Eine Tradition die in vielen Teilen Deutschlands ist der Maibaum (A tradition that is wide spread in many parts of Germany is the May tree). Sometimes the May trees have streamers attached to the branches. Im Rheinland stellen junge Männer einen Maibaum unter das Fenster ihrer Angebeteten (In the Rhineland young men erect a May tree under the window of their loved one.) In Schaltjahren kehrt sich dieser Brauch um. Dann müssen die jungen Frauen Maibäume aufstellen. (In leap years the custom reverses. The young women are supposed to erect May trees.)

Walpurgisnacht or Walpurgis Night is a pagan tradition. Reminds of Goeth’s poem in Faust: „Die Hexen zu dem Brocken ziehn…“ (“To the Brocken the witches ride…”) Walpurgisnacht is the day before May 1st. Teenagers today party into the early hours of the morning, especially on Brocken mountain. They like to tell ghost stories and scare each other with the Brocken spectre phenomenon. A Brocken spectre is a shadow of a person that creates an image of a ghost-like figure. When the moonlight hits a certain angle, a human form can look like a ghost.

Auf die Frage „Was ist für Dich typisch deutsch?“ (To the question, “What is typical of a German?”) Bier und Wurst sind typisch deutsch. (Beer and sausage are typically German). Beer and sausages are a good way to end the May 1st holiday. Guten appetit! (‘bon appétit!)