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After the long, dark winter and the uncertainty of April weather (¨April, April, der macht, was er will¨), everyone is ready for summer by the time May rolls around. No matter the first official day of the season is a month and a half away, Germans are reveling in the sun.
Paired with this warmer weather are some of the best festivals and most frequent holidays of the entire year. I – along with most other workers in Germany – eagerly look forward to May where there is hardly a full work week to be found (especially if you are lucky enough to get Brückentage or “bridge days”). Almost as good as that is the German land itself which seems to come alive with Spargel and cherry blossoms.
Zeit für Spass!!!
Zeit für Spass!!!
Cherry blossoms
Cherry blossoms
Spargelzeit
Spargelzeit
Biggest song contest in Europe!
Biggest song contest in Europe!
May 1st is an international holiday in Germany known as May Day
May 1st is an international holiday in Germany known as May Day
The first of May is Labor Day (Tag der Arbeit). The International Workers’ Congress in Paris designated May Day as a public holiday in 1889, and in 1919 the National Assembly in Weimar declared it a public holiday in Germany. It is observed by holding meetings, marches and giving public speeches, mostly organized by trade unions.
There is much more than that in May Day for sure. Ancient calendar abounded in festivals for this day.
Many customs and symbols are connected with May Day. Maigloeckchen (Maybells) are in bloom, houses and dance halls are decked with young green grass and flowers, and people sing songs to celebrate this joyous occasion. May is the month most sung about by poets and song-writers. A part of the celebrations are ceremonial plantings of young trees. The Maypole is put up and there are dances around it. There may be a May play or a May Queen contest. In some areas, a whole village may gather around a Maypole. Everybody holds hands, dances, drinks, and is happy not to have to be at work for a day. There may be a merry procession to Maypole or dance hall, where the May Queen ceremonially declares winter defeated and opens the dance.
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