SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- Each November, local townspeople host colorful lantern parades in honor of St. Martin. “Sankt Martin ist ein guter Mann” (St. Martin is a good man) is one of the many songs parents have been practicing with their children to prepare them for the procession.
Who is the man celebrated for his goodness every year?
According to legend, Martin was born early in the fourth century to a military officer in the military administration of the Emperor Constantine in Szombathel, Hungary. He led a good Christian life while growing up and then served his time in the Roman imperial army. Although other officers mistreated soldiers and slaves, Martin was kind and distributed what he could save from his pay to the poor.
While riding outside the gates of Amiens, he encountered a freezing beggar who asked for help, but Martin had already given all his pay to the poor. He drew his sword, slit his tunic in two and gave half to the beggar. The following night, Christ appeared to Martin and said, “What you have done to the least of my brothers, you have done to me.” Martin felt the Lord’s love and was baptized. After serving two more years in the army, he retired with full honors. Although Martin was rather modest, his devotion, kindness and fairness were such that his fame spread throughout the country, and he was soon appointed as Bishop of Tours in France for 25 years until he died at 82.
St. Martin’s Day is always Nov. 11. However, the dates for celebrations and parades vary from town to town and sometimes take place days before or after. Germans celebrate St. Martin’s Day with a procession where children carry candles or battery-operated lanterns through the town. In some towns, firemen lead the parade with torches in hand, followed by the town band and a man portraying “St. Martin” on horseback, clad in the uniform of a Roman legionnaire. The children sing St. Martin songs. The colorfully illuminated procession ends with a huge bonfire. “St. Martin” then asks the children to follow his lifestyle and hands out large sugar pretzels.
In some towns, the traditional ceremony ends with an opportunity to win a goose, the popular “St. Martin’s Gans,” and other prizes, usually at a well-known spot in town, a hall or local fire station. Tickets for the raffle are usually sold at the door by members of the local fire departments. A limited number of tickets can also be purchased at the fire station prior to the raffle.
The goose becomes associated with St. Martin’s Day because this time of year is when the goose fattening period ends. After the summer harvest, farmers let the geese find their food on mowed fields. The only cost to the farmer is tending to the geese. But as soon as it gets cold, farmers sell or kill the fattened geese. Parsons demanded geese as payment for the taxes due to them at this time and the custom developed into a tradition of eating goose on St. Martin’s Day.
Team Eifel families can participate in local St. Martin’s Day parades in their town or another village.
People can ask their landlords or local mayors for details about the date, time and starting point of their town’s procession. Most parades kick off between 5 and 7 p.m. Since it often gets cold at night this time of the year, it’s advisable to wear warm clothes. Lanterns can be purchased at German stores. They’re usually available as animals, especially the St. Martin goose, moons, churches and other motifs. Some parents help their children make their own lanterns. Children who go to German kindergarten usually make them. Sometimes prizes are given away for the nicest homemade lanterns. Parents and their children just simply join in the fun. If you wish to just experience the tradition as an adult or take some photos, everyone is invited to the events.
Local Saint Martin parades
Dudeldorf, Nov. 10, 6 p.m. from the Dudeldorf-Ordorf church
Preist, Nov. 10, 6 p.m. from the local church
Hupperath, Nov. 10, 5:30 p.m. from the local church
Gipperath, Nov. 10, 6:30 from the community hall
Plein, Nov. 10, 6 p.m., from the St. Jakobus church
Bitburg Center, Nov. 10, 6 p.m. from the Grundschule South Elementary School
Gondorf, Nov. 11, 6:30 from the local church, from the direction Huettingen
Spangdahlem, Nov. 11, 6 p.m. from the local church, with Cologne music following
Binsfeld, Nov. 11, 5:45 p.m. from the local church
Speicher, Nov. 11, 6 p.m. from the local church
Orenhofen, Nov. 11, 6 p.m. from the Saint Martin
Beilingen, Nov. 11, 6:30 p.m. from the local church
Landscheid, Nov. 11, 6 p.m. from the center of town church
Bergweiler, Nov. 11, 5:30 p.m. from the local church
Salmrohr and Doerbach, Nov. 11, 6:30 p.m. from the center of town
Altrich, Nov. 11, 6 p.m. from the St. Andreas church
Roehl, Nov. 11, 6 p.m. from the local church
Minderlittgen, Nov. 11, 6 p.m. from the Buergerhaus
Greverath, Nov. 11, 6 p.m. from “Zum Weissenstein”
Osann-Monzel, Nov. 11, 6 p.m. from the Osann Elementary and from the Monzel church
Heidweiler, Nov. 11, 6 p.m. from the Heideland hall
Hetzerath, Nov. 11, 6 p.m. from the local church
Hasborn, Nov. 11, 6:30 p.m., from the local town hall
Graach, Nov. 11, 6 p.m. from the intersection Ringstrasse/Hauptstrasse
Bitburg-Matzen, Nov. 11, 6:45 p.m. from the community hall
Wittlich-Wengerohr, Nov. 11, 5:30 p.m., from the local Hademer grocery store
Wittlich-Dorf, Nov. 11, 6 p.m., from the intersection Fluerchen/Weisser Weg
Wittlich City, Nov. 12, 5:30 p.m., from the St. Markus church
Herforst, Nov. 12, 5 p.m. from the local church
Niederkail, Nov. 12, 6 p.m. from the intersection Gustenmaennchen-Neustrasse
Arenrath, Nov. 12, 6 p.m., from the village hall
Auw an der Kyll, Nov. 12, 6 p.m. from the Gemeindehalle or community hall
Phillipsheim, Nov. 12, 6 p.m. from Kallenbachbruecke
Burg/Salm, Nov. 12, 6 p.m. from the center of town
Grosslittgen, Nov. 12, 5:30 p.m. from the center of town
Bitburg-Masholder, Nov. 12, 6 p.m. from Brueckenstrasse
Dierscheid, Nov. 12, 5 p.m. from the local fire station
Esch, Nov. 12, 6 p.m. from Brunnenstrasse
Manderscheid, Nov. 12, 5:30 p.m. from the Lebensbaumkirche church
Klausen, Nov. 13, 6 p.m., from the center of town
Eckfeld, Nov. 13, 5:30 from the local church
Schladt, Nov. 14, 6:30 p.m. from the local bus stop