German Ethnic Events: Viehscheid


Figure 1.--Here we see a Viehscheid festival at Weissach in the Allgäu region of Bavaria. Similar festivals are celebrated in neighboring Austria and Switzerland.

Viehscheid is a traditional folkloric fesival in southern Germany, especially the montaneous Allgäu region. Similar festivals are held in neighboring Switzerland and Austria. Many of the participants dress in folk costumes, the boys in Lederhosen and sometimes heavy socjks and wooden shoes. The girls wear Dirndls. The festivals occurs in the towns where a variety of tents and booths are set up, including like Octoberfest--beer tents. The participants gather around the tens and look toward the mountains. Fonally the cows appear on the road ot track guided by hearders who have wooden staffs. The cows are brought from the surronding hills to the villages in the vallies. The cows have bells which can be heard clanging away a sthe cows walk down the road. The bells are often quite larfe and heavy. Viehschied is driving the cows down from the mountains. At one festival over a 1,000 head of cattle ate brought down from the mountain pastures. The actual words in German mean separting the cows. The cows mingle freely in the mountain pasture. Ony when they are brought down to the villages do their owners separate them. The hearders decorated the cattle with greens, ribbons, and wildflowers. The festivals are held in Autumn. As the weathr begins to cool, farmers bring their cattle down from the Alpine mountain pastures. Eacher farmer chooses one of his best cows as a Kranzuh. It is always elaborately decorated and this has to have a dovcile temperment. Often a small mirror is added to ward odd evil dpirits. Owners who have experienced a nisfortune such as a family death do not select a Kranzuh. Sometimes horses and goats also enliven the festival. [Larkin]

Sources

Larlin Leah. "Celebrating the cows," German Life, August-September, 2004. pp. 32-33.






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Created: 9:53 PM 7/27/2004
Last updated: 9:53 PM 7/27/2004