Hans Dieter Reichert of Treffpunkt (Südwestdeutscher Rundfunk, Stuttgart) takes us to the Easter Egg Museum (Osterei-Museum) Sonnenbühl, an old schoolhouse, converted in 1985 into a museum. Through exhibits and demonstrations the story of Easter customs comes to life.

You can learn how to blow out an egg and observe different ways of decorating it. These range from the very delicate knotting technique for a lace-covered egg, from etching and painting, to the dying and decorating with natural products, such as onion skins and walnut shells, as done in earlier times.

The custom and art of painting eggs was begun by the Sorben. a Slavic minority of some 150,000 in Brandenburg and Saxony, and was perfected by the Hessians. The Hessians have become veritable specialists in this tradition. Not only are their eggs beautifully decorated, the Hessian Easter egg also shows verses and sayings, inscribed in beautiful penmanship.

How did the egg come to Easter? In the Middle Ages it was forbidden to eat eggs during the 40 days of Lent. This led to the custom of the "Fastnachtshüner" (Fasnet chicken) which were butchered either as a tax/duty to the Manor Lord or as a festive food, right before Ash Wednesday. However, the hens that were left, kept laying eggs and out of the resulting glut, the Easter egg tradition was born. Thus Easter egg traditions abound in many areas of the world.

Like newborn nature, newly hatched chicks became a symbol for the resurrection and for Easter. Eggs, decorated with religious themes, would tell of the Easter story.

Numerous Easter games involve the egg: "Eiersuchen" (Easter egg hunt), "Eierwerfen" (throwing eggs), "Eierticken" (the egg that does not break, gets the broken one). "Eierlaufen" (egg running) is shown on the video.

The Osterhase (Easter bunny), introduced to Easter in 1682 by Georg Frank, Prof. of Medicine in Heidelberg, is still readily believed by children.

A permanent exhibit at Sonnenbühl includes simple and very precious eggs from many areas of the world. One section is dedicated to the sacred, another to folk customs. Also displayed are Kulteier (cult eggs).

Publications on the topic are available from:
Osterei-Museum Sonnenbühl, Erpfingen 72820, Germany

The video is available from: German Language Video Center
7625 Pendleton Pike, Indianapolis, IN 46226
1+317-547-1257; FAX 1+3175471263

From:
Ruth Reichmann
Max Kade German-American Center
Indiana Univ.-Purdue Univ. Indianapolis