Martins­tag - St. Martin's German tradition

ON NOVEMBER 11, COMMUNITIES ACROSS GERMAN-SPEAKING COUNTRIES CELEBRATE MARTINS­TAG (ST. MARTIN’S DAY). THIS HOLIDAY HONORS ST. MARTIN OF TOURS, WHO IS REMEMBERED FOR SHARING HIS CLOAK WITH A FREEZING BEGGAR. ACROSS GERMANY, AUSTRIA, AND PARTS OF SWITZERLAND, THE EVENING FILLS WITH LATERNENUMZÜGE — LANTERN PARADES LED BY CHILDREN CARRYING HANDMADE PAPER LANTERNS THROUGH THEIR TOWNS AND VILLAGES. AS THEY WALK, THEY SING MARTINSLIEDER, SPREADING WARMTH AND LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS OF LATE AUTUMN. IN MANY REGIONS, YOU’LL FIND A RIDER DRESSED AS ST. MARTIN ON HORSEBACK LEADING THE PROCESSION, REENACTING THE LEGENDARY MOMENT OF GENEROSITY. SOME COMMUNITIES ALSO HOST MARTINSFEUER, BONFIRES THAT BRING NEIGHBORS TOGETHER, OFTEN FOLLOWED BY SHARING FOOD AND STORYTELLING. 🔥 A TRADITIONAL TREAT IS THE WECKMANN/STUTENKERL — A SWEET BREAD FIGURE SOMETIMES HOLDING A TINY CLAY PIPE. IN SOME PLACES, FAMILIES ENJOY MARTINSGANS (ROAST GOOSE), A DISH TIED TO THE LEGEND OF THE GEESE WHO GAVE AWAY ST. MARTIN WHILE HE TRIED TO HIDE. 🦆; MARTINS­TAG