DANK Springfield, Illinois Chapter

ZWISCHEN DEN JAHREN
The German term "zwischen den Jahren" means "between the years". (In parts of Switzerland it's called "Altjahrswoche", German for "Old Year's Week".) But even native German-speakers are rarely aware of the history behind the traditions related to the week between Christmas and New Year's Day, or how they predate our modern calendar.

It is easy to forget the artificiality of calendars and human time-keeping, and how for centuries the new year did not even begin on 1 January. Depending on where and when you were living, at various times the calendar year began on 24/25 December, 1 March, 25 March, 1 September, 1 January or 6 January. Although Pope Gregory XIII introduced the Gregorian calendar in 1582 (the Julian calendar was already a full 10 days out of synch), it was 1691 before Pope Innocent XII declared that the calendar year would begin on the first day of January, eliminating the between-the-years period from 25 December (the old date) until 1 January (the new date). But even after that, many countries continued to use Caesar's Roman/Julian calendar until the 18th century. England and Italy did not make January 1 the official date of the new year until around 1750.

So it should come as no surprise that German customs between Christmas and the New Year include good luck charms (Glücksbringer), predicting the future with "Bleigiessen" (lead-pouring), and various other practices to ward off evil spirits that date back to Celtic times. In the Swiss Canton of Bern, the "Altjahrswoche" celebration dating back to that pre-Christian era is still alive and well.

In Bern's Haslital (Hasli valley), various villages drive out evil spirits during Altjahrswoche with noisy daily parades called "Trychelzüge" (cowbell processions). The parades and the "Old Year's Week" in this Swiss valley run from the night of December 25 until the next-to-last workday of the year. Each day bell ringers and drummers make increasing amounts of noise in an effort to drive away any spirits who still haven't got the message. It all ends with a massive, deafening parade through the city of Meiringen (see photo).

In other parts of Switzerland there are similar processions, although not always during Altjahrswoche. For instance, in the Zurich Oberland region, villagers celebrate Old New Year's Eve ("Alter Silvester") on 11 or 13 January (St. Hilarious), following the old Julian calendar. While church bells ring, farmers beat on wooden boards to "thresh out" the old year.

Watch for future posts with more information related to "zwischen den Jahren".

PHOTO: In Meiringen, Canton Bern, Switzerland, during the Swiss Altjahrswoche observance, inhabitants of the Haslital use drums, bells and giant Trycheln cowbells to chase evil spirits away, back to the realm of the dead. The age-old ceremony culminates with a parade, when costume-clad Trychler from Eisenbolgen, Hasliberg, Hausen, Meiringen, Willigen and Unterbach all converge on the center of Meiringen, bringing Trychel Week to an end in a deafening procession. PHOTO: haslital-swiss > https://haslital.swiss/en/map/detail/old-year-s-week-and-ubersitz-7c747f7f-11fb-464a-bab3-ac1b6e885861.html

Mark your calendars and invite friends.

CAROL: "STILLE NACHT"/"SILENT NIGHT"
The world-famous Austrian Christmas carol in German and English! Below you will find the original "Stille Nacht" carol in German created in 1818 and the most popular English "Silent Night" translation of 1859.

The original words and music for "Stille Nacht" ("Silent Night") were created in Austria by the Catholic priest Joseph Mohr (words) and his friend, the schoolmaster, composer and church organist Franz Xaver Gruber (melody). Following its first performance in Oberndorf, Austria on Christmas Eve in 1818, it took decades before "Stille Nacht" became the worldwide Christmas classic it is today. The best known English lyrics were not written until 1859 by the American Episcopal pastor John Freeman Young. Today "Stille Nacht" is sung in almost every language on the planet. It has been translated into about 300 languages. Soon we will post more about the true history of "Stille Nacht", Austria's Christmas gift to the world.

See more about this carol and two VIDEO links for it below.

"STILLE NACHT"
Melody: Franz Xaver Gruber, 1818
Lyrics: Joseph Mohr, 1816/1818

1.
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht
Alles schläft; einsam wacht
Nur das traute hochheilige Paar.
Holder Knabe im lockigen Haar,
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!

2.
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
Hirten erst kundgemacht
Durch der Engel Halleluja,
Tönt es laut von fern und nah:
Christ, der Retter ist da!
Christ, der Retter ist da!

3.
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
Gottes Sohn, o wie lacht
Lieb' aus deinem göttlichen Mund,
Da uns schlägt die rettende Stund'.
Christ, in deiner Geburt!
Christ, in deiner Geburt!

Note: Mohr originally wrote six verses. Today only verses 1, 6 and 2 from the original Joseph Mohr version (1816) are sung.

"SILENT NIGHT"
English lyrics by John Freeman Young, 1859

1.
Silent night, holy night
All is calm all is bright
'Round yon virgin Mother and Child
Holy infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

2.
Silent night, holy night,
Shepherds quake at the sight.
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heav'nly hosts sing Alleluia;
Christ the Savior is born
Christ the Savior is born

3.
Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, love's pure light.
Radiant beams from Thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth

ABOUT THIS CAROL
The first known performance of "Stille Nacht" in the United States took place near New York City's Trinity Church. In 1839 the Rainer family singers of Austria included the German version of "Stille Nacht" in their repertoire during an appearance at the Alexander Hamilton Monument near the church, some 20 years before an English version of the carol would be published.

Today's most popular English version of "Silent Night" was translated from the German by the Episcopal pastor John Freeman Young (1820-1885), assigned at the time to the same Trinity Church associated with the 1839 performance of "Stille Nacht" in German. Reverend Young translated three of Joseph Mohr's original six verses in 1859. The English version was first published in a 16-page pamphlet titled "Carols For Christmas Tide". Reverend Young apparently enjoyed translating European hymns and carols into English, and it is his "Silent Night" text that is found today in most hymnals and Christmas carol collections published in the English-speaking world.

WEB: Translations > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silent_Night
WEB: Silent Night Association, Austria > https://www.stillenacht.at/en/
WEB: 1998 Bettina Klein English translation > https://silent-night-museum.org/sounds/lyrics.htm

The original Franz Gruber melody has also been altered slightly, probably during the time when it was being performed in Austria and Bavaria during the 19th century. To hear audio of Gruber's original melody see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silent_Night - and scroll down to "Original melody".

VIDEO 1: "Stille Nacht" sung in German by the Clare College Singers
YouTube > https://youtu.be/9p97sxREC00?si=kD03hySN2bd1khm9

VIDEO 2: "Silent Night" sung by the Wi******er Cathedral Choir
YouTube > https://youtu.be/iRZOv31n1sY?si=z9P8MLNN2J7Wrozy

PHOTO: The "Silent Night" Chapel (Stille-Nacht-Kapelle) covered with snow in Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria. This chapel stands on the site of the original "Silent Night" church that was later damaged in a flood and rebuilt on the other side of the river. Photo credit: Gakuro, GFDL via Wikimedia Commons

Something to take your mind off those preparations for Christmas/approaching cold, grey, wet winter months etc., for a few minutes.

Literal translations of German words into English are often funny, although sometimes quite logical, like Krankenwagen (sick people car) - ambulance, and Lebensmittel (means of life) - food

And here: die Glühbirne, die Nacktschnecke, the bicycle is perhaps more a "drive wheel' from Fahrrad - Fahr Rad, das Stinktier, das Schlagzeug, die Luftwaffe/die Flugabwehr, die Beerdigung and die Antibabypille.

Cartoon credit: Itchyfeet in Germany

ST. NICHOLAS AND HIS COMPANIONS
When we speak of St. Nicholas ("der Heilige Nikolaus") in German-speaking regions of Europe, we are NOT referring to St. Nick, Santa Claus, or Father Christmas. In the Advent/Christmas traditions of Austria, Germany, and Switzerland "der Heilige Nikolaus" is a bishop-like figure (see photo) who is associated with a pre-Christmas gift-bringing custom on December 5th and 6th. Nicholas is known as "Samichlaus" in Swiss German. Depending on the region, Nikolaus is accompanied by one or more "bad"/scary characters symbolizing evil spirits, with names that also vary by the region: Buttnmandl, Knecht Ruprecht, Krampus, Schmutzli (in Switzerland), and Percht (who also gave Ruprecht his name).

The historical, "real" person, Nicholas of Myra, who later became Saint Nicholas was probably born around 245 CE in the port city of Patara in what we now call Turkey. Very little solid historical evidence exists for the man who later became the Bishop of Myra and the patron saint of children, sailors, students, teachers, and merchants. He is credited with several miracles and his feast day is December 6, which is the main reason he is now connected with Christmas. But the dates can vary widely. In Switzerland, the Samichlaus parade in Bern's old town takes place on the last Saturday of November, when he helps hand out gifts of gingerbread and oranges to the crowd.

In recent years, the St. Nicholas/Samichlaus figure has been increasingly threatened by the growing dominance of the Weihnachtsmann/Santa Claus character. Even the Swiss Samichlaus now often wears a red hood instead of the more traditional bishop's crown. But in most rural, Alpine areas the bishop-like St. Nicholas is still seems to be safe for now.

PHOTO: St. Nikolaus (center) leads an early Advent procession with the female Nikoloweibl (left), followed by several "Buttnmandl" (straw men) figures in the Alpine Bavarian village of Loipl. "Buttnmandl" is just one of many different names for the figures who accompany the bishop-like St. Nicholas in processions and observances in rural mostly Catholic regions of Austria and Bavaria. Photo credit: Gamsjaga, PD-self, via Wikimedia Commons

The Medieval German Winter Bread That Kept Villages Alive: A Forgotten Cold-Season Tradition

Deep in the winters of old Germany, long before Christmas markets and modern stollen, there was a humble dark loaf that carried entire villages through the cold months. Winter bread. A dense, fragrant, fruit-studded loaf that blended practicality with celebration. It was not just food. It was survival. It was ritual. And it was one of the earliest expressions of the spiced holiday breads that define German baking today.

Before refined sugar or imported citrus became common, German bakers relied on dried fruits like apples, pears, and plums to sweeten their winter loaves. These fruits were gathered in autumn and dried near the hearth so they could last through the snow season. When December arrived, families combined rye flour, dried fruit, honey, and warming spices like cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg to create a bread that nourished the body and lifted spirits. Every ingredient had a purpose. Rye grew well in the cold northern soils. Honey added sweetness when sugar was rare. Spices were treasured luxuries that transformed the bread into something almost sacred.

This winter loaf was the ancestor of many beloved German breads. Stollen, Früchtebrot, Hutzelbrot, and Kletzenbrot all owe something to this older, simpler tradition. In Alpine Bavaria and Swabia, villagers baked long, dark loaves filled with dried Hutzeln, which were smoke-dried pears with an intense caramel flavor. In Franconia and Württemberg, bakers folded in raisins, figs, toasted nuts, and even a splash of local beer or brandy for richness. The result was hearty and slightly sweet with a deep rye aroma that filled the entire house. It was food designed to last, to nourish, and to celebrate the rhythm of the winter season.

Winter bread also held symbolic meaning. In medieval Christian households, the act of baking a fruit bread in December represented gratitude for the year’s harvest and hope for the coming spring. Families exchanged small loaves as gifts to neighbors and travelers. A well made winter bread was believed to bring strength and protection during the darkest months of the year. These loaves were also stored for feast days, especially Christmas Eve and the Feast of St. Stephen. The bread became a bridge between daily survival and the spiritual life of the community.

By the 1500s, as the spice trade expanded, bakers in German cities like Dresden and Nuremberg began enriching the old winter bread with butter and sugar. This eventually evolved into the Stollen we know today. But in the countryside, the traditional fruit and rye winter loaf remained the core holiday bread for centuries. Even now, in small towns across southern Germany, families still bake Früchtebrot using recipes passed down through generations. The bread is sliced thin, served with butter or cheese, and enjoyed slowly as the cold sets in.

If you taste it today, you can feel its origins. There is nothing artificial in it. The sweetness comes from nature. The spices carry the memory of long trade routes. The rye connects you to the soil of old Europe. It is the kind of food that speaks across centuries. A quiet reminder that winter traditions were built on resourcefulness, community, and the ability to celebrate even in the leanest months of the year.

Old German winter bread is more than a holiday treat. It is a slice of medieval life. A warm, dense reminder of how our ancestors endured the cold and still found reasons to create something beautiful.

Check out my historical recipes at eatshistory.com

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In some areas they never went away, so seen, and enjoyed, in the last weeks. Because those little men made from sweet yeast dough, who first appeared on St Martin's Day 11 November in many of Germany's regions, are also a 6th December St Nicholas' Day tradition.

Weckmänner, originally representing the Bishop of Myra, St. Nicholas, holding his staff, but it's thought a pipe replaced this during the 17th century Reformation of the Catholic Church. A time when clay pipe bakeries were in their heyday, and pipes a popular accessory.

Although there is another story...

Sometime in the 18th century a baker ran out of small croziers in the run-up to Christmas, but as he walked past a to***co shop saw its clay pipes in the display. His Weckmänner were saved. The pipes looked like inverted bishops' crooks, to him at least, and he used them from then on.

Now a typical Weckmann has eyes made of sultanas, and holds a white clay pipe.

But as for their name... Weckmänner, Stutenkerle, Kloskerle, or one of many others, that depends on where you eat them. There are, or were, more than 50 names in the Rhineland alone.

So...

Böxepitter (in Solingen)
Buggemann (Mönchengladbach/Viersen area)
Hellijemannskälsche (Seldom these days, but including in Cologne)
Hierzemann oder Hirzemann (The Bonn area)
Kloskerl (Widespread at one time)
Märtesmann (North Eifel)
Puhmann (Mülheim in and around the Ruhr)
Piefeklos (North Eifel but very seldom)
Senterklos-Stütt (Lower Rhine)
Stuttemann (Lower Rhine)
Weckmännes (Widespread)

In Austria🇦🇹 and the south of Germany🇩🇪 they could be Krampus, Backsmann, Dambedei, Klausemann, Grättimann, for Switzerland🇨🇭 Elggermaa and Grättimaa among others, and Luxemburg🇱🇺 Boxemännercher.

Photo credit: Stutenkerle/Weckmänner, daskochrezept.de/magazin

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