February

In bilingual Lusatia Shrovetide carnivals are characteristic of the months of February and March. February with its 28 (29) days is the shortest month, and ice is still frozen and hard as a horn. That's why it is called mały róžk (a small horn) in Upper Sorbian. In Lower Sorbian the word for February relates to Mary Candlemas / swěckowny.

March

In Upper Lusatia the month of March brings the spring, nalěଯo, and is, therefore, called nalětnik; in Lower Lusatia it is the month, which comes after zyma, the winter season, and so it is called pozymski.

Póstnicy - Shrovetide

No custom has been observed for so long and with such vigour as Shrovetide, though its form and intensity differ from region to region. While around Budyšin (Bautzen) and Kamjenc (Kamenz), except for children's processions, it is observed only in the form of a fancy-dress dance party, in other regions a number of features has been preserved reminding of the solidarity of the traditional village community.

Camprowanje - Zampern - Shrovetide carnival

This going about from house to house and collecting gifts is the most widespread custom. It is rooted in pre-Christian religious beliefs. With masks and big noise, evil is being driven out of the farms. A rider on a white horse and a stork symbolize the beginning spring, the bear represents the ending winter, the chimney sweep drives out the spirits of winter, the policeman symbolizes the authorities and the famous egg-woman collects gifts for the Shrovetide feast. Except for the egg-woman, other traditional figures have lost their symbolic meanings in recent years. Today, young people in the village put on merry fancy costumes and go about, with music, from house to house. Those taking part in the procession greet inhabitants of each house with loud noise and music and invite the lady of the house to dance. The visit of this merry group of dressed up young people is an honour to every family. Even members of the household where mourning is observed do not want to be left out, and like the others, they give the visitors their fee, that is eggs, bacon but also hard drinks and money. All foodstuffs collected in this way are then eaten at a big egg-feast held a week after with which the carnival ends.

Camprowanje - Zampern - The carnival in Ćisk

Shrovetide carnivals are an old tradition in the village of Ćisk (Zeißig). On a February Sunday, a masked and fancy-dress party of about fifty - men and village youth - go about from house to house; they are accompanied with a brass band and a colourfully decorated horse-drawn wagon.

Though it is easily said: "They are playing the fools", staging the procession requires good organizational skills because it has to take place in a strictly traditional manner.

The day begins in the following order: entering the names on the list of participants, getting money boxes, taking a group photograph and lining up for the procession through the village.

Leading the procession, marches the brass band followed by the "oldest" of the village. They can be recognized by their blue aprons and caps with a colourful bouquet of flowers on its left side. Behind the "oldest" proceed the traditional figures typical of the given community. In Cisk they include: the chimney sweep, Sorbian egg woman, baker, clown, gypsy woman, witch and many other merry figures. The procession ends with "gulaschkanonen", that is large pots of the army's kitchen pulled by a tractor, and a decorated horse-drawn wagon strewn with rushes. At the farmhouse of the Forches the procession comes to an end and then the real round of the whole party from house to house begins. The "oldest" are the first to enter the yard or the house, and on behalf of the members of the carnival group they ask for a small financial contribution into the main moneybox. The band plays a serenade and the "oldest" dance with the women of the house. In gratitude for the given money, beer coupons are distributed and hard drinks are poured out. All the others of the group naturally want to get some small money in their money boxes too, which the car drivers passing through the village at that time cannot fail to find out. Things are, however, easier for the egg woman. She is already expected and her basket is quickly filled with eggs.

Housewives, beware! The chimney sweep has blackened hands and is ever ready to hug you affectionately.

Housewives, beware! The chimney sweep has blackened hands and is ever ready to hug you affectionately. In the evening those who have actively taken part in the merrymaking of the carnival proceed, under the music, into the village pub. Women and girls wear the most beautiful Sorbian national costumes of the Wojerecy (Hoyerswerda) region; men wear black trousers, a white shirt and a blue apron.

The first three dances - the fast waltz, polka and mazurka - belong to the participants of the carnival while elderly women of the village watch them intently.

To get a place in the pub hall on that evening is not at all easy because both the old and the young of the village want to take part in the Shrovetide dance. It is the occasion to use the beer coupons, too.

The carnival ends long after midnight, and everybody looks forward to taking part in the camprowanje next year again.

Günther Zschech, Ćisk (Zeißig)

Zapust - A festive Shrovetide procession of young people in Lower Lusatia

In addition to the camprowanje and its ending connected with the consumption of the gathered eggs, a festive procession of young people called zapust takes place in the period before Lent as well. It is one of the most significant events among Lower Lusatian festive customs.

Zapust - A festive Shrovetide procession of young people in Žylow (Sielow)

The zapust is held on a Saturday or Sunday after the camprowanje carnival. All girls in the procession wear the festive Lower Lusatian dancing costume. Embroidered scarves, skirt ribbons and the elaborate headdress called lapa, which make this national costume complete, are often new because elderly women often give them to their granddaughters as a present. In order to avoid criticism, girls tend to leave the dressing to experienced women. Afterwards girls gather in the pub and wait for the young men of the village.

When they finally come, they get a Shrovetide bouquet of artificial flowers, which they fix, to their hat or to the lapel. The oldest of the young people then reads a strict order concerning the staging and course of the procession. At the same time it is announced who will walk, in pairs, with who.

After a dance of individual pairs, the whole party goes out of the pub and is photographed in front of it. The procession of young people then sets out, in the agreed order and with the band in the lead, on the round through the village. The main purpose of the procession is to stop at houses of those inhabitants who contributed most to the welfare of the community. The honoured villagers are given a bouquet of artificial flowers and dance an honorary round. In return the young people get good sums of money. In the evening all villagers meet in the pub for the Shrovetide dance.

Earlier it was believed that all had to dance as much as they could because only in that way flax harvest would be rich in the new year. Girls tried to dance with the tallest young men and jump as high as possible so that the flax plants could grow high as well.

Further information on the life, history, language and culture of the Sorbs in Germany can be found in our booklets (published in English):

- A Little Guide to the Sorbs (Wends) in Germany;

- Easter among the Sorbs;

- Customs and Traditions of the Sorbs in Lower Lusatia;

which you may obtain at the following addresses:

Sorbian Cultural Center
Póstowe naměsto 2
D-02625 Budyšin/Bautzen
Łužica/Lusatia
Germany

tel.: (03591) 42105
fax: (03591) 42811
email: stiftung-ski@sorben.com

Sorbian Cultural Information Office "LODKA"
Augusta-Bebelowa droga 82
D-03046 Chośebuz/Cottbus
Łužyca/Lusatia
Germany

tel. (0355) 48576469
fax. (0355) 48576469
email: stiftung-lodka@sorben.com