LL-L "Holidays" 2005.03.28 (03) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

======================================================================
L O W L A N D S - L * 28.MAR.2005 (03) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
http://www.lowlands-l.net * lowlands-l at lowlands-l.net
Rules & Guidelines: http://www.lowlands-l.net/index.php?page=rules
Posting: lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org or
lowlands-l at lowlands-l.net Server Manual:
http://www.lsoft.com/manuals/1.8c/userindex.html
Archives: http://listserv.linguistlist.org/archives/lowlands-l.html
Encoding: Unicode (UTF-8) [Please switch your view mode to it.]
=======================================================================
You have received this because you have been subscribed upon request.
To unsubscribe, please send the command "signoff lowlands-l" as message
text from the same account to listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org or
sign off at http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html.
=======================================================================
A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) N=Northumbrian
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
=======================================================================

From: "Global Moose Translations" <globalmoose at t-online.de>
Subject: LL-L "Holidays" 2005.03.26 (01) [E/LS]

Heinrich wrote:

> Vorpommern. In some parts e.g. East Westphalia and Harz they have
> additionally the custom to roll burning Easter wheels - prepared with
> straw or dry branches -  down a local hill.

Actually, as far as I know (and as the website claims), this is only still
done in one place, the village of Lügde in the Weser mountains. For a
description (in German) and pictures, see:
http://www.luegde.de/stadt/osterraeder/osterraeder.htm.

There is a tradition that young people try to prematurely light the Easter
fires from neighbouring villages before Easter Sunday. In the town of
Northeim, where I was born, there was a very tragic incident about 25 years
ago; some teenage boys were trying to guard their stack of wood at night
and, since it started to rain, climbed into it in order to stay dry. Another
youngster (my second cousin, as it were) didn't know they were in there; he
doused the pyre with gasoline and lit it. Several boys burnt to death, and
my cousin, who tried but failed to get them out, drowned himself a week
before the trial.

I have never seen an Easter fire since. As I am about to move back to the
area, I wonder what it will feel like now (I used to love those fires) and
whether it will ever be the same.

I was very pleased when I visited my new old home area last week (six days
of non-stop renovation work, and still not ready for moving in!) and had a
very warm welcome from all the new neighbours who told me that, being from a
different village in the same woods, I was "certainly not a stranger". In
fact, I was very pleased when the 85-year-old lady across the street asked
me where I was from, and when I said "Fredelsloh", she switched to the local
flavour of Lower Saxon: "Un nu kumm ji wedder taurüch!" ("So now you're
coming back home!").

Wishing everybody a happy Easter/bank holiday/spring in general,
Gabriele Kahn

----------

From: "Global Moose Translations" <globalmoose at t-online.de>
Subject: LL-L "Holidays" 2005.03.26 (01) [E/LS]

Heinrich:
> Vorpommern. In some parts e.g. East Westphalia and Harz they have
> additionally the custom to roll burning Easter wheels - prepared with
> straw or dry branches -  down a local hill.

I just found another website regarding those wheels, in both German and
English, which is probably more useful to most of you:
http://www.osterraederlauf.com/.

Gabriele Kahn

================================END===================================
* Please submit postings to lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org.
* Postings will be displayed unedited in digest form.
* Please display only the relevant parts of quotes in your replies.
* Commands for automated functions (including "signoff lowlands-l") are
  to be sent to listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org or at
  http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html.
======================================================================