Walpurgisnacht and May Day

While back in the UK events were being organised for the Royal Wedding, over in Berlin more and more posters were appearing for two events over the same weekend. My short route yesterday took me past lots of posters advertising them. The first - Walpurgisnacht - is a bit like Halloween. Originally it was a Christian festival celebrating St Walpurga who was born in England in 710 and travelled to Heidenheim in southern Germany where she became a nun, and following her death, a saint. Now its celebrated across central Europe in different ways; some Christian, some pagan. A potential landlord of mine (fingers crossed) came from Heidenheim. There, he said, people would keep up tradition by playing tricks on their neighbours, although this would sometimes end up in violence.

In Berlin, as well as being an excuse for a good club night, it is also merged with the May Day protests that have been happening since 1968. These were relatively peaceful until 1988 after the use of teargas by the police provoked violence that has endured every year. My new friend, who grew up in Kreuzberg, said that the local Bezirksamt (municipal body) now organises a festival every year to detract from the violence. But apparently the police also use kettling over here, so think will head for home tomorrow about 7pm.




Finally, not a brilliant photo, but just to prove that Friday's events did not pass Berlin by.