Christmas Markets

The history of Christmas Markets

In the German-speaking world, the first Christmas markets were mentioned over 600 years ago. The Bautzen Wenceslas Market , for example, is said to have taken place as early as 1384, and the Dresden Striezelmarkt was first mentioned in 1434. This makes it the oldest Christmas market in Germany. In the Augsburg town hall protocol of 1498, a "gingerbread market" is mentioned. However, the markets of that time had little to do with today's events. Rather, they served to enable city dwellers to stock up on food and utensils for the upcoming winter and Christmas. It was only after Christmas changed from a purely religious to a bourgeois family festival in the 17th and 18th centuries that the transition from a supply market to an atmospheric entertainment market took place - with delicious food and drinks, toys, a musical program and much more.

In 1889, the Berlin police chief complained that "troublemakers" were selling inferior junk – and that the "ruthless sloppiness of the poor" would threaten the "good reputation" of the imperial capital. Here, but also in other cities such as Nuremberg, the markets were banned from the center.

National Socialists used Christmas markets for propaganda purposes

It was not until the National Socialists that the Christmas markets were brought back. They reinterpreted Christmas as "German" in their sense and used it for propaganda purposes for their own purposes. For example, the mayor of Nuremberg gave racist reasons for the relocation of the market in 1933: This step would combat the "un-German, foreign-racial influences" that had once decided the end of the Christmas market in the city center.

In the same year, the Reich Ministry sponsored numerous Christmas markets, including in Lübeck. Here, as a party functionary put it at the opening, traders were to "sell German goods in order to create a strong and healthy German people in an independent German state". And when the Christmas market returned to the center of Berlin in 1934, Reich Ministers Hermann Göring and Joseph Goebbels used it as a stage for political speeches.

What to do on a Christmas market

For the ultimate Christmas experience, you should definitely try these ten things at the Christmas market:

·         Drink mulled wine, of course

·         Eating sweet treats

·         Dress warmly

·         View the Christmas market from above

·         Get gift ideas

·         Eating grilled sausages

·         Buy Christmas tree decorations

·         Ride the children's carousel

What makes a great Christmas market?

Historical crafts such as blacksmithing and glassblowing are likely to be on display, with a keen interest in showcasing what once made this particular city great. This often results in unique and intriguing gifts that you simply can't buy elsewhere.

Is the Christmas market a German tradition?

The Christmas market tradition is actually a typical German custom – which even originated in Munich. With a few exceptions, Christmas markets can only be found in Germany. Well – there are exports to other countries too. But they all refer to German traditions and are often called German Christmas Marktes.

The Nürnberger Christkindlmarkt – one of the most famous Markets

The Nürnberg Christmas Market, which takes  place in the old town of Nuremberg on the main market square and the adjacent streets and squares, is known worldwide. The first evidence of the market dates back to 1628 and with around two million visitors a year, it is one of the largest Christmas markets in Germany. There is even a special "Nuremberg Christkindles Market Mulled Wine" here. In 1965, the Nuremberg-based Gerstacker winery presented its traditional mulled wine for the first time at the Nuremberg Christmas Market. Today, the company is the market leader in the segment of punch and mulled wine specialties and, with a range of over 600 beverages, also has numerous summer and year-round beverages. Other traditional specialties at the Christkindlesmarkt are the original Nuremberg gingerbread and Nuremberg grilled sausages.

What is a Christmas market in Germany?

In southern Germany, Switzerland and Austria, it is called the Christkind(e)l(s)(i)markt. The market is traditionally held in the town square and offers food, drinks and seasonal products for sale at outdoor stalls, accompanied by traditional singing and dancing.

The largest Christmas market in Europe is located in Cologne, Germany! This huge German Christmas market has over 150 stalls offering everything from handmade gifts to delicious seasonal treats.

(This is a transcript of a video about Christmas markets our team created! Due to copyright reasons we are not able to upload the video here.)