Folklore And Old Wives Tales Led To The Evolution Of German Smokers And Nutcrackers
Incense has played an important role in society and religion in many parts of the world throughout history. Incense was once one of the most cherished treasures that could be presented to kings and noblemen as gifts.
Today incense still plays an important role in German festivals and celebrations. Continuing on with an enduring German custom, January 6th brings in the Heilige Drei Konig or 3 Saint Kings festivity. It's a state holiday in Bavaria, Baden Wurttemberg and Sachsen-Anhalt.
The Raunachte is an engaging time of the season. It starts on the evening of Christmas Day and takes place until January 6th. It involves the last 6 nights of the old year and the beginning 6 of the new. Ancient beliefs and customs have evolved around these dozen nights. Based upon German folklore, the wild huntsman Odin is said to move over the air during these long winter nights, terrifying every person who runs into him during his journeys. Odin isn't the only one to be on the prowl during these nights, Frau Holle, the hunter's wife, is said to be at the same time.
It could be said that the most feared of dark things passing through the night was Berchta. She is named the goddess of the winter season. Berchta reportedly wanders the countryside during winter and lets herself into homes on 12th Night. The goddess would find out whether or not youngsters and young servants had completed their tasks all through the past year. They could possibly be treated with a small silver coin if they had carried out their duties efficiently. Otherwise, it was said that she would most likely cut their tummies open and stuff them with hay, twigs or stones. Berchta was most interested in seeing that young girls had spun their total ration of wool throughout the year.
Religious beliefs joined with superstition resulted in people who believed that the bad spirits during the Raunaechte (longest nights within the year) could be driven away by noise and lumination. After the bad spirits had left the dwelling, the believers would use incense to bless the house. They would carry incense to each room within the home on spcial occassions like Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve or the feast of Epiphany in hopes of driving off all traces of the evil spirits passing. These folk tales started the great importance of incense in Germany. At this stage in history, fragrant incense was nearly always burned in the open, but it would not be long until this procedure was supplanted.
After the 30 year war came to an end, the principles of ancient piety and common people ended up being merged to contribute to new techniques involving using incense. Rauchermann, or smoking men figurines, had been born. Smoking men are traditional hand crafted wooden characters that began within the Miriquidi Forest, which is now called the Erzgebirge Mountains (Ore Mountains).
Many years in the past the hillside of the Erzgebirge Mountains were excavated for minerals and precious metals. The people that normally would work inside the mines throughout the working day were likely to be found creating wooden toy figures at night. Subsequently, when finding precious metal in the mountain range began to become hard to find, and the mines began to close, a great deal of the original miners evolved into making wooden toys for a living.
Smoker figurines and nutcrackers were objects the miners crafted, and commonly looked like miniature versions of people that lived or worked in the village, which included mail carriers, anglers, shepherds and in many cases the town people themselves.
The well respected Steinbach family, which has become famous for producing German folk art for 5 whole generations, has perfected the production of generating nutcrackers and smoking men figurines. Each of their incense smokers represent a certain German persona in fine detail. Each nutcracker and incense smoker has a individuality of its own. Steinbach and their nutcrackers are well-known all over the world for having quality craftsmanship, expertise and paying every attention to details.
Smokers have become a favored part of yuletide traditions over the years. Many collectors now use Steinbach incense smokers and nutcrackers to decorate their households throughout the holiday season.
When you next notice a Steinbach incense smoker, give it a careful examination. You will observe many exceptional aspects you never noticed on other types of incense smokers.
Today incense still plays an important role in German festivals and celebrations. Continuing on with an enduring German custom, January 6th brings in the Heilige Drei Konig or 3 Saint Kings festivity. It's a state holiday in Bavaria, Baden Wurttemberg and Sachsen-Anhalt.
The Raunachte is an engaging time of the season. It starts on the evening of Christmas Day and takes place until January 6th. It involves the last 6 nights of the old year and the beginning 6 of the new. Ancient beliefs and customs have evolved around these dozen nights. Based upon German folklore, the wild huntsman Odin is said to move over the air during these long winter nights, terrifying every person who runs into him during his journeys. Odin isn't the only one to be on the prowl during these nights, Frau Holle, the hunter's wife, is said to be at the same time.
It could be said that the most feared of dark things passing through the night was Berchta. She is named the goddess of the winter season. Berchta reportedly wanders the countryside during winter and lets herself into homes on 12th Night. The goddess would find out whether or not youngsters and young servants had completed their tasks all through the past year. They could possibly be treated with a small silver coin if they had carried out their duties efficiently. Otherwise, it was said that she would most likely cut their tummies open and stuff them with hay, twigs or stones. Berchta was most interested in seeing that young girls had spun their total ration of wool throughout the year.
Religious beliefs joined with superstition resulted in people who believed that the bad spirits during the Raunaechte (longest nights within the year) could be driven away by noise and lumination. After the bad spirits had left the dwelling, the believers would use incense to bless the house. They would carry incense to each room within the home on spcial occassions like Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve or the feast of Epiphany in hopes of driving off all traces of the evil spirits passing. These folk tales started the great importance of incense in Germany. At this stage in history, fragrant incense was nearly always burned in the open, but it would not be long until this procedure was supplanted.
After the 30 year war came to an end, the principles of ancient piety and common people ended up being merged to contribute to new techniques involving using incense. Rauchermann, or smoking men figurines, had been born. Smoking men are traditional hand crafted wooden characters that began within the Miriquidi Forest, which is now called the Erzgebirge Mountains (Ore Mountains).
Many years in the past the hillside of the Erzgebirge Mountains were excavated for minerals and precious metals. The people that normally would work inside the mines throughout the working day were likely to be found creating wooden toy figures at night. Subsequently, when finding precious metal in the mountain range began to become hard to find, and the mines began to close, a great deal of the original miners evolved into making wooden toys for a living.
Smoker figurines and nutcrackers were objects the miners crafted, and commonly looked like miniature versions of people that lived or worked in the village, which included mail carriers, anglers, shepherds and in many cases the town people themselves.
The well respected Steinbach family, which has become famous for producing German folk art for 5 whole generations, has perfected the production of generating nutcrackers and smoking men figurines. Each of their incense smokers represent a certain German persona in fine detail. Each nutcracker and incense smoker has a individuality of its own. Steinbach and their nutcrackers are well-known all over the world for having quality craftsmanship, expertise and paying every attention to details.
Smokers have become a favored part of yuletide traditions over the years. Many collectors now use Steinbach incense smokers and nutcrackers to decorate their households throughout the holiday season.
When you next notice a Steinbach incense smoker, give it a careful examination. You will observe many exceptional aspects you never noticed on other types of incense smokers.
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