“Sweet or Sour” Streich oder Süßigkeit! “Trick or treat” Halloween auf Deutsch “Sweet or Sour” Streich oder Süßigkeit! “Trick or treat”

History of Halloween Celts October 31st “Samhain” Associated with human death Replaced with church-sanctioned holiday November 1st All Saint’s Day Halloween started approximately 2,000 years ago when the Celts of today’s Ireland, Untited Kingdom, and northern France celebrated October 31st with a festival that they called “Samhain” (pronounced “sow-in”) to honor the end of the harvesting season and after the Lord of the Dead. The druid preists would dress up as they celebrated this time of changing seasons. When the Celts were conquered by the Romans in 43 AD, the Roman festival of Feralia (day of the passing of the dead) and Pomona day (to celebrate the Roman goddess of fruit and trees) were combined with the celebration of the Celtic Samhain festival. In 800 AD, Christianity had spread to the once Celtic lands, and the Catholic church designated the time to honor their saints and matyrs with All Saints Day (November 1st) and the day preceding it as All-Hallows Eve.

Starting mostly in the 1990s Fills in need for fun and frivolity American Consumerism Pop-culture Internet Post-war American presence Post-Unification Germans losing touch Halloween became more popular in Germany starting in the 1990s. Besides the presence of the Americans in post-war Germany, some have speculated that the growing popularity of Halloween is a result of the need for a holiday between summer and Christmas (besides German Unity Day on Octerber 3rd) and the spread of consumerism, American pop-culture, and increased use of the Internet where Germans are exposed to a different range of consumer ads. "The most hair-raising and gruesome gifts for Halloween..."

Halloween Statistics Most popular in Rhineland area Observed mostly by young adults Mostly observed through parties Few trick-or treaters outside northern Germany 53 percent of young Germans have gone to a party 30 percent decorate home for Halloween

Halloween in Berlin Markets from October 1st to November 14th Rocky Horror Picture Show “Fall vacation” time Many parties

Kürbisfest (Pumpkin Festival) Halloween-Umzug (Halloween parade) Region of Retz (Bluza) -annual pumpkin fest Ein Fest für die ganze Familie (a festival for the entire family)

Germans have their own versions Walpurgisnacht Sankt Matinstag “In Germancy, Walpurgisnacht (or Hexennacht, meaning Witches' Night), the night from April to May 1st is the night when allegedly the witches hold a large celebration on the Blocksberg and await the arrival of Spring.” “ In early November, German children begin these processions, which celebrate the feast day of Martin of Tours. On the actual feast day, November 11th, families might attend a special church service where they hear the story of St. Martin and sing more songs. They then go on one last procession led by a man dressed as a Roman soldier on a white horse.”

St. Martin's Day - Martinstag “Ich gehe mit meiner Laterne, und meine Laterne mit mir. Dort oben leuchten die Sterne, und unten leuchten wir. Mein Licht ist aus, ich gehe nach Haus. Rabimmel, rabammel, rabum." (I’m walking with my lantern, and my lantern comes with me. Up there the stars are shining, and we’re shining down here. My light is out, I’m going home. Rabimmel, rabammel, rabum.)

Candy Corn: A German Invention Gustav and Albert Goelitz traveled to Illinois Goelitz Confectionary Co. Candy Corn 1900s Jelly Belly jelly bean candy of today

Halloween Vokabeln die Fledermaus-bat der Geist-ghost das Skelett-skeleton die Spinne-spider der Kürbis-pumpkin die Süßigkeiten-sweets Schaurig-spooky, hair-raising der Vampir/die Vampirin-vampire der Teufel-devil die Toten-dead die Hexe-witch die Katze-cat der Schädel-skull das Spinnennetz-spider web der Bonbon-hard candy die Kerze-candle das Kostüm der Friedhof-cementary, graveyard die Fratze-ugly face, mask Erschrecken-to scare, to frighten