11 November is fast approaching, and this is a big day in Germany – but for different reasons than in Britain, for example. There are no poppies or remembrance day ceremonies honouring those who have died in conflict [*see below]. But there are two celebrations that are popular not only amongst children: St Martin and Fasching (aka Karneval).
Let’s start with St Martin, when children in Germany traditionally remember Sankt Martin, a kind Roman soldier who shared his cloak with a freezing beggar by cutting it in two with his sword. That night he had a dream where Jesus appeared, and thereupon he became Christian – ceasing to be a soldier and instead living as a monk. Against his will, he became a bishop and it is said that he healed people and banished demons. He was buried on 11 November in 397 A.D., which is why that day is when he is honoured.
In many parts of the country, the celebration involves a lantern parade (Laternenumzug) where the children walk along after dark holding their (often home-made) lantern (although for obvious reasons these days most people use electric candles rather than the real thing!) They sing traditional St Martin / lantern songs. Sometimes they are even accompanied by St Martin on his horse. And sometimes the parade finishes at a “Martinsfeuer” bonfire. Often, kindergartens will make the lanterns with the children and then have a parade that parents are invited to. You usually need to provide the “Laternenstab” (lantern-carrying stick, which often has an LED light attached to it – don’t forget the batteries!). And in Oberursel, for example, some local churches have created a route that families can walk with their children and lanterns whenever it suits them – there are stations along the route that tell the story of St Martin.
There are a few websites listing parades in Frankfurt and the surrounding areas that anyone is welcome to join, in case your children are too young/too old for a kindergarten one but you don’t want to miss out on the fun:
https://www.rheinmain4family.de/landinpages/sanktmartin.html
https://www.taunus-nachrichten.de/koenigstein/nachrichten/koenigstein/traditioneller-umzug-feuer-burg-id131171.html
https://www.kath-oberursel.de/veranstaltungen/st-martin-unterwegs-bommersheim-10112022
You will see the bakeries selling “Weckmänner” / “Martinsmännchen”, little men made of sweet yeast dough with raisins as eyes and sometimes a pipe, which are traditionally eaten on Martinstag.
For us grown ups, there is also the tradition of the Martinsgans, a delicious traditional roast goose dinner usually with potato dumplings, red cabbage, baked apple and chestnuts – always differing slightly depending on the region you’re in. It is symbolic of the geese who honked/quacked too loudly and revealed his whereabouts when St. Martin tried to hide with when attempting to avoid having to become a bishop.
If you’d like to enter into the spirit by learning some of the lovely songs usually sung on the parade, these are some of the most popular ones:
Laterne, Laterne
Ich geh mit meiner Laterne
Kommt wir wollen Laterne laufen
Sankt Martin ritt durch Schnee und Wind
This website has a helpful list of the songs and a nice link with the lyrics.
The second celebration that commences on 11 November but actually lasts until Ash Wednesday in the Spring is Fasching / Karneval / Fastnacht / the “fifth season”, as the Germans refer to it. There is no clear reason why this specific date and time came to signify the start of the craziness that is the Fasching / Karneval / Fastnacht season (which culminates in a few days of hard-core celebrations in the run-up to Ash Wednesday), but for those who are hardened “Narren” (Karneval celebrators), 11.11am on 11.11. usually involves some sort of symbolic storming of the town hall, the presentation of the new Prince for the season, and/or partying with like-minded lovers of Fasching (all of whom are usually members of the same Karnevals-Verein (club)). You may even end up toasting it with a glass of Sekt at work if you work somewhere with a lot of Fasching-lovers!
Between 11 November and the few days before Ash Wednesday, there doesn’t tend to be much going on in the way of partying for those who aren’t members of such a Verein, but the extensive preparations and rehearsals for the parades and shows get underway, giving a lot of pleasure to all involved. We will look at what happens in the run up to Lent in a later post, but you can look forward to parades and parties for families and grown-ups only with some seriously cheesy but good-fun music!
(*In Germany, the Volkstrauertag two Sundays before the first Sunday in advent is when they remember the war dead, and Totensonntag the Sunday before the first Sunday in advent is when all those who have passed away are remembered.)