Berchtoldstag

The Berchtold ( Bächteli [s ] tag, Berchteli [s ] tag, Berteli [s ] tag, Bärzeli [s ] tag, Bechtelstag, Bechtle ), in Glarus also Nachneujahr ( Naanüüjaar ) called, is originally a holiday in Alemannic areas with population, especially in parts of Switzerland - where he has come via the Bernese domination of the Vaud in french-speaking Western Switzerland - and Liechtenstein. He falls into the various areas soon earlier ( in Switzerland disseminated on January 2 ), soon afterwards (eg in the canton of Thurgau, Frauenfeld on the third Monday in January) at the time of the New Year.

• 3.1 banquets and visits
• 3.2 Running mask and balls

Legal

In Switzerland, January 2 is a public day of rest according to cantonal law in the cantons of Aargau ( partial), Bern, Jura, Neuchâtel, Vaud, Thurgau and, according to municipal law in the canton of Zurich. In other cantons, these days often has a somewhat ambiguous status, however, many workers work on that day, have to a vacation day or over time to move; many retail stores use this day to create the inventory and therefore keep closed, whereas open in the same canton wholesale distributors the transactions in circumstances. Have generally closed on January 2, banks in Switzerland, the day also applies to the SBB and the post office as a public holiday.

Origin

Berchtold - a person?

The day has nothing to do with a holy Berchtold, the does not exist in the calendar of saints. But the vielbehauptete Germanic origin associated with a goddess Berchta or Perchta, supposedly the wife of Wotan, who exaggerate their mischief in the time of Rauhnächte and become spellbound with wild customs, can not be conclusively proven.

In the Swiss Idiotikon (Vol. IV Sp 1538) is on the Middle High German berchttac, berchteltac, berchtnacht referred for, Epiphany ',' Twelfth Night ' ( January 6). Mhd. bercht, Berchtel means, shiny, bright ' ( cf. Engl bright, bright. '); Greek epiphaino means appear hervorglänzen, shine '. Maybe in the translation also played that put forward on January 6 reading from Isaiah with " Surge, illuminare, Jerusalem, quia venit lumen tuum, et gloria Domini super te orta est. " begins ( Arise, Jerusalem, shine! for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord shines upon you over ). The Middle High German word formation is therefore likely to be a transfer of the Greco-Latin Epiphany, appearance '. The later is no longer understood first word element was in the dialects of many variations, written language reinterpreted by " Berchtold " in the western German or Switzerland perhaps also related to the Burgundian Queen Berta, who often regarded as the founder church in western Switzerland. The Swiss Berchtold would be so in the aftermath of the Epiphany.

Additional holiday of Reformed Churches

When Swiss Berchtold is a non-working Nachfeiertag New Year's Day, as it is the Easter Monday Easter, Whit Monday at Pentecost and St. Stephen's Day to Christmas. Since the Berchtoldstag originally was alone in the Reformed cantons a non-working day, it is tempting to see him as a compensation to coated Epiphany.

Customs

The Berchtold is or was connected in Reformed Switzerland with versatile New Year, Winter Carnival and customs; a compilation of historical and recent customs give the Swiss Idiotikon Vol XII 962-967 and the Atlas of Swiss Folklore Vol II 165 f or commentary volume II 75-83. In the Catholic Switzerland, however, is the Epiphany ( January 6) in the center, and only occasionally meet there guilds and societies on Bärzelitag to a banquet.

Banquets and visits

On Berchtoldstag sociability is maintained in the cantons of Zurich, Schaffhausen and Thurgau in many places. In Zurich lowlands, for example, in the area around Bülach and Rafz, gathered at Bächtelisnachmittag and evening the people of different pubs, bächteln to. This drag local music, comedy and other entertainment groups from pub to pub to entertain the respective guests. The hosts of the pubs in turn supply the groups with food and drink. As a specialty, there is the Bächtelswurst with Bächtelsweggen; the Bächtelswurst is produced once a year to a special recipe just for this occasion.

In the city of Zurich earlier sent the guild or society members their daily fixed -clad children to the corporate or guild room, so they should leave a certain amount of money for the benefit of heating the room ( Stubehitzete ). This results in the present Customs has developed that a number of clubs on this day out books or image reproductions (so-called " New Year's Leaves ") publish and sell in a sociable setting.

In Frauenfeld is the Bächtelitag - which will be celebrated here on the 3rd Monday in January - a feast for the whole town and is celebrated with a " Bürgermahl " serving to which a Salzisse called boiled sausage and bread and wine in the main hall. The Bürgermahl has its beginnings in the 13th century and is celebrated from the 16th century as a common lively conversation of citizens and craftsmen.

In Lucerne, for example, the guild holds Safran mid-January from a beards were.

Mask running and balls

In Aargau Hallwil and some in other towns of Switzerland pull on Bärzelistag the Bärzelibuebe as gruesome mask figures through the village. Masked wanderings on Berchtoldstag is also documented for different places in the canton of Schaffhausen, in the western Thurgau as well as in the northern and eastern canton of Zurich for the 19th and the early 20th century, the custom is as well as partially fallen into western Switzerland in oblivion there. In earlier times, even the Heischen ( the panhandling of edibles ) was associated with the parades.

Especially in the cantons of Bern and Vaud, slightly less in the canton of Zurich, the day was celebrated with balls. In the 19th century, masquerade balls for children took place in the city of Zurich, and the 15th century there is evidence that Zurich " to sant Berchtlins tag zuo night [ ... ] to Tantz " and went " in BÖG [g ] enwis and verwandloten dresses " returned.

The mask running at Berchtold can be seen in a wider ethnographic context. Closely related are about the Appenzell Silvesterklausen, the Nicholas tradition in the Bernese Aargau and Zurich Oberland and of course the carnival tradition.