An ancient legend says: on the night of April 30 to May 1, witches, black magicians and sorcerers gather for a Sabbath on Mount Brokken. The feast and dances of various representatives of evil spirits continue until the morning. And the consequences of the mysterious Walpurgis Night are felt by the inhabitants of the surrounding villages and towns for a long time.
Instructions
Step 1
Oddly enough, it got its name from the saint's name for the witch's holiday. The English nun Walpurga came to Germany in 748 to found a monastery here. She was a respectable, hardworking and friendly woman. The locals respected her. After Walpurg's death, she was canonized for her special services to the German Church. The nuns were designated as the Day of Remembrance on May 1. And so the Sabbath ended up under a kind of patronage of Saint Walpurga.
Step 2
Since ancient times, the night of the onset of the last spring month has been celebrated with special solemnity in many European countries. The pagans celebrated the end of winter and rejoiced at the onset of the warm season. The spread of Christianity forced the adherents of ancient rituals to hide. Noisy May Day festivities began to be held in secret, in places that were hard to reach and hidden from prying eyes: in the thicket of the forest, on the top of the mountain. From afar, people saw the reflections of the fire and heard loud singing. The moonlight added mystery to the pagan ritual. That is why the Christians decided that what was happening on the night of May 1 was a Sabbath of evil spirits.
Step 3
Ancient traditions describe Walpurgis Night as unrestrained and limitless fun. Witches burned huge bonfires, jumped over them, arranged wild dances around the fire. Then they "got engaged" with Satan, marking themselves with the sign of evil spirits. After Walpurgis Night, witches received extraordinary witchcraft abilities.
Step 4
The participants in the coven supported their magical powers with the help of a special cream made from the juices of mistletoe, St. John's wort, hemlock and other herbs. Even today, enterprising German craftsmen are trying to make and sell a miraculous remedy to tourists.
Step 5
The main gathering place for witches is considered to be Mount Brocken in the German Harz mountain range. The locals call its summit Heksentanzplatz, which in German means "the place of the witches' dance." It is quite possible to get here without a stupa and a broom. From the town of Tale along the rocky gorge, poetically called the Devil's Wall, a cable car is laid to the mountain.
Step 6
Since the end of the 19th century, Brocken has firmly entered the list of popular tourist routes. On the night of May 1, 1896, the first organized "sabbath" took place here. Disguised as witches, sorcerers, and magicians, people danced around bonfires, sang folk songs and glorified Walpurga. Later, the holiday was supplemented with theatrical performances, tricks, sessions of magic and fortune-telling.
Step 7
The central event of the night is the burning of a stuffed witch. A bright bonfire symbolizes cleansing. It is customary to throw into it not only dry branches, but also old things. Together with the trash, a person “burns” his own bad thoughts, mistakes, and unkind actions. Purified by the light of fire, he gets the opportunity to start life from scratch. And in order to preserve the memory of the mysterious Walpurgis Night for a long time, tourists take with them a souvenir - a figurine of a Broken witch.
