Martinstag

Whilst Brits are donning their poppies for Remembrance Day, Germans have very different traditions

After the somewhat depressing subject matter of my last post on the collapse of the German government coming on the same day Donald Trump was re-elected, I thought I would choose more cheery subject matter for my next piece.

The 11^th minute of the 11^th hour on 11^th month… not silence but the over-excited screams of children and teenagers, running around with painted faces and fancy-dress costumes, blowing trumpets, and releasing party streamers. This was nowhere in England of course, but my first November living in Germany.

In many parts of Germany this is the official beginning of carnival season (Karneval or Fasching depending where in Germany you are) which culminate in the grand parades in February or March before the beginning of Lent.

Being a particularly Catholic region where I lived, carnival was serious business. At the school where I worked, lessons were temporarily halted for celebrations in the hall. Having only been in the country for a couple of months at this point I had very little idea what all this madness was in aid of. At one point I was made to dress as a camel herder and lead the Head Master and Deputy Head, dressed as the front and rear parts of a camel, around the building.

I had started that day wondering whether I should wear a poppy someone had sent me from England but decided that might seem a little ‘aggressive’. I’m not sure what exactly I was expecting to happen at 11 minutes past 11am but it wasn’t a full-on breakout of mirth.

Though Remembrance Day is to honour the British servicemen and women who have fought and died in all conflicts, it is primarily the two world wars fought against Germany which are in mind. This is reinforced by almost every aspect of the occasion’s symbolism, from the poppy to the wreath laying at memorials to the two world wars up and down the country.

Some in Britain might dislike the fact these celebrations take place at the exact moment we are having our minute’s silence or assume this is a deliberate afront to our acts of remembrance to those who died fighting against ‘the bloody Germans!’ However, the timing of these celebrations long pre-date the First World War, going back to the Middle Ages. The number 11 has long had potent symbolism in Christianity representing disorder and chaos – perfect for carnival.

Not content with outdoing our Remembrance Day with one occasion steeped in Catholicism the 11^th November is also the date of another big occasion celebrated by children throughout Germany– Martinstag, or St. Martin’s Day.  

During the day children make paper lanterns and then walk through the streets singing traditional songs. Oftentimes an adult will be dressed as St. Martin leading, sometimes on horseback if there’s someone willing to donate a horse.

It was always a tradition I found wonderfully wholesome and enjoyable when I lived there and missed the fact we don’t have it in Britain. So I was very pleased this year to have an unexpected chance to recreate the event at home in Tooting.

My daughter’s primary school has a lovely little thing where each term they learn all about a particular country. Fortuitously, this term at the school is Germany. One of the German mothers and I decided to organise a Martinstag event after school on Friday.

We ran a lantern making workshop in the school’s art room where the kids could make their own lanterns from paper plates and various craft materials (which they loved). During which we gave the children a short history of St Martin (to various degrees of interest from the kids).

For those who haven’t lived in Germany or who don’t have a background in hagiography, here is the story of the man of the hour.

Martin was a Roman soldier known for his kindness and generosity to the poor and needy. The story goes that when Martin once came across a beggar who was nearly frozen on a snowy night, he generously cut his cloak in half to give him. Such actions are why he is the patron saint of beggars.

A lovely kids telling of the story can be found here

Eventually Martin decided to become a monk where his reputation grew until he was asked to be Bishop. So reluctant was he to assume this role that he allegedly hid in a barn full of geese. Their squawking eventually gave away his position and he agreed to take on the mantle, becoming Bishop of Tours. This is why he is also the patron saint of geese and why roast goose is eaten on the holiday.

Traditional Martinsgans - an autumnal delicacy. That’s for all your squawking!

I had agreed to teaching the kids some of the traditional songs, but my courage left me when stood in front of a room full of kids and their parents, so just played them over the speakers while they crafted. Should any readers want to have a sing along, songs can be found on YouTube.

I even made some traditional Martinsbrezeln – pretzels coated in sugar – which we sold to raise money for the PTA.

After the class we led a little parade of the children and parents around the local area where we were joined by some other German families (I discovered there’s quite a few in Tooting).

A lovely evening and a chance to bring some German tradition to Britain!

Frohe Martingstag!