Story of the German Christmas star
 

If you've been to German Christmas markets or traveled through Germany during Advent season, you're likely to have seen this star almost everywhere. Here's a short video of their story:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wDkkJt9XN8

I am wondering why they call it "Moravian" star. It's a Herrnhuter Stern (star). Nobody in Germany would recognise this name.

That's because the Herrnhuter Brüdergemeine is known as "Moravian Church" in the English-speaking world.

We got married in Christiansfeld, a small town in Denmark built by the Moravians on invitation from the Danish King. Beautiful town and it was interesting learning about this group of religious immigrants to Denmark.

They also had a large community near Büdingen, the Herrenhang that they settled after being kicked out of Saxony.

http://www.visitdenmark.com/denmark/...feld-gdk862492

Danke Weisser!

> after being kicked out of Saxony.

Really? As far as I know the Herrnhuter Brüdergemeine/Moravian Church was never kicked out of Saxony, their headquarter still is in Herrnhut.

But that Danish town looks very beautiful and interesting. UNESCO world heritage site if I got that right.

I think we saw some of those in Freiburg a few days ago.

The Herrnhuter, including Zinzendorf himself, were indeed kicked out of Saxony in 1736. They found refuge in the county of Isenburg-Büdingen, where the very tolerant Count Ernst Kasimir accepted a wide variety of minorities and sects. In 1738 they founded Herrnhaag as their new settlement and centre. After Ernst Kasimir's death in 1749, his successor wasn't happy with their presence and made them leave again.
(Concerning Herrnhaag, I am refering to my dissertation, p. 141 ff.)

And in Munich's Christmas market you may well have seen the Christmas Devil: Krampus, know to put nightmares in kids!

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/22/wo...ares.html?_r=0

Thanks for the info, quokka! I didn't see that (at least not clearly stated) in Herrnhut's museum.

It should be noted that the expulsion was far from permanent; Zinzendorf was allowed back less than a decade later. The Moravian church is still active in Herrnhut today. Zinzendorf turned his exile to advantage, traveling extensively and encouraging settlements, include the one in Bethlehem, PA, which is now the church's NA headquarters. The historic center of Bethlehem shows a strong Saxon influence, not only in architecture but also in culture, which makes it an interesting counterpoint to the more famous Pennsylvania Dutch (German) area in Lebanon/Lancaster/Berks counties.

The Moravians in then-colonial America had good relationships with the local tribes and were one of the very few groups that honored their agreements with Native Americans, which infuriated many British settlers. A Mohican member of the church was the inspiration for the character of Chingachgook in Cooper's Last of the Mohicans; he is buried in God's Acre in Bethlehem. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg...r&GRid=8908558

I have ancestors buried in God's Acre in Herrnhut and have visited the village three times while staying in Dresden. It's worthwhile to see if you have an interest in Protestant history -- or want to visit the Herrnhut/Moravian star factory. However, it's much better to go on a weekday as the bus/train service combo is more frequent and more places are open. And it's a very quiet village, not the place to go if you're looking for some excitement...

Thanks for all that. We are fond of Old Salem and its Moravian traditions. For many years we had a paper Moravian star (which was REALLY hard to put together). They are nearly (and to me totally) impossible to find now, even in PA-Dutch country. I need to search more--get one for our kids. I have a glass one, hand made by a friend of my sister's, although they are now ubiquitous in Mexico.

Gretchen, you can get them from the Moravian bookshop in Bethlehem (or order one online). You can even buy a vinyl one already assembled :-)
http://shop.moravianbookshop.com/bro...hted/2,27.html

The unassembled parchment ones come from Germany and can be ordered from the Book Shop.

I miss the "dressed" beeswax candles. As a teen-ager I helped make them at the Moravian church I belonged to in the U.S. (I was also a diener for lovefeasts) but can't find them here. I should learn to make them on my own.

Gretchen, the T Bagge Shop and the Old Salem shop carry them as well.

The Moravians in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, were also pioneers in equal rights for women, and in racial equality.

The Quakers, who settled Pennsylvania, were also very advanced in racial relations and education for women, and they also had honest and trustworthy relationships with the Indian nations in Pennsylvania. And it was the religious tolerance of the Quakers that made Pennsylvania hospitable to groups like the Moravians.

The Moravians originally settled in one of the southern states of the US, Georgia if I'm not mistaken, but found the religious atmosphere there stifling.

Next year join the Women's Fellowship of Home Moravian Church in Winston-Salem, NC for Candle Tea. We will teach you how to make a love feast candle ( and lots of other interesting parts of our rich heritage).
http://www.homemoravian.org/tradition/candletea/