The Lusatian Serbs are a West Slavic people whose lands stretched between the Saale and Oder rivers more than a thousand years ago. Modern Lusatians have retained their language and culture – the only ones of all the Polabian Slavs. They live in East Germany and some neighboring regions of Poland.
There are now about 60,000 Lusatian Serbs in Germany: 20,000 in the Brandenburg region of Lower Lusatia and 40,000 in the Saxon region of Upper Lusatia. The cultural and historical center of the first is Cottbus, the second – Bautzen. The Lusatian Serbs have the status of a national minority in Germany.
folk traditions
The first written mention of Lusatian Serbs dates back to the seventh century. In the 10th century they lost their independence and adopted Christianity. Today, two thirds of them are Catholics, one third are Protestants.
Among the traditions of the Lusatian Serbs, Easter customs occupy a special place. One of these customs is the coloring of Easter eggs. Lusatians give such eggs not only for this holiday, but also for other solemn occasions – for example, for weddings.
Health and happiness
The egg is a symbol of life and fertility. Different patterns, drawings and colors, traditional for this region, have their own symbolic meanings, should bring health and happiness.
Among the decorative elements, flowers, climbing plants and stars are common. Also often there are images of the Crucifixion of Christ, the Lamb of God and the Tree of Life.
Gifts for the holiday
According to tradition, on Holy Sunday of Christ, children in Lusatian settlements visit their godparents, each child has up to six of them. Gifts are placed in the baskets brought to the children – eggs, other treats, toys.
It has long been customary to paint Easter eggs in Lusatia on Good Friday, since it is impossible to work on such a day, but this occupation is not considered work.
Patterns and techniques
There are different techniques for coloring eggs. The oldest of them is etching, for which, in very distant times, colored eggs were simply laid on anthills. Traces of formic acid formed uneven and intricate patterns on them. Later they began to use lactic acid, which is formed during sauerkraut, and now dilute hydrochloric acid is used.
traditional craft
Wax is used for the next two techniques. In the first case, a colorless layer of wax protects places where paint should not remain. For the second technique, heated colored wax is used to apply the pattern. There is an even more complicated method – the scratching technique, when the ornament is applied to the surface of a painted egg with a sharp object. It requires special skill and care.
Museum expositions
One of the collections of the Museum of Lusatian Serbs (Sorbisches Museum) in Saxon Bautzen. In Brandenburg Cottbus, the Wendisches Museum is dedicated to the culture of this people.). The photo above was taken during an exhibition in Dresden in 2016.
Easter games
Children in the Lusatian settlements still play the traditional game of rolling Easter eggs (Waleien). To do this, you need an inclined track and a recess. The participants are faced with the task of touching the egg laid by the first player or left over from previous attempts. Rolling the egg symbolizes the stone that rolled down from the Holy Sepulcher before the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Horse processions
The next Easter custom of the Lusatian Serbs attracts many spectators not only from this region. On the Bright Sunday of Christ, about one and a half thousand horsemen take part in such festive horse processions in Lusatia. They carry the good news from one settlement to another, greeting the inhabitants with Easter hymns.
Some horsemen hold crucifixes or figures of Jesus Christ risen from the dead, as well as church banners. Participants of the longest procession travel as much as 40 kilometers on this day. The full dress uniform consists of black trousers with a frock coat, a top hat and a white shirt.
The tradition has been going on for hundreds of years. The first written mention of it dates back to 1541, but its roots, as historians suggest, go back to pagan times. Passing past fields, pastures and orchards, riders pray for a good harvest, protection and help for people and domestic animals.
In the settlements they make stops. Residents prepare a festive table for them. Before leaving, the riders participate in a prayer read by a local priest. It usually takes place in front of a temple or a cemetery. There are nine such processions in predominantly Catholic Upper Lusatia, but they also include Protestants and not only Lusatian Serbs, although they are of course in the majority.
holiday choir
These photographs were taken on Easter Sunday in the Spreewald settlement of Burg, where members of the choir wear such traditional black costumes for the festive service – the only time in the year.
Easter water
The following custom is also performed on the Bright Sunday of Christ. Young Lusatian girls and women take part in it. Early in the morning before sunrise, or even at night, they go to the river or other source for Easter water (Osterwasser). This water, brought in clay vessels on the feast day, is believed to have healing properties and is especially good for the skin.
During the hike for Easter water, you need to be silent. Otherwise, it will lose its properties. On the way to the reservoir, men and guys are waiting for the participants of the ceremony to talk or make them laugh, thus preventing the fulfillment of the tradition. Previously, people washed themselves with water in the early morning on Easter right next to a river, pond or lake, and even drove livestock there.
Easter bonfires
Let’s finish our story about the Easter customs of the Lusatian Serbs with traditional Easter bonfires, from which, in principle, everything begins. Everywhere in the Lusatian villages, such bonfires are lit on Good Friday.