What is Walpurgis Night? What's the night before May Day all about?

On the night of April 30th to May 1st, the witches are on the loose – Walpurgis Night is approaching. This custom, also known as "burning the witches," is primarily found in Northern and Central Europe. Walpurgis Night was once observed as a superstitious ritual. Today, however, various customs and celebrations are in the foreground, intended to herald the transition from spring to summer.

In Germany, the term "Dance into May" has become particularly established. Events are held around Walpurgis Night in many places, and traditional May bonfires are lit in rural areas. But where does this custom actually come from?

The tradition, first mentioned in the Middle Ages as "Walpurgis Night," has its roots in pre-Christian times. It is said to have originally been a pagan spring festival with which the Germanic peoples celebrated the end of winter. Even today, many Walpurgis Night customs are closely linked to celebrations of the warmer season.

It was only during the course of Christianization that the pagan festival acquired religious significance. The name Walpurgis Night derives from Saint Walburga, an abbess who lived in England in the eighth century. In the Catholic and Protestant churches, her feast day falls on February 25th. The connection to Walpurgis Night on May 1st stems from her canonization on that day.

As one of four dates of the so-called Witches' Sabbath, Walpurgis Night was part of the tradition of early modern witchcraft and witchcraft persecution. According to legend, witches gathered on the night of May 1st on the Blocksberg (Brocken) in the Harz Mountains to celebrate a feast and indulge in the devil's company.

In reference to this witches' night, large bonfires, called witches' or May fires, were lit on April 30th to drive away evil spirits. The custom of singing and dancing around the fire has been preserved – in a modified form – on Walpurgis Night.

Many of the modern May Day customs also originate from other traditions that aren't necessarily directly related to Witches' Night. These include spring customs such as the erection of maypoles or the May singing, in which children go around the houses asking for sweets.

The May punch, a mixture of wine and woodruff, is also part of the tradition of spring festivals and is drunk mainly in the period between Walpurgis Night and the Maypole cutting.

Meaning and origin explained

One of the most popular modern customs, however, is the May Day dance. The largest public Walpurgis Night events in Germany still take place in the Harz Mountains. These events reflect the original folk beliefs; many visitors dress up as witches or devils and celebrate until late into the night.

Traditionally, May Day is celebrated primarily in rural areas. However, the festivities are increasingly shifting to urban nightlife, where parties, concerts, and other events take place from April 30th to May Day.