{"id":7905,"date":"2016-11-09T10:53:41","date_gmt":"2016-11-09T10:53:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/german\/?p=7905"},"modified":"2016-11-09T10:53:41","modified_gmt":"2016-11-09T10:53:41","slug":"erntedankfest-german-thanksgiving","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/german\/erntedankfest-german-thanksgiving\/","title":{"rendered":"Erntedankfest: German Thanksgiving"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a recent post I mentioned some events that take place in Germany in Autumn<\/a>. Today I\u2019d like to tell you a little more about one of them, namely Erntedankfest \u2013 the \u201cGerman Thanksgiving\u201d.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Erntedank — Photo by Norbert Staudt on flickr.com under a CC license (CC BY 2.0)<\/p><\/div>\n

First, the breakdown of the word. \u2018Ernte\u2019 means harvest, while \u2018Dank\u2019 comes from \u2018Danke\u2019, meaning thank you, and \u2018Fest\u2019 is German for festival or celebration. The word Erntedankfest therefore translates to \u2018Harvest thank festival\u2019. So Erntedankfest<\/strong> is a harvest festival where you express thanks for the food you have received throughout the year!<\/p>\n

If you live in the USA, this will sound very similar to Thanksgiving. In the USA, Thanksgiving has become a secular holiday centred around food and family get-togethers \u2013 but in Germany it is still a rather religious occasion, centred around church services and giving thanks for the land-grown vegetation – the maize, corn, fruit and vegetables – that have fed everyone for another year.<\/p>\n

Erntedankfest is usually celebrated on the first Sunday in October, though this date can vary from region to region.<\/p>\n

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Photo by jeurgen-tesch on flickr.com under a CC license (CC BY 2.0)<\/p><\/div>\n

Typically, the day includes a church service, a procession, the presenting of an Erntekrone<\/strong> (harvest crown)<\/em>, then food, drink and music, and an evening torchlight procession through the town. Church altars are decorated with wreaths, flowers and fruit, and Blasmusik<\/strong> (music played with brass\/wind instruments)<\/em> is played at these services and during the processions.<\/p>\n

Some towns and cities hold farmers\u2019 markets selling fresh produce, and bring along their tractors or horses for the local people to see. It is basically a celebration of the land and of all things agricultural! There are also often lots of activities for kids at these Erntedankfest celebrations, so they are well worth getting involved with if you happen to be in Germany around late September\/early October.<\/p>\n

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Erntedankfest procession with Blasmusik. Photo: madle-fotowelt on flickr.com under a CC license (CC BY-ND 2.0)<\/p><\/div>\n

You can find a very typical, traditional Erntedankfest held at the church Evangelisches Johannesstift <\/strong>in <\/strong>Berlin. <\/strong><\/p>\n

There is a traditional Erntedankfest Lied<\/strong> (song)<\/em> called “Wir pfl\u00fcgen und wir streuen”<\/strong> (\u2018We plough and we scatter\u2019)<\/em>, often sung by choirs at these church services. Here it is:<\/p>\n