed of ears of grain, flowers and fruit is taken to church in solemn procession. Mostly the celebration includes the blessing of gifts, a parish celebration and/or morning drinking festivals also known as Frühschoppen.
German Catholics also celebrate the Feast of Saint Martin of Tours or as it is also known Martinmas, hold on November 11. This feast was held to honor the Romain saint who, as legend goes, hid in a barn when he heard he had been appointed a bishop and believed he did not earn such an honor. A honking goose as legend goes was to reveal his hiding place, so roast goose became a traditional dish for Martinmas feast, along with wine made from the grape harvest. As well the day held elements of the Halloween tradition with children marching in parades carrying homemade lanterns. Protestant Germans later on celebrated the Feast of Saint Martin in honor of the German religious leader and founder of Protestantism, Martin Luther, who was born on November 10th 1483 and was named after Saint Martin of Tours.
Crazy carnival days in München
Each year in Munich, the month of February and March bring a whirlwind of music, costumes and dances, in the guise of the Munich Carnival. The city of Munich certainly knows how to party. This year the festival lasts three days, and the city lets loose, on Sunday, Monday and finally Shrove Tuesday. It’s a fun event for all, with parades and masked balls organized by various professional organizations. In parallel with the carnival there are actually over 1,000 events and dances that take place, lasting several weeks, organized by major theatres and breweries in Munich. On the last Sunday, the festivities take place around Marienplatz. On the Tuesday, it’s time for the apotheosis on the Viktualien market with the Dirndl, the “Dance of the good women of the market.” A fantastic event when women in traditional dress dance and sing their hearts out together with the public. For this alone, it’s worth seeing!
The carnival season has different names in Germany: in Cologne and Düsseldorf “Carnival”, in Mainz “Fasenacht”, in other regions “Fasnet” or “Fosnat”. The carnival season in and around Munich is named “Fasching”.
Carnival was originally a pagan festival, later it has become associated with the catholic church and was celebrated on the day before the beginning of Lent. Nowadays the carnival season begins officially on November 11 with the coronation of a carnival prince and a carnival princess and lasts about three months until Ash Wednesday seven weeks before Easter. The most Fasching events are held in the last four weeks.
The Fasching main season is this year from February 1 to March 5. During this time more than 800 balls will be held in Munich. The biggest ones are parties with thousands of people. Most of these are fancy dress balls, but there are also classical gala balls in dinner jacket and evening dress (“Schwarz-Weiss-Bälle”).
To get a first impression we recommend to visit one of the big traditional balls in the “Deutsches Theater” (the first costume ball in the “Deutsches Theater” was organized already in 1897), or in the Hotel “Bayerischer Hof”. The third traditional location “Löwenbräukeller” is not available this year due to renovation work. Only the festival room is open.
In this festival room of the Löwenbräukeller takes place on March 1 the “Ball der damischen Ritter” (Ball of the crazy knights). It is a persiflage of Bavaria in the middle ages. You will see a lot of funny people dressed in knights’ armours.
The “Weissen Feste” (white parties) in the “Max-Emanuel-Brauerei” are legendary. These Fasching parties, which were originally parties of the Schwabing artists, are held already for over 50 years. The visitors have to come in white costumes. In the light of the special neon tubes (so-called bull’s-eye light) it looks quite eerie.
Balls
The “Crazy Knights” will organize a small carnival parade starting from Sonnenstrasse and ending at Hofbräuhaus, but it is not comparably with the big and magnificent carnival processions in Cologne and Mainz.
“München Narrisch”: During the last three crazy days (on Fasching Sunday, on Rose Monday and on Shrove Tuesday – this year March 3, 4 and 5) the pedestrian area in the city center around Marien platz is turned into a gigantic open air party zone with live music, fancy dresses and dancing.
One of the highlights of the Munich Fasching is the dance of the market women on the “Viktualien markt” (Victuals Market) at 10:30 a.m. on Shrove Tuesday. The market women rehearse for it already months before.
So, now try out the Munich Fasching. You need no expensive costume. Luxurious costumes are the exception here. All you need is a good mood and you will have a lot of fun during the carnival season in Munich.
After ski party in the Alps
The Zugspitze lies southwest of Garmish-Partenkirchen and, at 2,962 m above sea level is the highest peak in Germany. Both the valleys and the Alpine Foreland have been heavily influenced by the last ice age. The lakes were partially formed by groundwater filling the hollows carved out by the glaciers. Later the lakes silted up and formed moors like the Murnauer Moor (Moos in German). In the early Iron Age this so called Werdenfelser Land was settled by Illyrians. Even at this early stage there were close contacts with Upper Italy over the route of the present-day Brenner-Scharnitz road. From about 500 B.C. Celts invaded this region and mixed with the indigenous population. In turn the Romans conquered the Celts around 15 B.C. and annexed the region to the Province of Raetia. Occasionally the Romans adopted settlement and river names of Veneto-Illyrian or Celtic origin, some of which have survived to the present day (Partenkirchen – Partanum, Isar – Isara).
The trade route -that was already established by 195 A. D. -was upgraded. The Via Claudia Augusta now ran from Augsburg via Partenkirchen and Mittenwald to the Brenner Pass and continued to Bozen (Pons Drusi), where it formed a junction with the older Reschen Pass branch. The Roman road station of Partanum was the predecessor of modern-day Partenkirchen. After the collapse of the Roman Empire and the end of the Migration Period of Bajuwaren settled from about the 6th century A.D. in the valleys.
From the Middle Ages until the Thirty Years’ War, the Werdenfelser Land was subject to the Prince-Bishop of Freising, not the Duke of Bavaria (the region derives its name from the medieval Werdenfels Castle north of Garmisch-Partenkirchen). The castle acted chiefly to secure the military and trade route that ran through the Loisach valley and linked trading posts in Italy and Upper Bavaria.
The Werdenfels Castle,- erected by Duke Otto of Wittelsbach in 1180 -it is found in the northwest of Partenkirchen,- was transferred in 1294 to the Prince-Bishopric of Freising. Control of the northern approaches of the important European trading route by the Freising archbishopric enabled the population of the County of Werdenfels to become relatively wealthy over a long period of time. It is sometimes called the Goldener Land after the wealth derived in the Middle Ages and Renaissance from the traffic along this Rottstraße, the main route over the Alps to Augsburg.
With the onset of the Modern Period there was a significant economic boom in as a result of stronger trade relations with Italy (fuggers). The nickname Goldenes Landl (“Little Golden Land”) for the Werdenfelser Land comes from this period. This development was ended by the Thirty Years’ War and the population became impoverished. Later wars, such as the Wars of the Spanish and Austrian Succession in the early 18th century and Napoleonic Wars of the 19th century, also severely affected the population. In 1803, as a result of Napoleonic rule, the Prince-Bishopric of Freising was toppled and the Werdenfelser Land was given to Bavaria. Since 1889 the advent has become of a new source of income as the new railway link with München brought tourists to the region.
Garmisch, the Werdenfelser Land museum
The cultural centre of the land is the town Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The twin towns are famous for their winter and summer facilities. For instance after skiing is a perfect program to go to the Werdenfelser Landmuseum (it is in Garmisch). After visiting the museum you will realize that it’s not just a small town museum experience, it is also an interesting property. The building was the house of a rich merchant in the 17th century, (even the street in which the museum resides is also fascinating with the many facade painted houses).
The Museum reflects the history, culture, folklore, life style, from the surroundings of the Bavarian and Tirolean areas. The walls are full of lovely old paintings & some fantastic black & white photos of local life. Some interesting rooms made up – for instance the carnival masks, the nursery was particularly nice. Artifacts from pre-Roman time periods to the present, provide a view of the historic significance of this small community, through which a Roman supply route stretched through to Vienna, Austria. And all of it just for 1 euro entry! There is a leaflet in English but all the exhibits are in German only. Its on 3 floors with no lift. To sum up my visit I went away impressed. So it’s well worth a visit when you are in the area.
I ate in a local restaurant a fish dish in mustard sauce, it was divine!
spajzgirl 