Maifest (May Day Festival)
- Was ist Maifest? (What is May Day Festival?)
- May Day (der erste Mai, Tag der Arbeit) is an ancient festival to welcome the spring weather and to drive away evil spirits. It is also an occasion to campaign for and to celebrate workers rights, particularly in Berlin. May 1 is a public holiday in all German states.
- Wann ist Maifest? (When is May Day Festival?):
- 1. Mai, der erste Mai
- Warum feiert man Maifest? (Why is May Day Festival celebrated?)
- Ursprung (origin)
- Geschichte (history)
- Wie feiert man Maifest? (How is May Day Festival celebrated?)
- "der Monat Mai" (month of May)
- Traditional May Day celebrations: May Day, May poles, Muttertag (Mother's Day)
- Customs and politics of the month of May
- There’s plenty to do: partying, drinking, decorating May poles, staging parades, lighting bonfires, singing, "dancing into May."
- Was kann man beim Maifest machen? (What can people do at May Festival?)
- Sitten und Gebräuche (customs and traditions):
- Germany’s most bizarre May 1st traditions
- May traditions in Germany: colorfully decorated trees and scary witches
- alte Sitten und Gebräuche (old customs and traditions)
- Walpurgisnacht (Witches Night)
- Freudenfeuer im Mai (May bonfires)
- über Feuer springen (jumping over fires)
- Mai Umzüge (May processions)
- Maibaum (May tree)
- zwei Sorten von Maibäumen (two kinds of May trees)
- tanzen um den Maibaum (May pole dancing)
- Wie stellt man einen Maibaum auf? (How is a May pole put up?)
- stehlen einen Maibaum (stealing another town’s May pole)
- heutige Sitten und Gebräuche (modern customs and traditions)
- Tanzen und Singen beim Maifest (singing, dancing, partying)
- Maibowle (May punch)
- Mai Karneval (May Carnival)
- Maistrich (May stripe or line)
- protestieren (protesting)
- Bierzelt (beer tent)
- "der Monat Mai" (month of May)