Figure 1.--May Day is an internation celebratin honoring labor. In Germany it is commonly referred to as Tag der Arbeit. The Government did not designate May Day as a holiday until after World War I. Socialist partes dominated the new Weimar Republic that replaced the Kaiser following the War. The National Assembly declared May Day a public holiday (1919). Here we see German boys, probably from worker famiies, celebrating May Day in 1927. We think the image here may be misidentified. A reader thinks it may be Russian. He may well be correct.

May Day is an internation celebratin honoring labor. In Germany it is commonly referred to as Tag der Arbeit. European countries began celebrating May Day as a labor celebration in the late 19th century. The International Workers' Congress in Paris designated May Day as a public holiday in 1889. Trade unions and Socialist political parties promoted May Day as a public holiday, but Kaiser Wilhelm II never approved. The Government did not designate May Day as a holiday until after World War I. Socialist partes dominated the new Weimar Republic that replaced the Kaiser following the War. The National Assembly declared May Day a public holiday (1919). I had thought that Hitler made May Day an official holiday, at the same time he suppresssed free trade unions. So I do not yet have full details on the history of May Day in Germany. Celebrations in Germany are observed by holding meetings, marches and public oratory. It is mostly organized by trade unions. After World War II the Communists celebrations of May Day was a major event. This was one of the Comminist festivals for which the Young Pioneers were used for parades. May Day comes in the Spring and there are also May Day celebrations associated with Spring that have nothing to do with Labor Day celebrations. Some of these celebrations have ancient origins. Hopefully our German reders can tell us more about May Day celebrations.

Spring Celebrations

The German May Day is a celebration of ancient origins, originally the "Walpurgisnacht", victory about the winter and witches, welcoming to the warmer season in spring with singing and dancing. May Day comes in the Spring and there are also May Day celebrations associated with Spring that have nothing to do with Labor Day celebrations. Some of these celebrations have ancient origins. There are a variety of customs and symbols strongly associated with May Day in Germany. One of the most beloved symbols is Maigloeckchen (Maybells) which bloom in the spring. Germans decorate their houses and public facilities such as dance halls in green. Fresh bright green grass and bright Spring flowers are widely used. Peeople sing many popular traditional songs. One popular May Day activity is planying new trees. Perhaps the best known May Day activity is the May Pole. In many small villages in (Southern) Germany, Austria, Switzerland a birch tree is erected in the central place of the village, 8 m or so high, decorated, at the top a garland. Young lads try to climb up, the first one who reaches the top may start dancing (of course, on the ground again) with a nice girl selected by him. And so on ... . The dancing ill begin in the evening of April 31 and end only in early morning of May 1. It is a joyous event of young people. The Maypole dance begins with colorful long ribbons attached to the top of the pole. The dancers holds the other end of the ribbons and weave the ribbons around the pole as they dance. In America the May Pole dance is commonly done by children, odten dressed in white. I am not sure if this is the case in Germany. Some villages may also have a May play or a May Queen contest. Celebratiins vary from village to village, but May Day celebrations are very important in many villages. The residents may take the day off, gather around the new May Pole. They hold hands, dances, drink, and is happy not to have to be at work for a day. There may be a merry procession to Maypole or dance hall, where the May Queen ceremonially declares winter defeated and opens the dance.The event celebrate the annual Spring reawakening and agricultural fertility. There are many different regional traditions in Germany and the rest of Europe as well.

Labor Day/Tag der Arbeit

May Day is an international celebration honoring labor. The May Day of the labor unions is of much more recent origins and not related to the traditional folkloristic event of the Walpurgisnacht/May Day. It is also usually a more militant event pitting wirkers against the industrialists and upper social classes. In Germany May Day is commonly referred to as Tag der Arbeit. European countries began celebrating May Day in the late 19th century. This began as the World Socialist Movement grew. The International Workers' Congress in Paris designated May Day as a public holiday in 1889. Trade unions and Socialist political parties promoted May Day as a public holiday, but Kaiser Wilhelm II never approved. The Government did not designate May Day as a holiday until after World War I. Socialist partes dominated the new Weimar Republic that replaced the Kaiser following the War. I am not sure as to precisely when May Dau became an official holiday. One source reports that the National Assembly declared May Day a public holiday (1919). I had thought that Hitler made May Day an official holiday, at the same time he suppresssed free trade unions. A German reader tells us that it became a legal holiday by a law of April 10, 1933, very early in the Nazi era--Tag der nationalen Arbeit". He writes, "I suppose to mark the need for 'national work' following the nationalsocialistic goals of the NSDAP, Hitler's labour party. And as a mark against the "only" socialistic unions and parties, the "Nazis ahead"! In my opinion the NSDAP, the "National sozialistische deutsche Arbeiterpartei" (Arbeiter = worker) should be considered to be a left wing party. Only now it is politically correct to consider this party as a right wing party with nationalism and conservatism, opposite to the "good" parties on the other side, e.g. the communists. It is to be regretted that the joyous event of the youth is just beneath in the calendar to the event of demonstrations and socialpolitical proclamations of union functionaries, old workers and left intellectuals." Our German reader here raises an interesting point. The Communists and MAZIs/Fascists are commonly placed at the two extremes of the political spectrum, left and right. While I would not clasify the NAZIs as a left-wing party, I would certainly agree that they share many similarities with the Communists. This is a topic that needs further discussion. So I do not yet have full details on the history of May Day in Germany. Celebrations in Germany are observed by holding meetings, marches and public oratory. It is mostly organized by trade unions. After World War II the Communists celebrations of May Day was a major event. This was one of the Comminist festivals for which the Young Pioneers were used for parades.

Created: 7:09 PM 9/2/2006
Last updated: 7:09 PM 9/2/2006