Midsummer's Eve and the Summer Solstice in Germany are nights of a thousand fires. Pagan Germanic tribes celebrated the triumph
of sun and light over cold and darkness with summer solstice fires, Sommersonnenwendefeuer, which are huge bonfires and one of the ancient traditions still continued today in many of Germany's regions. Probably because the summer solstice celebrations on June 21st were already a long established pre-Christian festival, known as Litha in some cultures, centuries later the church decided to make June 24th the feast day of St. John the Baptist. One of the 'quarter days' that welcome each of the four seasons, it is halfway to the commemoration of the Christ's birth on December 24, and reputed to be the day of St. John's birth, six months before that of Jesus.
However, although the clergy's intention was to keep the pagan and Christian festivities separate, Sommer-Sonnenwende and Johannisnacht, Summer Solstice and Midsummer's Eve became almost inter-changeable. And centuries after the town council of Nuremberg on June 20, 1653 issued a decree to do away with all such unbecoming superstition, paganism and peril of fire on this coming day of St. John, after sunset on June 23rd it is still the custom that bonfires take place on mountains, hillsides, and open spaces as well as beside lakes and rivers throughout Germany.
Especially in the mountains 'Fire' was a traditional symbol for the Sun, and, with the advent of Christianity, for Christ. Fire's connection to the warmth of the sun, with its role in creation, rebirth and renewal in nature, is also symbolic of the summer solstice, the beginning of summer, and wide spread customs and rituals thought to bring love, fertility, purification and health were centred on them.
Young girls seeking predictions in the flames as to their future husbands, pairs of lovers hand in hand jumping through the fire as it died down to bring them luck, others jumped from one side to the other to burn off any illnesses for the next year, while another aim was to frighten away any spirits and demons who happened to be around.
Few now believe in spirits and demons but jumping through the dying flames for various reasons, including just for fun, is still a tradition that has lost none of its popularity.
On Johannistag herbs were believed to possess special healing powers and in the morning Johannisweiblein, women who were experts on herbs, would collect flowers and herbs for the Hausapotheke, the medicine chest, and Daisy, Arnica, Club moss, Verbena, Chamomile, Burdock, Mullein with its fuzzy leaves, (known in Germany as Sonnwendbluem - Solstice flower), Thyme, Comfrey, Marigold and Saint John's wort, (Johanniskraut - John's herb) would always be included.
Although these days they are often made into a posy, a Johannisstraeusse, and put into a vase, the flower and herb mixture also continues to be collected, dried and used during the year.
The rose with its importance in the pagan and Christian world is often included in a bouquet with Delphiniums, Cornflowers, Lilies, Poppies, Oak leaves, Ferns, Club moss, Artemisia and Saint John's wort, which is hung upside down until it has dried and then kept as a symbol of healing beauty and protection for the whole year.
Water, as well as flowers and herbs was credited with healing powers on midsummer's day. It was known as the day of healing and today, along with singing, dancing, feasting on everything from sausages to Wiener schnitzel and general 'partying', wells and fountains are cleaned and decorated, while the ancient custom of bathing in lakes and streams for therapeutic purposes is one reason why fires are still lit alongside them. With many of the sites 'gifted' with truck loads of sand placed around the bonfire area for the festivities and removed next morning.
During the weeks leading up to the festivals wood of all shapes and sizes is collected together and put into mounds, up mountains and hills as well as on flat land, sacks are filled with rapeseed oil and sawdust, then shortly before dusk the traditional bonfires dotted around Germany will be lit and the fun and games begin.
Throughout Germany many events and festivities are held, including in gardens and on balcony's illuminated with candles, but one of the most impressive takes place on the Zugspitze in Bavaria, Germany's highest mountain, known as Feuerzauber auf den Bergen, fire magic on the mountains.
A spectacular sight, hundreds of small bonfires are laid out on the mountain so that each group of fires becomes a picture carved out by flames, which from a distance takes on a shape, perhaps that of a bear, an eagle, rose or even a cable car, so the mountain is covered with glowing images. Now a tradition which began in the 14th century when the fires represented the sun, and were also intended to frighten away any devils or evil spirits, attracts thousands of tourists at Summer Solstice every year.
In pre-Christian times it was fire that welcomed the summer from hills and mountains, and it is one of many old customs still to be found in the Midsummer/Solstice celebrations held throughout today's Germany.
Traditional St. Johns and Midsummer celebration Bonfire in Baden Wuerttemberg, by Kai Nehm, via de.Wikipedia, Summer Solstice and Religious Motive Bonfires on Zugspitze, courtesy abendzeitung-muenchen.de
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