We wanted to wish you all a happy Easter and share another nugget of knowledge - this one about German's connection to this holiday! Hope you are enjoying a restful, healthy and joyous weekend!
(Also, we went to an exhibit on Easter eggs today, so the pictures are from that.)
"In the 17th century it became more and more fashionable to give Easter eggs as a present. It was mainly left up to the imagination of parents to explain to their children who had brought these unusual, gaily-colored eggs.
In central Europe the answer varied regionally. Around this time the following animals were claimed to have delivered the eggs:
the rooster: western Bohemia, upper Bavaria
the 'heavenly hen' or 'Easter bird': Austria, southern Germany
the cuckoo: Switzerland, eastern Europe
the fox: north-western Germany
a 'Palm-donkey': southern Germany
The figure of bunny-rabbit bringing the eggs was at first known in areas along the Rhine and towards the French border. The earliest mention of 'bunny-eggs' may be found in the writings of a Heidelberg medical professor, Georg Frank.
In 1682 he wrote about Easter eggs in 'De ovis paschalibus'. In the first third of the 19th century the Easter bunny was totally unknown in the south-east and many other parts of Germany.
But why was the bunny rabbit chosen for the leading role?
In olden days, bunny rabbits were associated with fertility, procreation and an eagerness for life. So they were ideal candidates to bring the new and still unusual eggs.
Finally, under the influence of illustrated Easter stories and the chocolate industry the role of the Easter bunny as the main deliverer of Easter eggs was firmly established."
-R. Vossen, A. Kelm, and K. Dietze. Ostereier-Osterbräuche. Hamburg, 1995.
The following are just eggs we thought were interesting:
Probably not a real dinosaur egg.
Eggs decorated with string. Amazing!!!
M.C. Escher eggs
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Thank you for the Easter greeting, and the wonderful egg pictures. Not to mention the history of the Easter bunny! Who knew! And I hope you and John had a wonderful Easter as well.
ReplyDeleteJohn and Lauren,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your many posts while you have been in Germany. I have read them on a regular basis coming upon them via Eulynn's (my sister-in-law) blog. I was able to visit Germany last summer when my son finished a year in Halle. You have traveled to a few of the places we did - that has been fun to read your thoughts. Thanks again and, enjoy your remaining two months in Germany. Peggy