Germany’s Sorbian ethnic minority celebrate Easter with egg decoration traditions

Schleife, Germany: Anke Hanusch immerses his needle in dark blue wax and dots it properly on a yellow colored Easter egg in his hand. The front and back, wax to egg, wax from egg, such as honeycomb pattern increases.
Complex motif means that the egg will eventually be a gift from a godparent to its godchild, which is a good work on the hard work and a good work on the young man.
The tradition of decorating Easter eggs is part of the culture of Slavic speaking Sorbian ethnic minority In Germany. Modern-day Sorbes have descended from Slavic tribes in Central and Eastern Europe Germany Some 1,500 years ago.
Around 60,000 Sorbes currently live in Germany, divided between Saxony and Brandenberg of the federal states.
A city, just 16 kilometers (10 mi) from the Easter Polish border, is the biggest holiday of Stephanie Birhold at the Sorbian Cultural Center at Shleif, said that Easter Sorbes and people travel home to celebrate with their loved ones.
“The best thing is that this tradition is still alive in families,” he said.
Other members of the Birhold, Hansch and Sorbian community of Shleif gathered at the cultural center on 6 April, two weeks before the holiday, to celebrate their legacy through Easter eggs and traditional folk costumes, songs and dances. The Sorbian egg-stake dates return to the Middle Ages.
From chicken eggs to emu eggs, wearing hanstas, red folk dress and an unmarried woman’s bonnet (married women wear green), were one of the more than 30 artisans selling their Easter eggs at the cultural center. Its prices were for a painted EMU eggs from the cheapest decorated chicken eggs ($ 99.28) for 7 euros ($ 7.72).
Decorating can take a time between 90 minutes and six hours, depending on the techniques used, eggs and size. Artisans use a needle or a goose feather quill’s tip, cut in different ways, to draw the design.
Egg artisans stated that outbreaks of bird flu worldwide, and later egg deficiency and price increase, have not yet affected their rituals – although he said it is always best to get eggs directly from a farmer instead of a supermarket.
Hanus, who is Sorbian on behalf of her father, is learning to speak Slavic language. He said that he and other Sorbians decorate the Easter eggs at the age of two, since they can hold a pencil first. Many people do this only during the Easter season in childhood, but Hanus continued with skills and became a teacher for others including his niece.
“I think it is a valuable cultural property that needs to be preserved,” he said. “It would be a shame if it becomes extinct.”