[This note is courtesy of Elke Hall, who admits to a personal knowledge of some of the events to be described; however, she credits a seventh grade class in Tübingen for this information. John ]
"Walburgis Night. Te last night in April, is Walburgis Night which originated with a heathen spring celebration. The villagers drove out the bad spirits with the sound of whips, pipes, drums, and all sort of noise. They burned and smoked out the bad spirits with fires. Because of the association with witches and druids, the (Catholic) church tried to divert attention in other ways by dedicating the day to St. Walpurga, who died in 778 as the abbess of the Abbey of Heidenheim. She was the patron saint for maids and farm women, and was the protector for magicians, who could counteract the ominous acts of witches and demons.
"To help ward off witches and bad spirits, young men painted a cross with chalk on the backs of people, and on doors, shutters, and streets. The farmers positioned their farm utensils, wagons, and moveables in the shape of a cross. Stockings were placed in front of the bed in the shape of a cross. Gradually, the young men turned their attention from warding off evil to playing pranks and generally being mischievous.
"In the night of Walburgis, when the witches ride to the hills, the 'wild boys' played their mischief. They removed shutters, oven doors, and garden gates. They dismantled farm wagons and carts, they rerouted the water pipes, they connected water jugs or liquid manure barrels with the door handle, so they would empty when the door is opened.
"Today they cover cars and trees with toilet paper, they squeeze toothpaste or shaving cream on cars, door bells, mailboxes, and telephone booths.. They remove and hide garden furniture, garbage cans, and flower boxes; they 'rename' the signs on the village, stores, etc. They 'clean' the housebells (ring the bells in the house and then run away). [Elke confesses to having done this a few times. John ]
"They attach cans to vehicles with strings. They tape closed telephone booths, mailboxes, and speaker systems on houses. Some other mischief and destruction is not acceptable: lipstick or spray paint on cars and walls; eggs on houses or cars; chewing gum on benches or door locks. It is vorboten to empty garbage cans, destroy gardens or parks, to set off fireworks in mailboxes, or to lift covers off street sewers."
Elke Hall
The name Walpurgis, or Walburgis, or Walpurga, entered the Germanna community with Walburga Weber, sister of Peter Weber (Weaver), and future wife of John Willheit. Down at the church she was known as Burga. (She has erroneously been called Margaret or Peggy.)
(26 Jun 02)
We gratefully acknowledge the work of John Blankenbaker who published over 2,500 Germanna History Notes via the Germanna-L@rootsweb.com email list from 1997 to 2008. We are equally thankful to George Durman (Sgt. George) for hosting the list and republishing the notes via rootsweb.com.