Tirol has some weird and wonderful Easter traditions. We have picked ten of the best, from the 40-day fast of Lent to unusual ones such as egg-bashing and grave-decorating.
Tirol's Catholic tradition means Lent, the 40-day fast from Ash Wednesday until Easter, is still observed by many. Meat, sugar, alcohol – there are lots of things that can be given up for Lent depending on your personal vices and level of commitment. The period begins with a special 'fasting soup', often served by local clubs in community centres.
As Lent nears its end, greens are traditionally served on Maundy Thursday (known in German as Green Thursday): salad, fresh vegetables, herbs and all manner of other spring things.
Lent ends either on Easter Saturday evening or the Easter Sunday morning, when after 40 days of strict abstinence everyone can once again eat, drink and be merry. The traditional fast-breaking meal is ham with horseradish, sausages, bread and, of course, Easter eggs (the real hard-boiled ones, not the chocolate ones).
Palm Sunday marks the start of the main Easter celebrations. Locals rise early for the celebrations, with the last person in the family to get out of bed teased throughout the day as being the 'Palm Donkey'. Rise early to avoid this ritual humiliation!
During the Easter processions, girls traditionally carry what is known as a 'Palmbusch', while boys hold a 'Palmlatte'. The former are full of spring greenery and sweet pretzels with ribbons. Processions vary in length and customs. In Thaur, a village near Innsbruck, the worshippers are led by a wooden statue of Jesus on a donkey pulled through the fields. In Imst there is a competition to see who has the tallest 'Palmlatte'. Some can be up to 35 metres long and are carried by 30 boys working together. Both the 'Palmbuschen' carried by the girls and the 'Palmlatten' carried by the boys are then blessed at church and carefully stored away to protect the home from lightning and fire throughout the year.
If you've ever been to Tirol during Easter Week, you may well have seen children with wooden rattles and wondered about the noise is all about. They replace church bells at holy mass on Thursday and Good Friday, when tradition dictates that bells remain silent, before ringing again on Easter Saturday. Since 2015 this wooden-rattle custom has been included on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
In Tirol, Easter and All Saints are the two religious festivals in the year where godparents play a big role. They will often give presents such as 'Osterzopf' (a sweet pastry dish) or 'Osterlamm' (a cake in the shape of a lamb), which are baked on Easter Saturday and eaten for lunch on Easter Sunday. The woevn plait of the Zopf and the Easter lamb are important religious symbols.
These days Easter eggs are often associated with the chocolate ones found in shops and supermarkets. However, traditional Easter eggs are hard boiled and dyed different colours. One theory is that the different colours were used to indicate when each batch of eggs had been hard boiled and hence which ones were the oldest and needed to be eaten first. Tradition continues today, with many local families dying eggs together or painting them using watercolours. On the evening before Easter Sunday these eggs are then hidden throughout the house and garden together with sweets and small presents.
The tradition of 'Eierpecken' needs two people and two hard-boiled eggs. The eggs are bashed together with the pointy end facing forward. One of the eggs cracks, while the other emerges the winner. What sounds like a game of chance is, in fact, a skill honed by Tiroleans for generations. To win, three main things are important:
Small eggs are better than big eggs.
Pointy eggs are better than round eggs.
Hold whole egg in your hand so that only the pointy bit is showing.
On Easter Saturday evening, many places in Tirol light fires to symbolise the resurrection of Christ. According to some, this tradition actually dates back even further to the spring fires lit in pagan times. The Zillertal Valley is particularly known for its Easter fires, though they are not permitted if conditions are very dry.
Another tradition, certainly not limited to Tirol, is spring cleaning. After a long winter spent at home, many families are keen to clean out the house ready for the warmer months of the year.
The tradition of decorating graves at Easter dates back to the time when in Tirol many people could neither read nor write. In order to tell the story of Christ and his resurrection, churchyards would be decorated with colourful balls filled with water and lit from inside. This tradition is taken to another level in Breitenwang, Lienz, Nauders and Patsch, where Holy Graves are set up complete with scenery, figurines and curtains. In other places you will find large cloth decorations around the altar depicting Easter scenes. Some places also have Easter nativity scenes, similar to those commonly seen at Christmas. Last but certainly not least, the mechanical nativity in Telfs-Moritzen, which is integrated into the Holy Grave, is well worth a visit if you are in the area.
After a weekend of fast-breaking, what better way to burn off a few Easter calories than with a walk through the meadows? On Easter Monday there are many places in Tirol where this Emmaus Procession, as it is known, is a long-standing tradition. The name comes from a town mentioned in the Gospel of Luke. Luke reports that Jesus appeared, after his death and resurrection, before two of his disciplines on the road to Emmaus. The procession can be accompanied by prayers and singing, while others simply enjoy soaking up the spring sunshine.
Winter in Tirol begins with bells, banging and bizarre beings roaming the streets. Every year at the start of December, the devilish “Krampus” strikes fear into the heart of children. This centuries-old tradition is today more popular than ever.
Tiroleans mark the longest day of the year by lighting fires in the mountains. One of the areas with the most spectacular summer solstice celebrations can be found at the Zugspitze mountain. The tradition of summer solstice fires dates back many centuries and is today included on the UNESCO Cultural Heritage List.
Tirol’s mountains are not only fantastic for skiing and climbing – they also provide a spectacular backdrop for music events. In summer 2024 the region will play host to a range of musical highlights spanning everything from picnics with pop songs to brass bands in breathtaking surroundings.
What on earth are Doggln, you may ask! They are the original version of slippers traditionally made in the Zillertal Valley and recently one of the hottest things on show at Paris Fashion Week. These warm and cosy clogs made of 100% natural materials are famous for their durability and craftsmanship.
The carnival season – known throughout the German-speaking world as "Fasching" or "Karneval", but referred to here in Tirol as "Fasnacht" – sees all manner of weird and wonderful beings roaming the streets. This year the festivities will not be able to take place due to coronavirus restrictions, so we wanted to take this opportunity to transport this centuries-old tradition to your home.
Each of us has a handful of great Christmas memories as a child: the sparkling star on top of the Christmas tree; the fun afternoons we spent out with our fathers, as the Christkind had to put up the tree at home; the favourite Christmas carol; the air effervescent with scents of the season …
There’s nothing better to get you in the mood for Christmas than the beautifully decorated stalls of a romantic Christmas market, a glass of punch with a cranberry Kiachl pastry, and festive tunes played by a traditional brass band. Adding to Jacob’s tips for Innsbruck’s festive markets, here’s my selection of romantic Christmas markets in Tirol. Merry Christmas!
The Tirol Dictionary: The Essential Guide for Beginners
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I once read that Tiroleans are said to be a cunning, lederhosen-wearing mountain people who yodel. Well, honestly speaking, I wouldn’t describe us as ‘cunning’; I’d rather say we are kind of pig-headed, maybe. Don’t worry, the Tiroleans are still very friendly and welcoming people. If you befriend a few locals and head into the mountains with them, you can be sure to enjoy wonderful scenery, good company and plenty of laughs.
