Our hostess, Marianne, is singing and performing this morning in the town's Catholic Church, St. Nicholas. Before the mass, a Hochzeitslader gathering is going to take place in the center of town. These gentlemen, basically a male yentl, perform the custom in the villages of communicating between the two couples' parents that want to get married.
Here is another explanation for the Hochzeitslader.
The 'Hochzeitslader' is a bavarian style wedding planner.
He takes care for the course of the wedding and supports the bride and groom in the the wedding planning. On the wedding day he is the master of ceremony and if applicable a morderator. He knows all Bavarian wedding traditions. For example he organizes the order for the procession for leaving the church. He can be recognized by a cane that is decorated with four colored ribbons, a red one for love, a blue one for faith, a green one for hope and a white one for virginity.
This Bavarian tradition has an official inviter dressed in fancy clothes decorated with ribbons and flowers going door to door in the town extending a personal rhyming invitation to the invited guests. Guests accept by pinning one of the ribbons to the Hochzeitslader hat and by offering a drink or two at each stop. If there are numerous guests and if the Hochzeitslader accepts the offered drinks, he may need a day or two to complete his duties.
These men march, with a band, through a chosen Bavarian town once a year. This year Unterammergau was selected. Hochzeitsladers from all over Bavaria come to participate in this special celebration.
A large marching band escorted these men to the church. During mass, Marianne (our hostess) performed along with six others in the choir loft of the church.
Marianne sang and played the hackbrett, a traditional Bavarian stringed instrument played with two small hammers. The gal beside her also played the hackbrett, one gentleman played the guitar, another gentleman played the zither and two other women sang. They all wore traditional Bavarian costumes. Their beautiful voices amongst the tones of the hackbrett, zither and guitar was beautiful.
The mass was based on the sanctity of marriage. The inside of the church is in baroque style with white and gold reliefs and paintings on the ceiling and walls.
Behind the altar is the painting of St. Nicholas for which the church is named after. Notice the smoke from the incense.
Following mass, all of the men posed for a portrait and then marched through the middle of town, again, with the band leading the way. Tradition is that they all go to lunch and party, with beer of course.
We were very fortunate to be able to view and participate in this unique Bavarian celebration. Their customs and traditions are still very much intact.
Here is another explanation for the Hochzeitslader.
The 'Hochzeitslader' is a bavarian style wedding planner.
He takes care for the course of the wedding and supports the bride and groom in the the wedding planning. On the wedding day he is the master of ceremony and if applicable a morderator. He knows all Bavarian wedding traditions. For example he organizes the order for the procession for leaving the church. He can be recognized by a cane that is decorated with four colored ribbons, a red one for love, a blue one for faith, a green one for hope and a white one for virginity.
This Bavarian tradition has an official inviter dressed in fancy clothes decorated with ribbons and flowers going door to door in the town extending a personal rhyming invitation to the invited guests. Guests accept by pinning one of the ribbons to the Hochzeitslader hat and by offering a drink or two at each stop. If there are numerous guests and if the Hochzeitslader accepts the offered drinks, he may need a day or two to complete his duties.
These men march, with a band, through a chosen Bavarian town once a year. This year Unterammergau was selected. Hochzeitsladers from all over Bavaria come to participate in this special celebration.
A large marching band escorted these men to the church. During mass, Marianne (our hostess) performed along with six others in the choir loft of the church.
 |
| Austrian Hackbrett |
 |
| Marianne, Our Farm Hostess (3d from left) Along with Choir Performers |
The mass was based on the sanctity of marriage. The inside of the church is in baroque style with white and gold reliefs and paintings on the ceiling and walls.
 |
| Interior of St. Nicholas |
Behind the altar is the painting of St. Nicholas for which the church is named after. Notice the smoke from the incense.
No comments:
Post a Comment