Decorating fountains at Easter has a long tradition in Franconian Switzerland. In the meantime, this Easter custom has spread to large parts of southern, central and eastern Germany. In Ebermannstadt you can admire the original form of Easter decorations in Franconian Switzerland: birch trees decorated with penserla (colored ribbons).
Wilhelm Kraupner is coordinating the voluntary helpers this year. The decorators in Ebermannstadt want to preserve the Easter tradition and spend a lot of time organizing and designing the Easter fountains every year. All of the Easter decorations were lovingly handcrafted by the volunteers. That’s why Wilhelm Kraupner is the “volunteer of the week” on Maundy Thursday today.
“I am pleased that traditions and customs are maintained in Bavaria, the younger generation is involved and knowledge is passed on. I would like to thank Wilhelm Kraupner and all the volunteers who decorated the Easter fountains for their commitment, that they carry out this voluntary work with a great deal of awareness of tradition and joy,” says Eva Gottstein, the Bavarian State Government Commissioner for Volunteering.
Jahrzehntelanges ehrenamtliches Engagement
Wilhelm Kraupner says: “I’ve always really enjoyed doing volunteer work, I used to maintain and clean hiking trails and now I’ve been active in the Franconian Switzerland Association local group Ebermannstadt eV for over 20 years.”
Many hard-working helpers
A total of around 19 Easter fountains in the city of Ebermannstadt are decorated in voluntary work by clubs, children’s fire brigades, women’s clubs, local communities, gardening associations, residents or the office for youth work.
The Origin of the Easter Fountain
Franconian Switzerland is the region of origin of the Osterbrunnen. The customs are still alive today and arose primarily from the scarcity of water. For more than 100 years, the locals from Ebermannstadt have been decorating the numerous fountains at Easter.
Decorated Easter fountain
The colorfully decorated fountains can be visited during a walk or a bike tour through the city center of Ebermannstadt. Visitors to the Easter fountains are welcome, admission is free.
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