Martinisingen
Encyclopedia
Martinisingen is an old Protestant custom which is found especially in East Friesland, but also on the Lüneburg Heath
and in other parts of North and East Germany. It also goes under the names of Martini or Martinssingen and the Low German
names of Sünnematten or Mattenherrn (today often erroneously corrupted to Matten Matten Mähren). Martinisingen takes place on 10 November (similar to the Catholic Martinssingen on 11 November) with groups of people carrying their lantern
s from house to house and singing traditional songs.
Later, the gifts given out increasingly became a symbolic donation and, today, usually consist of sweets and fruit. The traditional gifts, by contrast, include gingerbread men (Stutenkerl), honey cakes (Moppen) and Pfeffernüsse
(pēpernööten) as well as apples.
The poor folk begged for gifts by reciting rhyming verses or singing suitable songs and the children carried lanterns (kipkapköögels) that used to be made from a beet
. Later small pumpkins were occasionally used as well, but gradually, these were replaced by coloured paper lanterns as are common today. Various home-made instruments were also used such as rattle
s (Rasseln) and friction drum
s (Rummelpott).
With the outbreak of the Reformation
the original motive of begging to supplement winter food supplies became interwoven with religious aspects, particularly those honouring the reformer, Martin Luther, and the festival became the Protestant church's version of the original Catholic tradition. In 1817, on the occasion of the tricentennial anniversary of the Reformation in 1517, Martinisingen was brought forward to the eve of St. Martin's Day
. From then on, only Martin Luther continued to be celebrated as the "Friend of light and man of God" (Lichtfreund und der Glaubensmann) who "knocked the crown off the pope in Rome" (de de Papst in Rom de Kroon offschlog). For example, St. Martin's Day
for Martin of Tours
on the 11th was brought forward and combined with Martinisingen on the 10th, the birthday of the Reformer. So, increasingly, the custom of Martinisingen became a celebration of Martin Luther and the motive of begging for food was explained as a tradition of the monastic orders. The traditional songs were given a religious flavour and new ones were written that celebrated the religious significance of the day or honoured Martin Luther.
About Matten Matten Mären the Hannoversche Wochenblatt weekly paper writes:
Since the end of the 1990s Martinisingen has had competition from Halloween
as a result of shop advertising and the American TV series as well as the enthusiasm of a few teachers in primary schools and kindergarten
s, but the new festival, apart from disco
s, has been criticised and largely rejected, according to the newspaper, the Emder Zeitung.
Laterne, Laterne
Lüneburg Heath
The Lüneburg Heath is a large area of heath, geest and woodland in northeastern part of the state of Lower Saxony in northern Germany. It forms part of the hinterland for the cities of Hamburg, Hanover, and Bremen and is named after the town of Lüneburg. Most of the area is a nature reserve...
and in other parts of North and East Germany. It also goes under the names of Martini or Martinssingen and the Low German
Low German
Low German or Low Saxon is an Ingvaeonic West Germanic language spoken mainly in northern Germany and the eastern part of the Netherlands...
names of Sünnematten or Mattenherrn (today often erroneously corrupted to Matten Matten Mähren). Martinisingen takes place on 10 November (similar to the Catholic Martinssingen on 11 November) with groups of people carrying their lantern
Lantern
A lantern is a portable lighting device or mounted light fixture used to illuminate broad areas. Lanterns may also be used for signaling, as 'torches', or as general light sources outdoors . Low light level varieties are used for decoration. The term "lantern" is also used more generically to...
s from house to house and singing traditional songs.
History
Martinisingen is a custom with a mix of several older elements. Traditionally the 10 November was the day on which farmhands and ordinary workers were dismissed for the winter. These folk, most of whom had no property, then had to survive the coldest time of the year without any income. However, their children were able to help by going from house to house on this day and begging for food and gifts, especially from the well-to-do farmers and citizens. Originally they collected food that was then actually stored as part of their family's winter stock and could be consumed gradually. Sometimes rather older singers disguised themselves or wore masks (sğabellenskoppen) and joined in.Later, the gifts given out increasingly became a symbolic donation and, today, usually consist of sweets and fruit. The traditional gifts, by contrast, include gingerbread men (Stutenkerl), honey cakes (Moppen) and Pfeffernüsse
Pfeffernüsse
Pfeffernüsse are small, firm, round biscuits, sometimes with ground nuts....
(pēpernööten) as well as apples.
The poor folk begged for gifts by reciting rhyming verses or singing suitable songs and the children carried lanterns (kipkapköögels) that used to be made from a beet
Beet
The beet is a plant in the Chenopodiaceae family which is now included in Amaranthaceae family. It is best known in its numerous cultivated varieties, the most well known of which is the purple root vegetable known as the beetroot or garden beet...
. Later small pumpkins were occasionally used as well, but gradually, these were replaced by coloured paper lanterns as are common today. Various home-made instruments were also used such as rattle
Rattle (percussion)
A rattle is a percussion instrument. It consists of a hollow body filled with small uniform solid objects, like sand or nuts. Rhythmical shaking of this instrument produces repetitive, rather dry timbre noises. In some kinds of music, a rattle assumes the role of the metronome, as an alternative to...
s (Rasseln) and friction drum
Friction drum
Hornbostel-Sachs classification number 232.11-92A friction drum is a musical instrument found in various forms in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America...
s (Rummelpott).
With the outbreak of the Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
the original motive of begging to supplement winter food supplies became interwoven with religious aspects, particularly those honouring the reformer, Martin Luther, and the festival became the Protestant church's version of the original Catholic tradition. In 1817, on the occasion of the tricentennial anniversary of the Reformation in 1517, Martinisingen was brought forward to the eve of St. Martin's Day
St. Martin's Day
St. Martin's Day, also known as the Feast of St. Martin, Martinstag or Martinmas, the Feast of St Martin of Tours or Martin le Miséricordieux, is a time for feasting celebrations. This is the time when autumn wheat seeding is completed. Historically, hiring fairs were held where farm laborers...
. From then on, only Martin Luther continued to be celebrated as the "Friend of light and man of God" (Lichtfreund und der Glaubensmann) who "knocked the crown off the pope in Rome" (de de Papst in Rom de Kroon offschlog). For example, St. Martin's Day
St. Martin's Day
St. Martin's Day, also known as the Feast of St. Martin, Martinstag or Martinmas, the Feast of St Martin of Tours or Martin le Miséricordieux, is a time for feasting celebrations. This is the time when autumn wheat seeding is completed. Historically, hiring fairs were held where farm laborers...
for Martin of Tours
Martin of Tours
Martin of Tours was a Bishop of Tours whose shrine became a famous stopping-point for pilgrims on the road to Santiago de Compostela. Around his name much legendary material accrued, and he has become one of the most familiar and recognizable Christian saints...
on the 11th was brought forward and combined with Martinisingen on the 10th, the birthday of the Reformer. So, increasingly, the custom of Martinisingen became a celebration of Martin Luther and the motive of begging for food was explained as a tradition of the monastic orders. The traditional songs were given a religious flavour and new ones were written that celebrated the religious significance of the day or honoured Martin Luther.
Present-day customs
Today children go through the suburbs from door to door after the onset of dusk carrying lanterns and singing Martinilieder or St Martin's Eve songs. The light in the lantern is often no longer a candle but electric because, in the November winds, the lanterns often caught fire (hence the verse in the song "Lanterns, Lanterns" which runs "burn up my light, but not my precious lantern"). But, as before the lanterns are often home-made from coloured paper.About Matten Matten Mären the Hannoversche Wochenblatt weekly paper writes:
so even in East Frisian-North German areas those who do not give anything can expect to have their doorbells rung later on in the evening or other similar 'joke'; equally those who do not sing, also get nothing.
There is a hard and fast rule today as there always has been: Whoever gives nothing, will have a prank played on them
Since the end of the 1990s Martinisingen has had competition from Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
as a result of shop advertising and the American TV series as well as the enthusiasm of a few teachers in primary schools and kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
s, but the new festival, apart from disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
s, has been criticised and largely rejected, according to the newspaper, the Emder Zeitung.
Lanterns (Laterne)
Ich geh mit meiner Laterne- Start of the chorus:
- Ich geh mit meiner Laterne
- und meine Laterne mit mir.
- Da oben leuchten die Sterne
- und unten da leuchten wir.
- Verses
- 1. Ein Lichtermeer zu Martins Ehr
- 2. Der Martinsmann, der zieht voran
- 3. Wie schön das klingt, wenn jeder singt
- 4. Ein Kuchenduft liegt in der Luft
- 5. Beschenkt uns heut, ihr lieben Leut
- 6. Laternenlicht, verlösch mir nicht!
- 7. Mein Licht ist aus, ich geh nach Haus
- End of the chorus:
- rabimmel, rabammel, rabumm.
Laterne, Laterne
- Laterne, Laterne,
- Sonne, Mond und Sterne,
- brenne auf mein Licht,
- brenne auf mein Licht,
- aber nur meine liebe Laterne nicht.
Source
- Ernst Müller / Griet Voss: De Utrooper's kleines Buch von Martini, ISBN 3-934370-14-4 (Broschüre).