Ethnic traditions

Erntedank: Thanksgiving Customs in Germany and the USA

In the German-speaking countries, Thanksgiving is an autumn harvest celebration called Erntedank or Erntedankfest (“harvest thanksgiving festival”). The observance usually takes place in September or October, depending on the region. Similar harvest festivals are common in many countries and regions around the globe.

In Switzerland, many communities observe Erntedank in mid-September. In Germany the observance is often on the first Sunday in October, which is usually also the first Sunday following Michaelistag or Michaelmas (29 September). This puts the Germanic thanksgiving closer to Canada’s Thanksgiving holiday in early October, rather than the American observance in late November, but there is no official date or any nationwide observance as in the US and Canada. Not even the “official” Erntedank date of the first Sunday in October, recommended by the German Catholic Church since 1972, is followed uniformly everywhere in Germany, nor is it included in the Church calendar of official observances. In some areas, Erntedank coincides with the wine harvest and takes place as late as November. For 2020, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, most communities modified the celebration, but refused to drop it entirely.

The typical German, Austrian or Swiss thanksgiving celebration (Erntedankfest) is usually a rural harvest time observance with church services, a parade, music, and a country fair atmosphere. In larger cities, Erntedankfest is sponsored by Protestant and Catholic churches. A typical German church observance begins with a sermon and perhaps some choral singing. Then comes the thanksgiving procession, complete with the presenting of the traditional “harvest crown” (Erntekrone) for the harvest queen (Erntekönigin). (Note: The queen gets a crown much smaller than the one in the photo above.). Later in the day, there’s more music, dancing, and food. In some places, there is also an evening service followed by a lantern and torch parade (Laternenumzug) for the children — and even fireworks!

Das Erntedankfest gehört zu den großen traditionellen Bauern-Feiertagen der beiden großen Kirchen. 
© Carmen Jaspersen, Friso Gentsch/dpa; Collage: RUHR24.de

Some aspects of the New World’s Thanksgiving celebration have taken root in Europe. Over the past few decades, Truthahn (turkey) has become a popular dish, widely available in German-speaking countries. The New World bird is valued for its tender, juicy meat, slowly usurping the more traditional goose (Gans) on special occasions. (And like the goose, it can be stuffed and prepared in similar fashion.) However, the Germanic Erntedankfest is still not a big day of family get-togethers and feasting like Thanksgiving in America. But like Thanksgiving, following the Erntedankfest celebration, the unused food is distributed to the needy.

A harvest crown (Erntekrone) on display for the harvest festival in Bad Gögging, Germany. PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons

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 and ready for a feast. Die Poularde is the hen equivalent, a sterlilized pullet that is also fattened up (gemästet). But this is not something done just for Erntedank.

A church altar decorated for Erntedank in the church of St. Johannes Baptist in Bavaria. PHOTO: Richard Huber, Wikimedia Commons

While Thanksgiving in the US is the traditional start of the Christmas shopping season, in Germany the unofficial starting date is Martinstag on November 11. (It used to be more significant as the start of 40 days of fasting before Christmas.) But things don’t really get started for Weihnachten until the first Adventsonntag (Advent Sunday) around December 1. (For more about German Christmas customs, see our Christmas pages.)

Geschmueckter Altar im Erntedank-Gottesdienst der reformierten Kirche in Herbishofen im Allgaeu (Bayern) am 04.10.2015.

As you can tell from the above, the European thanksgiving observance is not anything like the more secular traditional family holiday and feast in Canada and the United States. Unless they live in a rural area or are church-goers, most Germans have only experienced Erntedankfest by seeing it on television. But, if you ever get a chance to personally participate in Erntedankfest in Austria, Germany or Switzerland, it will be a very enjoyable cultural experience! Source


Bahleswinkelhof
about a year ago
In some regions of Germany, so-called harvest crowns are an integral part of the harvest festival.© Bernd Wüstneck/dpa

Think your friends would be interested? Share or reblog this story!

MICHAEL WALSH is a journalist, broadcaster and the author of WITNESS TO HISTORY, RISE OF THE SUN WHEEL (Paperback / Ebook), TROTSKY’S WHITE NEGROESMEGACAUST,  DEATH OF A CITY,  MY LAST TESTAMENT LET GOD JUDGE ME, THE ALL LIES INVASION Volume I (Paperback / Ebook), and THE ALL LIES INVASION Volume II (Paperback / Ebook), Odyssey Adolf Hitler, SLAUGHTER OF A DYNASTY, REICH AND WRONG, THE RED BRIGANDS, RANSACKING THE REICH, SCULPTURES OF THE THIRD RIECH: ARNO BREKER AND REICH SCULPTORS, SCULPTURES OF THE THIRD REICH VOLUME II Josef Thorak and Reich Sculptors, SCULPTURES OF THE THIRD REICH VOLUME III Porcelain and Reich SculptorsDeath of a City, and other book titles. These best-selling books are essential for the libraries of informed readers.

MICHAEL WALSH is an Irish British-born journalist. His 70 books include best-selling historical books THE ALL LIES INVASION (Paperback / Ebook), THE All LIES INVASION II (Paperback / Ebook), Odyssey Adolf Hitler, MY LAST TESTAMENT LET GOD JUDGE ME,  WITNESS TO HISTORYTESTIGO DE LA HISTORIA: HISTORIA SIN CENSURA (SPANISH EDITION),  REICH AND WRONG,  HEROES HANG WHEN TRAITORS TRIUMPH, HEROES OF THE REICH, THE HOLY BOOK of ADOLF HITLER, The Reich Declaration of War on the USSR, TROTSKY’S WHITE NEGROES, MEGACAUST, THE RED BRIGANDS, RANSACKING THE REICH, SCULPTURES OF THE THIRD RIECH: ARNO BREKER AND REICH SCULPTORS, SCULPTURES OF THE THIRD REICH Volume II Josef Thorak and Reich Sculptors, SCULPTURES OF THE THIRD REICH VOLUME III Porcelain and Reich Sculptors and  DEATH OF A CITY Click REAL HISTORY.

MICHAEL WALSH is a journalist, author, and broadcaster. His 70 books include best-selling  Africa-related books THE LAST GLADIATORS Fiancés of Death (Paperback / Ebook); AFRICA’S KILLING FIELDS: African Victims of the Liberal-Left (Paperback / Ebook); RHODESIA’S DEATH EUROPE’S FUNERAL European to Wall Street Colonialism (Paperback / Ebook); THE FIFTH COLUMN VOLUME I and II, and many other book titles. These best-selling books are essential for the libraries of informed readers. Click Africa.

The dissident author’s books are available for purchase by visiting his website BOOKSTORE, and POETRY  links.

We are in debt to our donors who finance the distribution of spin-free real news and fearlessly expressed views.

BUY FROM AUTHOR

MEGACAUST Michael Walsh. R. J. Rummel,   Power Kills: Genocide and Mass Murder (Journal of Peace Research) 164 million people have been killed in cold blood this century by Capitalist / Communist governments. 

SLAUGHTER OF A DYNASTY Michael Walsh. Covertly sponsored by Wall Street banks and the White House Bolsheviks seized Tsarist Russia (regime change). For 36 years news of Bolshevik atrocities and 70 million martyred Christians were censored by Western media.  Lavishly illustrated, this expose reveals secrets removed from Western history books.

When ordering the book contact Michael Walsh by email euroman_uk@yahoo.co.uk to receive your signed copy.

KEEP REAL NEWS OPEN: Donate by using Western Union, MoneyGram, Ria, or contact Michael Walsh: at keyboardcosmetics@gmail.com or euroman_uk@yahoo.co.uk 2) Follow our blog. 3) Share our stories and 4) buy our author-signed books. 5) Receive free newsletters by writing and subscribing to euroman_uk@yahoo.co.uk

Art-related books: Sculptures of the Third Reich: Arno Breker and Reich Sculptors, Volume I, Sculptures of the Third Reich: Josef Thorak and Reich Sculptors, Volume II, Sculptures of the Third Reich Volume III: Porcelain and Reich Sculptors Volume III, Art of Adolf Hitler: Ultimate Album of the Fuhrer’s Artworks, The Red Brigands, Ransacking the Reich by Michael Walsh.

Click REAL HISTORY to find more books.

BOOKS THAT CHALLENGE, INSPIRE, INFORM Michael Walsh, ‘Writer of the Year’ with a strong global following. Nearly 70 interesting book titles famed for changing and improving lives. CLICK TO VIEW

www.mikewalshwritingservices.wordpress.com

New stories every day!

EUROPE RENAISSANCE

https://europerenaissance.wordpress.com/

1 reply »

Leave a Reply

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. Log Out /  Change )

Connecting to %s