What is the Parade of Spirits?

The Parade of Spirits ("Der Geischderschtrutz" in Pennsylvania Dutch) is a grassroots, family-friendly, community-based, participatory parade that takes place in the Northern Liberties neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Originally founded as Krampuslauf Philadelphia in 2011, the event has expanded its focus to include more folkloric features.

Traditionally, the time in mid-December prior to the winter solstice (Yule) was when the Pennsylvania Dutch held spooky parades and when children donned costumes and went "belsnickeling," or trick-or-treating. The Parade of Spirits is a modern expression of that old tradition. 

The Parade serves as a depiction of the Wild Hunt from Germanic mythology, and features liminal and shadow-side entities, such as Belsnickel, Krampus, and the souls of the recently departed.

At the fore of the "Schtrutz" is the Germanic psychopomp, Gedreier Eckhart, who is a hero in German folklore and who serves the goddess Holle in death just as he did in life. Pennsylvania Dutch myth places him ahead of the Wild Hunt, warning the living of the impending fury as Holle travels the realms of the multiverse, seeking out the lost souls of the recently departed and capturing them to bring them back into the human evolutionary process.

Although the basic functions of the Parade are based in German and Pennsylvania Dutch myth and folklore, this is a secular event. All shadowy-side, shady-side, and dark-side traditions from all cultural backgrounds are welcomed and encouraged (please just keep in mind this is a family-friendly event, and please be careful not to engage in cultural appropriation from historically oppressed or marginalized cultures). This is an inclusive event and welcomes participants of all backgrounds; no bigotry tolerated.

While some costumes may be commercially produced (particularly Krampus, Perchten, or other traditional Alpine costumes), most are handmade, from the simple to the complex. Simply putting green or gray makeup on your face and participating as a ghoul on the Wild Hunt is fantastic!

BRING NOISEMAKERS! THIS IS A NOISY, FUN EVENT!

Arrive at Liberty Lands Park (913 N 3rd St, Philadelphia, PA 19123) at around 4:00 to enjoy the costumes and to talk with old friends and to make new ones. 

Just prior to sunset (16:36/4:36 PM EST), the Parade will begin with opening remarks, and then the organizers will step off from the park onto the streets. Follow Gedreier Eckhart's "Boomba" (a Pennsylvania Dutch percussion instrument that is  played primarily through bouncing) and enjoy yourself as we strut the streets of Northern Liberties.

In 2021, we will debut the Buggy in some form. We need to assess the speed at which it can be moved to see if we can have it on the street, but the Parade marchers will stay on the sidewalks.

After the Parade returns to Liberty Lands Park, please tarry around the bonfire for some fellowship (please have a face mask on hand and follow Philadelphia's covid-19 guidelines on outdoor interaction) until the performance begins.

In 2021, we are delighted to present a fire performance by bellydancer, Lorenda, and her partner, Aly Louise!

There is no cost for this event, but it is PARTICIPATORY, so... make yourself look dead and come out to the 'Schtrutz!

#geischderschtrutz
#paradeofspirits
#pennsylvaniadutch
#firebellydancebylorenda

Frouwasege, Grumbieredaag, Katzenacht

 FROUWASEGE/GRUMBIEREDAAG; also called KATZENACHT
17. Lenzing, 2021
Honoring: die Frouwa
Features: Sacred nature of cats, Datsch flatbread, planting of potatoes, planting of spring onions and some beans, garden ritual.

Ritual is open via videoconference at 17:00/5:00 PM EDT on Wednesday March 17, 2021.
Event Page: https://fb.me/e/d1bYNhvIO

By Urglaawe lunar reckoning, the feast day of the goddess Frouwa begins at sunset on March 16 (which begins the date of 17. Lenzing) and ends at sunset on March 18. 

 

Who is the Frouwa?
The Frouwa (“the Lady”) is widely known among the Germanic peoples. The Netherlands Dutch know Her as Vrouwa; in English, She is called Freya, and in Norse, She is called Freyja. Each culture perceives Her differently, but there are some common elements throughout Her lore. What is cited below is the lore from the Pennsylvania Dutch/Urglaawe perspective, which, due to the ins and outs of the forced conversion to Christianity brings some unique perspectives to the understanding of one of the most vibrant and readily accessible deities in the Germanic pantheon.

die Frouwa vun de Wane:
She is a goddess of the Wane/Vanir tribe, though her understood lineage from Norse lore does not fully match ours, it is quite possible that the Norse lore clarifies a few points that just might make Her lineage clearer.

It is fairly widely accepted in Norse lore that the parents of Freya and Her twin brother Frey (known to us as Fro or Froh) are Njörðr (commonly called Njord) and His unnamed sister, who many believe to be the earlier-attested Nerthus. Now, here come some dot-connecting and unproven theories, but there are some similarities of folklore that should be researched more.

Although most Urglaawer and other German Heathens perceive Nerthus and the goddesses Holle and Erda as different deities, there are similarities that can lead to some theories. Linguistically, the connections are closer between Nerthus and Erda. 

Nerthus and Erda (and some also say Holle) are each said to be offended by the presences of iron forged in any form, but especially iron forged as tools that cut the ground. I can readily understand the possibility that Nerthus and Erda are the same goddess known from different perspectives. 

The Norse identify Jörð in their lore as the mother of Dunner. Jörð is neither of the Ase or the Wane, but Dunner is counted among the Ase due to Odin being His father.

Deitsch lore reflects this. Wudan is Dunner's father, and his mother is Erda. However, Erda is said to be of the Wane in our lore, which would make Dunner half-Wane and half-Ase. There is a lack of clarity here.
There is a potential connection, albeit slight, between Njord and our Holler (Ewicher Yeeger) in the form of connections to fishing, the wealth of rivers and streams  However, the connections between Holler and Ullr are stronger. It is also possible that Njord, Holler, and Ullr are discrete, unique deities whose lore should not be taken automatically as being more than matters of circumstances.
One can see why more research is needed.

But let's look at what we currently have anyway (and hope for more information to emerge hence):
Njord + Nerthus = parents of Freya and Frey  (generally accepted)

If Njord and Holler are the same deity:

Holler + z = parents of Frouwa and Fro

Let's try Erda first:

Holler + Erda = fully Wane Frouwa and Fro who would be half-siblings to Dunner

How about Holle?

Holler + Holle = fully Wane Frouwa and Fro.  Holler and Holle are widely believed to be consorts, whether sibling or marriage.

The latter makes more sense to me, yet it still leaves a lot of open questions. And the research goes on.

Other Attributes of Frouwa:
She is the Matron of all cats. She is associated with love, lust, beauty, sex, fecundity, sowing and reaping the bounty of the land. She is also shrewd, wise, and, so oral tradition has indicated, has a business acumen like no other.

Many of Her attributes (except for the carnal ones and business acumen) were grafted by the Catholic Church onto St. Gertrude of Nivelles, who was sainted for her work in the German lands. Gertrude was born in Landen, which would indicate Flemish ancestry, circa the year 628. She died on March 17, 659, hence the timing of her feast day.  The Church was busily engaging in forced conversion and was eliminating adversaries during this time (for contrast, St. Funnyface... err... Boniface was born in 675), so this is happening right in the middle of the Catholic terrorism of the adherents of the Heathen religions.

In order for stability to take hold in conquered areas, the Church often resorted to taking the attributes of locally known deities and adding them to the lore of saints. For a good (I'd almost say "authoritative" description of the the Catholic Church had to do to get the conversion to succeed, see The Germanization of Early Medieval Christianity: A Sociohistorical Approach to Religious Transformation by James C. Russell; beware that it is not an easy read).

So attributes of the Frouwa were spun into an acceptable Christian context that became attached to St. Gertrude, and the lore of St. Gertrude was applied to the date of her death, March 17. It is interesting that St. Gertrude’s Day observances were retained by the overwhelmingly Protestant and Anabaptist Pennsylvania Dutch — not so much as a religious icon but as a cultural market and tradition.

Urglaawer generally accept that the retention of this lore is relevant to our worship of the Frouwa, again calling to the Lady of the Wane. Although it is virtually certain that the Church did not intend to keep parts of the story of the Frouwa alive, we Urglaawe still tip the hat to St. Gertrude for serving as the vehicle that has provided us with a method to rebuild the severed relationship with the Frouwa. As such, we keep the feast day of March 17 (but set it to the lunar calendar as 17. Lenzing, and the feast day begins on the solar calendar date of March 16 at sunset and ends on March 17 at sunset.

Because St. Gertrude of Nivelles was created by appropriating many traits of the Frouwa, one could argue that a syncretic honoring of the Frouwa has (wittingly or unwittingly) been going on since the 7th century. We Urglaawer will watch as our use of the ritual, absent its Christian overlay, evolves to meet Frouwa's needs. 

Oh, did I mention that the lore of St. Gertrude's Day features other entities and practices that come straight out of Heathen cosmology and are certainly not Church approved? One such creature is der Waldmops, whose name literally means "forest goblin," who is considered to be the Lord of the Beasts and is said to be he who colors the southeast wind green to ensure bounty.

Der Waldmops is said to wear a coat woven of willow leaves, spleenwort, and moss. He wears a magical hat fashioned from ivy, wintergreen, and yew twigs or mistletoe. He is said to be the father of Ringelros (Calendulis officinalis), which is the official flower of the Deitsch people. The spirit of calendula can be invited into the kitchen to protect the storage of processing and food storage (See Dutch Treats by William Woys Weaver, page xix).

One feature of the observance is the baking of a flatbread called a "Datsch." There is a specific type used in the Frouwasege and for St. Gertrude's Day. The first year that I made one, I eyeballed everything, and the Datsch came out pretty good. Last year I measured everything, and it came out too wet.

Pieces of Datsch are also to be scattered about for die gleene Leit (the wee folk). Please see Dutch Treats by William Woys Weaver, pp. 103-105.

My guess is that tubers were replaced by potatoes after settlement in Pennsylvania, but that is just a hypothesis.

Also, please be sure to have something white to present to Her cats. Many of us use white albacore tuna. Oh, and while this is shared UPG and there is no long history behind it, I have heard a few folks in interviews recently come up with similar ideas on what the cats' names might be. If the Frouwa were on Her chariot that is being pulled by two large cats, the one on the left has been given the moniker of "der Meisfeind" (mice-foe) and the one on the right has been called "die Rosefreindn" (roses-friend).

(Syllables and stress: ALL CAPS represents primary stress on the syllable. A syllable that has only the Initial Letter capitalized bears secondary stress, and a syllable with no capital letters is unstressed. For example, take the English word "secondary": SEC-un-Dair-ee)

der Meisfeind: dah MICE-find
(Pronounce those two words as you would in English except make the "c" sound in "Meis" sound like hard, sharp s and the "d" in "find" is more like a soft t.

die Rosefreindn: dee ROSE-eh-Freind'n
(This one can be a pistol. The ROSE is actually pronounced more like ROWSS, but the initial R in this particular case has two possible pronunciations. The more common by far is a couple of flaps of the tongue before heading into the vowel. The other is extremely rare in Deitsch but does show up for this word in some variants: the uvular R, which is when you are almost gargling when you say it.)
These names, both of current vintage, do reflect why many people keep cats around their gardens. They keep the mouse population in check, which leads to the destruction of fewer plants, such as roses. If you use this information anywhere, please be sure to attach to it that these names are unverifiable communal gnosis (UCG) coming from the current era.

Note the final "n" on Rosefreindn. That is an ending that changes a grammatically masculine noun into a grammatically feminine noun. In this case, I am sure that the people who related this idea to me (who are members of one of the Plain Anabaptist sects) were setting this up so that one cat would be female and the other male.

Otherwise, we'd have a near-rhyme. In Deitsch, the word for friend (der Freind - dah FRYND) and foe (der FEIND - dah FYND (I spelled it as English "find" earlier because it is easier to read) rhyme...

Freind adder Feind?
(Friend or Foe)... although I think Friend or Fiend would serve the narrative better.

Distelfink Sippschaft's Frouwasege will be at 17:00/5:00 PM EDT on Wednesday, March 17. The event is open to anyone via videoconference. Event Page: https://fb.me/e/d1bYNhvIO

Oh, we're also toying with the idea of "Frouwa's Kubb," which would feature cats being involved in the play. Stay tuned on that.

---------------
Sources Cited:

Russell, James C. The Germanization of Early Medieval Christianity: A Sociohistorical Approach to Religious Transformation

Weaver, William Woys. Dutch Treats: Heirloom Recipes form Farmhouse Kitchens. Pittsburgh: St. Lynn's Press, 2016.
https://tinyurl.com/dutchtreats

Der Ziegdaag

Synchronicity happens.

We in Distelfink Sippschaft had recently been talking about observances of the concepts of change, transformation, and even the trickster beings, etc., and had been discussing maybe setting up observances in April toward that idea. April is a good time since the weather is improving but still unpredictable.

At about the same time, someone in a Deitsch online forum recently asked about the "moving day," when Deitsch tenant farmers would move the whole family from one farm to another. The date of this typically was indeed April 1 (not always, though, as if the farmer had any cattle, then cattle driving superstitions would apply and shift the date in certain years, and I am sure many Christian farmers would not move on a Sunday).



This moving day is known as der Ziegdaag (“dah TSEEK-dawg”), and the actual move itself is known, is least in the community I grew up in, as es Geflitze (“ehs k'FLEE-tseh”) or, in English, the Flitting. This was a big deal in the not-too-distant past as many families we doing this move simultaneously. We have first-hand reports of what it was like. There could be scores or even hundreds of families moving along the same roads. Farms changed hands, but it was not even limited to just farmers. Other industries also were involved in the move. Mechanics, hotelkeepers, and other businesses with leases that were not renewed would be flitting at the same time.

Image retrieved from http://explorepahistory.com/displayimage.php?imgId=1-2-108 (Courtesy of the Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center, Pennsburg, PA)



Indeed, this practice was not limited to the Deitscherei. Similar movements took place in Boston and New York, but at different times of the year. For the Deitsch, April 1 was the standard day, and that is very likely due to planting. While April has unstable weather, it is a bit more reliable than March for having to deal with snow. More importantly, though, farmers needed to complete their move with enough preparation time prior to planting. Some significant crops go into the ground in April, so April 1 is in the narrow window between the harshness of March weather and the time for these crops to be planted. 



It was customary for one wagon, the Offewagge, to carry the oven and to be the first to arrive. That way, the oven could be assembled so that the first meal could be prepared. Neighbors would pitch in to help, so it was a community event, even with the sorrow of ending friendships and the chaos of multiple moves taking place at once. 


So, how does this day fit into Urglaawe practice?

We have an established Deitsch event of change taking place at a time when we are looking to observe the need or the desire for change and out-of-the-box thinking. We are taking this holiday and reframing it from the change of physical location to change around and within ourselves.



Within our context, der Ziegdaag is about change or transformation in all aspects: the need for change, the fear of change, the agents of change, the trickster figures, the sagacious figures, who solve problems, escape from traps, or change the world. 

This observance pairs nicely with April Fool’s Day and the unpredictable weather of this particular time of year. 

In terms of the Lewesraad, or the wheel of the year, this represents the time of transition from childhood into adolescence, when change is difficult and awkward, yet it is a part of life that we must go through. 

I have heard it said that Loki is the only trickster-type of figure in Germanic lore, but local legends from different regions of Germany and/or the Deitscherei have afforded us several such entities whom we acknowledge on Ziegdaag.

CHARACTERS

Unlike the Norse lore with Loki, Urglaawe lore does not have one particularly prominent agent of change. Instead, our folklore is riddled with innumerable characters, some of whom may be rooted in real people, others who have their origins in Heathen lore, and yet others who are entities whose lore we are still picking apart. This year, we will focus mostly on the Mountain Giant known as Riewezaahl, but we will look at a few others as well.


Schadde

Schadde (sometimes appears as Schaade) is a trickster figure in a broken Deitsch story in which he manipulates Schlumm, a deity or giant associated with sleep, into blowing darts that put starcrossed lovers Sunna and/or Muun to sleep, thus allowing for Schadde to place them into the sky so they will never be able to consummate their love. He does this out of jealousy, yet this action sets the tides that allow for life on Earth to thrive. Sunna and Muun meet at eclipses, and they are able to use light and reflection to have children on the Earth in the form of dandelions. There appears to be a reckoning that results in Schadde having to restrict his own movement, but this part is unclear. This story is, unfortunately, missing some other pieces, too, and we have not finished putting what we do have in order as a result. However, Schadde appears in at least two other fragments of tales, both of which appear to involve cunning and/or setting things straight for the betterment of all involved parties.


Till Eileschpiggel



Perhaps based in an actual human, the stories of Till are widely known in the German, Dutch, and Flemish cultures. Till is a true trickster in many ways. He thinks outside the box, engages periodically in buffoonery, and has a knack for overturning conventional wisdom. His name reflects the latter; “Eileschpiggel” translates to “owl mirror,” with the owl representing wisdom, and the mirror symbolizing the reflection or the opposite of that wisdom. In some sense, Till is an anti-hero, but, at this time of year, it is worthy to consider the wit and out-of-the-box thinking that are the inspirations for this character.

Riewezaahl – Der Bariyeharr - Rips



NOTE: Do not address him directly as Riewezaahl, Riebzaahl, Rübezahl, or anything similar. The term of respect is Der Bariyeharr or the Mountain Lord, but he calls himself Rips when in human form.

This Giant, whose nickname means “turnips count,” is known in the lore of both Germanic and Slavic cultures. During an interview with a Hexerei practitioner, the topic of the Frost Giants' Wonnetzeit attack came up, and the elderly women asked me if I knew much of Riewezaahl ("turnips count"). I had not heard of this being prior to this conversation, and she told me she remembered from her youth her mother talking about Riewezaahl. She said that her mother described Riewezaahl as a irritable Mountain Giant who has a strong ability to bring about unstable weather and would occasionally simply cause trouble because "that is what Giants do." Since that time, I have come across a few other references to him, including him causing squalls and sudden windstorms, earthquakes, and more.

Rübezahl appears in many Silesian legends, and there is a strong historical Silesian presence among the Deitsch in the particular area in which I was doing interviews. Although some of the information I am coming across treats him like a woodsprite, gnome, or god, even more information indicates that he is not a pleasant spirit and has more attributes that would place him among the Giants, specifically a Mountain Giant.

The lore emanates mostly from the Germans and Slavs of Silesia and Bohemia. Grimm (Volume II, p. 480) refers to him as a wood-sprite and has some notes regarding him that may link him to Knecht Ruprecht, but there is not an ample description there.

Silesia has a very troubled history and had been a major point of contention among many states and cultures for centuries, ultimately resulting in the expulsion of its German population after WWII. We need to keep this observance focused on the things that relate to our spiritual context, but it is worth noting that Silesian migration did contribute to the Deitsch population, particularly among those who identify as Schwenkfelder. 

The Schwenkfelder faith (Christian) arose in Silesia but experienced persecution, thus resulting in the migration. Some Urglaawer have Schwenkfelder ancestry, and the Schwenkfelders today play a very active role in historical preservation and the sharing of Deitsch lore and tradition. It is also worth noting that Polish and Czech folklore also tell of Rübezahl in that same region, so this is a good time to focus on common human experiences, and, as stanza 6 of the German song, Hohe Tannen, reads:

6. Höre, Rübezahl, laß dir sagen,

Volk und Heimat sind nimmermehr frei.

Schwing die Keule wie in alten Tagen,

Schlage Hader und Zwietracht entzwei.

6. Listen, Rübezahl, let me tell you

People and homeland are nevermore free.

Swing the club like in the old days,

Beat the strife and discord in half.

The region is much more free today than it has been in the past. Perhaps the Mountain Lord has swung his club and found a way to make peace among the people of Silesia. 

In that spirit, we also take Polish and Czech lore into consideration. Rübezahl is known to the Czechs as Krkonoš, and he is said to have given sourdough bread to humankind. He is also credited with being the source of a traditional sour soup called kyselo. Love mushrooms? Check out the recipe: https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cookbook:Kyselo

There are tales in which Riewezaahl is a helpful trickster and a shapeshifter (the theme of transforming turnips into people or vice-versa comes up occasionally in Germanic lore).  Folks may be interested in checking out this article: http://www.heathenhof.com/rubezahl

Further readings into German Silesian lore turn up a very complex Giant who is capable of meting out his own forms of justice. In the book, Silesian Folk Tales (The Book of Rübezahl), by James Lee, M.D., and James T. Carey, A.M., we see the following:



- He is a Mountain Giant with trickster and shapeshifter characteristics.

- His stories frequently involve people in motion, people moving, people in need of change, etc., and he captures the spirit of the Ziegdaag "moving day" features in many ways.

- He appears as many different types of beings, including men, women, etc.

- He aids people who try to improve themselves or to help others.

- He is not to be messed around with, or one will find oneself being beaten to death and hanging from a tree or being rooted firmly into the ground in the middle of a busy marketplace.

- His stories feature a lot of common tasks, including herb collecting, spinning, etc.

- Blue cornflower, already connected to some long life and other magical concepts in Deitsch lore, turns up in at least one of his myths.

- Dreams and dream states turn up in quite a few of these stories, which reminds me more than a bit of the Urglaawe Schlumm, who is either a Giant or a deity who has an association with sleep.

- In the story of Mother Ilse, he plays a prank on an abusive husband that changes the domestic situation in the house (although I think the husband deserved more punishment than he got).

So, in the context of the Ziegdaag observance, focus on this trickster figure’s ability to bring about change through appearing as common folk but performing uncommon tasks. One may also want to consider that he can be capricious; he starts off disliking some people he encounters but a curious aspect to a that person may cause him to give that person a chance. If you irritate him, it is at your own risk.



How He Got His Name



He is also lovelorn. He knows the aching pain of unrequited love all too well. His nickname, Rübezahl, originates in a story about how he had taken the form of a peasant named Rips and had proven himself a fine worker. He worked as a farmer, but the landlord was a spendthrift. He worked as a shepherd, but his master was a miser. Then he worked as a constable under a corrupt judge. He enjoyed enforcing the law properly but refused to be a part of injustice, so he was thrown into jail himself. As a shapeshifter, he was able to escape prison by jumping through the keyhole. He returned to the summit of Riesengebirge (Giants’ Mountain) and wondered why nature was so kind to creatures like humans.



In a nearby kingdom, the king had a daughter named Emma. Rips set eyes upon her and fell in love, so he appeared as a prince from the East and asked the king for the princess’ hand.  Unfortunately, the princess was already engaged to another prince. Here’s where Rips acts poorly: He creates a castle and transports Princess Emma to it. Here he held her prisoner until she agreed to marry him. 



She became lonely, so he gave her a magic wand. With that wand, she would be able to turn turnips into anything she wanted. She used the wand to turn turnips into people, animals, and many other things. She took some comfort in this, but she had it in her mind to escape. 



Rips kept a large field of turnips so that she always had a supply. One day, Emma agreed to marry Rips, so she asked him to count the number of plants that had sprouted so she would know how many people would come to their wedding. She said she needed an accurate number because even a small mistake would cause her to change her mind. Rips counted the number of sprouts twice, but the counts did not match.  So he counted again, and the number was still off. While Rips was busy trying to figure out the number of turnips in the field, Emma used the wand to turn one into a horse, and she rode away. Since that time, Rips has yearned for her. 



Thus, he earned his nickname because he was counting turnips while his unrequited love slipped away, using his own gift as a tool for her escape.



There are multiple lessons in this simple tale. Many of us have experienced unrequited love or have been the objects of love or infatuation that we did not share. Particularly in one’s youth, one may try to find ways to hold onto love that are inappropriate and damaging to both parties. Sometimes, though, even after one learns (hopefully) some lessons and finally accepts that the relationship was not meant to be, the sting of unrequited love remains.  Such is the case with Rübezahl. 


(Image of Rübezahl from Märchenbrunnen im Volkspark Friedrichshain in Berlin, Wikimedia Commons)


He appears at times to have learned the lesson and has let go of Emma, but, every time he is called by his nickname, the memory returns. He manages to overcome some of his pain and helps a human female, whom he initially disliked because of his experiences with Emma, to change the circumstances with her abusive husband. Throughout some of these stories, Rips shows the need for change, the fear of change, and the outcome of painful change. 

Very much akin to the observance of Ziegdaag. 

Elwedritsch

Known by many name variations, including Elwedritsch, this is a trickster figure in Deitsch (and European German) lore, most innocently as the target of snipe hunts. In journeywork, the Elbedritsch can mislead the worker or the client. In these circumstances, the being is considered to be a form of Elf (Elbe and Elwe both are names for elves). The name literally means “elf twitch.” Also, on the Muunraad, should a thirteenth new moon occur after Oschdre (the spring equinox), it is called the Haas (Hare) or the Elbedritsch moon. There are Braucherei and Hexerei practitioners who know the Elwedritsch to be a true entity that can lead one astray during journeywork, but, on the whole, the modern Deitsch culture has a tendency to view the Elwedritsch through the lens of cute old folklore.

In this first year of observing Ziegdaag from a spiritual angle, we Urglaawer are encouraged to spend a few moments in silence meditating on what change means to each of us. We may have experienced trauma that requires a mindshift in order to remove obstacles to our progress. We may be happy as we are and not need any particular change, but we may need to be aware when changes are taking place around us. The shiftier characters in our lore provide lessons and insight into our past and our present circumstances. Change is not always pleasant, nor is it always for the better. Applying our minds and our spirits to our lives, including the process of change, can help to mitigate unpleasantness, and considering the consequences of our actions is crucial.  



Rest assured that, over the next few years, the information we already have on thee characters within Deitsch lore will be organized an interpreted, and we will continue our research. 



Ziegdaag will continue to grow.

Urglaawe Observances

Below is a brief list of Urglaawe observances. Some of these are wider Deitsch culture celebrations (the berry festivals, for example), but I incorporate them into my personal practice. Remember that Urglaawe "days" begin at sunset on the preceding night. The dates listed below are the actual calendar dates.

January 1 after sunrise: Twelfth Day of Yule, Luulfescht, end of Yule

January 1 after sunset: Berchtoldsdaag

February 1 after sunset: Grundsaudaag, first night of Entschtanning. Entschtanning includes a whole bunch of observances. Entschtanning runs for twelve nights and twelve days. Last night we call Es Lichtfescht (Light-Fest).

Late February-March: Birch water festivals based on locality

March 19-21 (actual start time shifts based on the date of the Spring Equinox): Oschdre... starts as the sunset that most closely precedes the Equinox.

First new moon after Spring Equinox: Lunar calendar resets to Holzhaane.

March 31 after sunset: Begins the Flitzing (name may differ as this is the first year we are doing this as an official observance): Recognition of change; need for shadier, trickster-types of deities, Giants, etc.

March/April: Cherry Blossom festivals based on locality

April 30 after sunset: Wonnenacht (also known as Walpurgisnacht elsewhere), the first night of the twelve-night/twelve-day observance of Wonnezeit.

May 12-14 overnights: The Reifries (Frost Giants) attempt to undo the arrival of spring.

May 15: Official date that all tender plants may go outdoors.

June 4 after sundown): Observance of the Desecrated Shrines... Honoring the lesser-known deities and those whose lore was lost to us

Early to mid-June: Dingsege... tending to community business. Often combined with Midsummer

June 20-22: Midsummer (begins at the sunset that precedes the Summer Solstice

June: Strawberry festivals based on locality

Mid-July to Mid-August: Hoietfescht is observed something during the haymaking period. Some of us also do a s eparate ritual to Weisskeppichi during this time.

Late July: blueberry and huckleberry festivals based on locality

Early September: Elderberry harvest festivals based on locality.

September 20, +/-: Erntfescht begins with the sunset preceding the Fall Equinox. Often combined with Zisasege.

September 27 beginning at sunset: Zisasege

October 5 beginning at sunset: Deitschdaag, the observance of the first settlers

October 30 beginning at sunset: Allelieweziel - Butzemenner must be burned by October 31. Allelieweziel runs for twelve nights and twelve days.

November 10 sunset-November 11 sunset: Ewicher Yeeger, last night and day of Allelieweziel

November 12 sunset-November 15 sunrise: Reifries attack

November 16 - Date of Mountain Mary's death... typically observed on the closest Sunday.

December 5 until Yule: Belsnickeling time... Parade of Spirits in full force.

December 12 sunset: Lutzefraa (observing Heathen aspects that later were incorporated into St. Lucy's Day)

December 20 after sunset: First night of Yuul. Yuul runs for twelve nights and twelve days.

December 31 after sunset: Berchtaslaaf / Zwelfdi Nacht (Twelfth Night (of Yuul)). Required meal of herring, gruel, Zammede.

January 1 at 0:00, crack the whip, bang the pots and pans, or shoot (only if safe!).

Coins on the Windowsill

A common Deitsch tradition tonight is to put a coin (or coins) outside on your windowsill overnight tonight. 

Some variations specify that the coin/s should be silver. Others specify three denominations (nickel, dime, quarter, etc.) of coin. Some Christian interpretations are that these are for the Magi on their way to Bethlehem (PA? lol), while other interpretations definitely have this related to magic that easily fits in with Berchta making the rounds as a beggar. 

If the coin/s are still there in the morning, bring them back in and "Was hawwich yetz wa ich ganzes Yaahr haawe." ("What I have now I will have all year.") 

If the coins are gone, then the need was greater elsewhere, and you will receive good luck for aiding another.

Halliches Nei-Yaahr!

Good Find!

Came across this in Hollerbeier Haven 6 (Fall 2008)... I had forgotten about it! It's great!

Original quote is from 1949...

Yuletide Sunneraad 2017

The annual Sunwheel tradition during Yule...

Der Belsnickel

Tonight der Belsnickel visits many homes in the Deitscherei, and he keeps wandering through Yule.

New Year's Resolutions

If you follow the Urglaawe seasonal foci, then your contemplation activities over Yule will surely have yielded many ideas for ways to improve your life and have a positive impact on the lives of those around you. You may want to make a New Year’s Resolution (der Vorsatz, plural: die Vorsetz) The biggest pitfalls in undertaking self-improvement are selecting too many things to change at once or committing to an unrealistic goal. 

While introspection and change throughout the year are good things New Year’s Resolutions are intended to function with the cycles and rhythms of life and can thus fit in well with spiritual pursuits. Before you make your New Year’s Resolution or take any oaths, though, you must first consider what you can reasonably change. 

Breaking a Vorsatz is akin to breaking an oath, particularly if the resolution involves the deities, ancestors, or others around you. Lofty goals can inspire us, but failing to reach them can be devastating. Even breaking a resolution made to and for oneself can lead to feelings of inadequacy and failure. Additionally, breaking a Vorsatz in any context can lead a person to diminish the gravity of oaths in general.

It can be helpful to write down all your thoughts and then whittle down the list using the following questions: Is this achievable in my current situation? If not, what needs to change? Can I break this item down into smaller steps and revise my Vorsatz to focus on achieving the first step in this process? It is recommended that you seek feedback on your proposed resolutions from trusted friends to help who can also provide support as you work to accomplish them.

For example, if you do not go to the gym now, it may well be reckless for you to make a Vorsatz that you will go to the gym every day in 2017. What might be more achievable would be to make a Vorsatz that you will go to the gym twice a week in the month of January. At the end of January, if the goal is reached, you can consider a new Vorsatz. Every small goal achieved helps to reinforce the next goal.

Vorsetz are not a requirement of Urglaawe, but they are part of our cultural heritage, and it is worthy to frame the creation and execution of these resolutions in an Urglaawe context.

Resolutions may be made orally to the self or to others, of course. Typically, though, one writes the Vorsatz down on a Zauberzettel (“charm ticket”). If the ticket remains unfolded, it may (and indeed should) be viewed by other members and is considered a resolution that others can agree to witness and to hold the author to. If  we fold the ticket, then the Vorsatz is considered to be private between the deities and the author.

The Zauberzettel is then attached to the Yuul wreath and burned on Twelfth Day. 

Hail to the end of Yule and to the start of a new year! Good luck on any resolutions that you choose to make!

Yuul 2016

The Flaming, Spinning Yuletide Sunwheel... in slow motion!

Ewicher Yeeger: Why Honor Death?

Tonight starts the final day of the Urglaawe observance of Allelieweziel. Now we honor Holler, who is also known as Ewicher Yeeger. His association with death is reflected in the translation of His byname into English: the Eternal Hunter. Indeed, He is seen by many as Death personified, and imagery and versions of folk tales over the centuries have presented Him as a bringer of disruption, disease, destruction, and, well, death. So, this begs the question: Why honor Him?

There are many possible answers to this question. Ironically, the most significant tale about Holler shows a merciful side to Him that is not typically associated with death. While death appeared imminent to the settlers of Lynn Township, the fact that they recognized the error of their ways and gave up offerings caused Holler to save the colony. Driving game over the Blobarrick ridge provided the settlers with food to survive through the winter months. 

While this story is one version of the best known tale of Ewicher Yeeger, there are bits of knowledge and remnants of other tales that reflect a complex character to this god. One of the more curious remnants reflects the push and pull among the various forces in existence as viewed within our physical world. After Holle’s departure and the burning of the Butzemenner, King Frost’s armies are on the move into our realm. The Frost Giants seize the spirits of the plants and animals (and humans, for that matter?) that they kill, thereby removing them from the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. In this tale remnant, Holler brings death and/or dormancy to the weaker plants and animals. Those who die are released to the Wild Hunt, which ensures their continuity in the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. The Frost Giants pass by the dormant spirits, who sleep safely until Spring under the care of an entity named Schlumm. 

In this case, we see Holler playing a role in tandem with Holle. He aids in the ongoing cycle of life even while bringing death. This reinforces the idea that death is a part of life and also of rebirth.

Another tidbit is a little more confusing because it conflates Ewicher Yeeger with aspects of Krampus. In this instance, Ewicher Yeeger is a punisher and a wild, primal beast. This tidbit is an outlier from most understandings of Ewicher Yeeger, but it is not the only one. Other versions reflect lore related to the Wild Hunt found in other Germanic lands. Some say Ewicher Yeeger is actually a cursed nobleman (much like Count Hackelberg in Germany) who is doomed to hunt as payback for his misdeeds in life. 

These stories are worth mentioning, though, because they reflect the convolution of tales over many centuries and across many lands, including the Deitsch lands in Pennsylvania. However, the most intact story from the Deitsch cultural context places Ewicher Yeeger as an entity (or in the Urglaawe context, a god) strongly associated with death yet not to be pigeonholed.

The understanding conveyed to me about Ewicher Yeeger throughout my lifetime has been one of an entity who is much larger than our understanding. He has His own agenda and purposes for actions that we cannot always fathom. In Braucherei, He is appealed to for brute strength, terminations, and transformations. 

The transformation aspect plays a major role in our understanding of death. Death is scary. Death is unwanted. Yet Death comes to all of us at some point. One theme of Allelieweziel is that we live in a society that, on the one hand, likes to pretend that death does not exist. Yet, on the other hand, we are obsessed with it. We depict it so cavalierly in movies and on television, yet we don’t want to plan for the end of the lives of our loved ones or of ourselves. 

Most Urglaawer believe in some form of rebirth. The most common belief is that at least one part of the soul is reborn into a new, unique construct, thus giving us opportunities to grow and to expand our consciousness from lifetime to lifetime. We hope that, at the end of this cosmic cycle, we will be where the deities were at the beginning of it. Our corporeal forms have limits to our lifetimes, but each experience in this physical realm affords us the opportunity to increase the human life wave. 

Thus, death is not to be feared per se; instead, it is part of the continuity of life and the evolution of existence. While we are to embrace our lives and to make the most of them, the eventuality of death is something with which we all must reconcile ourselves. 

Therefore, we take a moment at this time of Ewicher Yeeger to understand our mortality, to consider how to make the most of the current life we have, and to ponder the prospects for a better future for humanity. We honor the god who helps us to prepare for and to confront the reality of death even while celebrating the life we have. 

Thus, at this time of the observance of Ewicher Yeeger, let us hail Holler.

Hail!

Article in The Morning Call

From the Morning Call (Lehigh Valley, PA), Friday, October 28, 2016:

Haunted Hexenkopf rock legends live on in technology, religion

While Urglaawe focuses on Hexenkopf more in the Wonnezeit (end of April, early May), the myths around the site year-round are certainly important!

Urglaawe Guild Topics

Over the course of the last several months, we have had many discussions within the Urglaawe guild groups on Facebook rise to a point where we needed to keep a more permanent record of them.

To that end, the guilds began to number some discussion topics, and those discussion topics were saved within the Files section of each guild's group page on Facebook.

Now we are beginning to see a need for this information to be shared beyond the guild groups. Thus, on Distelfink Sippschaft's Resources Page, the guild topics now appear as available selections listed under Urglaawe Guild Topics from Facebook. Please note on that page the comment regarding proper citation. 

Hail the Urglaawe!

Dr. Don Yoder passes away

Preeminent Deitsch historian and scholar, Don Yoder, passed away yesterday. This is a major loss to the Deitsch community. 

The Hoiet Continues...

Thanks to Michael Brooks for the image. :)

Wordlists

In addition to the Urglaawe-specific words presented in A Dictionary of Urglaawe Terminology, there are, unfortunately, many words that we use in Deitsch that do not appear in the most accessible dictionaries.

The Deitscherei blog now has lists of words that I have noticed over the years are missing from the dictionaries. The word lists are still not comprehensive, but they do present omitted, yet current, words relating to technology, herbalism, religion, social issues, and more.

Words Missing from the Dictionaries: English to Deitsch

Verseimunge vun de Waddebicher: Deitsch zu English

There are also lists of the Deitsch names of towns (needs to be updated) and states and countries.

This is going to be a long-term, ongoing effort.

Plan Your Yuletide Meals Now!

While no meal rules cross all denominations of Heathenry or even all kindreds or individuals within a given denomination, this describes Distelfink's Yuletide meal practices.

In Urglaawe, "days" begin at sundown on the preceding night. Thus, Yule actually begins at sundown on Friday, December 20 and ends at sundown on Wednesday, January 1.

Friday, December 20: The meal Urglaawer eat at this time consists of goose, which is sacred to the goddess Holle. In Urglaawe, She is among the principle deities, and this meal is religiously important due to Yule's association with Her.  Because Yule is twelve days long, though, this particular meal can be done at anytime throughout the Yuletide. 

Tuesday, December 31: Zwelfdi Nacht, or Twelfth Night, starts at sundown. This is the Berchtaslaaf, or the Progression of Berchta. Berchta has a commanded meal on December 31 that consists of any sort of fish (herring is most typical) and gruel, dumplings, or oatmeal (Grimm's Teutonic Mythology vol. 1 p. 273). One may consume other food in addition to the Berchta's ordered feast, if they give portions of their food up as offerings.

Wednesday, January 1:  New Year's Day is also Zwelfder Daag, or Twelfth Day, and is the Feast of Frey. Pennsylvania German tradition and Urglaawe rule is the consumption of pork and sauerkraut on that day. Both pork and sauerkraut are sacred to the god Frey and represent blessings and bounty in the New Year. 

Macht's immer besser!

Hollerbeer Haven 20

The Fall 2013 issue of Hollerbeer Haven is now available as a .PDF download.

This issue features the article on Ewicher Yeeger from the Deitsch Mythology blog.

Der Froschmuun

Heit fangt der Froschmuun uff em Deitsche Muunraad aa. Darrich Urglaawischi Rechenschaft iss der Froschmuun der fimft Neimuun nooch die Oschdre. Fer Leit, die newe me Wasserloch adder re Dell wuhne, watt de Fresch ihre Schtimm glaar aa de schwuhle Summerowed gharicht.

Die, wu unnich em Froschzeeche gebore sinn, schpiggle ihre bezeechendes Gedier, laafend wie en gleeni, ruhichi Form aa, un wandlend, wie en Uffgwaxni, in en wohlbekannti (vielleicht aa iwwerheiflendi) Schtimm. 

Es gebt deel aabassungfehiche Zeeche am Muunraad, un der Frosch schteht zwische denne. Ebwohl en Frosch uff em Land lewe kann, braucht er schtarrick Wasser, um iwwerzulewe un sich zu vermehre. Die Erkenning vun unsere Nutz -- un Schutz -- vun de Wassermittel iss zum Volkbewusschtsei en wichticher Bschtanddeel in daere Yaahrzeit.