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Easter in Germany and the Amazing Franconian Easter Fountains

What is Easter like in Germany? Traditional and fun. Our favorite? The Osterbrunnen or Franconian Easter Fountains.


Easter in Germany is in many ways similar to what I was used to in the United States, however there is one tradition that is completely different, and that is decorating the town fountains with Easter eggs.

In this article, you will learn about:

Decorated Town Hall Fountain in Franconia, Easter Eggs and Pine boughs.
Right in front of the Town Hall, the water fountain has been decorated in a traditional Franconian manner with pine boughs and Easter Eggs.
Decorating Easter Eggs in Germany is similar to the US, from dying them solid colors to putting local characters on them.
Decorating Easter Eggs in Germany is similar to the US, from dying them solid colors to putting local characters on them. My favorite here is the traditional Chimney Sweep.

Easter in Germany – Similar to the U.S.

Most German Easter traditions are very similar to the ones we celebrate in the U.S. such as:

  • Eating chocolate animals, especially bunnies
  • Eating lamb for Easter dinner
  • Decorating Easter eggs for German Easter decorations and having an Easter Egg hunt
Icicles hang from the Osterbrunnen 
 Frankische Schweiz on a cold Easter morning.
Icicles hang from the Osterbrunnen of Frankische Schweiz on a cold Easter morning.

Unique Traditional German Easter Traditions

However, there are a few traditions that differ from what we are used to. For instance, Germans like to decorate their houses with Easter egg trees in Germany.

The “tree” is normally a bare branch stuck in a garden pot. Then it’s decorated with beautiful wooden or blown-out Easter Eggs that have been meticulously painted. These trees are usually shown through the front window of the home and make wonderful traditional German Easter decorations.

Another tradition, especially with children, is playing a fighting game with the colored hard-boiled eggs. Two people try to smack the other, cracking the shell. It’s all in good fun.

Bunnies are another symbol for Easter, and this town not only decorated its water well, but filled the village with bunny scenes as well.
Bunnies are another symbol for Easter, and this town not only decorated its water well, but filled the village with bunny scenes as well.

Many dorfs and villages will hold a bonfire over the weekend as well. This harkens back to pagan times, and ushering in the new spring.

Easter lasts a little longer in Germany. It begins on Gruendonnerstag, or Maundy Thursday. Because it has the modern day word for “green” in it, they like to eat green foods on the Thursday before Easter.

Most people will just add some greens like spinach or lettuce, but many folks love to eat the traditional Frankfurter Green sauce with some hard-boiled eggs. (source)

However, there is a tradition that I truly love above all others, that of decorating the town fountains. This tradition began in Frankische Schweiz, and since Jim and I lived there for a couple of years, we just had to go out and find the most beautiful German Easter fountain.

Osterbrunnen – Franconian Easter Fountain

Easter eggs, pine boughs, yellow ribbons adorn this town fountain in Franconia.
Easter eggs, pine boughs, yellow ribbons adorn this town fountain in Franconia.

What are Osterbrunnen?

During the Easter season, the townspeople decorate the city center water fountains with pine boughs and decorated Easter Eggs.

This tradition began in the area of Bavaria called Frankische Schweiz, but it has since spread to other parts of the country as well.

The German Easter fountains are decorated and left standing for about 3 weeks. Many are built up on Palm Sunday, and if you get the chance to see them putting them up, it’s quite a spectacle. (source)

Daffodils and brightly colored Easter Eggs decorate this Franconian village Osterbrunnen.
Daffodils and brightly colored Easter Eggs decorate this Franconian village Osterbrunnen.

How Did Decorating Town Fountains Begin?

How did these traditional German Easter decorations begin? Many say it harkens back to a more pagan time when people worshipped items from nature.

The wells would be decorated with eggs, paying tribute to water as an essential element in life and to eggs as a symbol of fertility.

All the Easter fountains, or Osterbrunnen, that we came across had similar qualities. The townspeople had fashioned wire supports for pine garlands, in the shape of arches, which resemble a crown. On these arches, there were strings of colored eggs.

Iron horse statue decorated with Easter Eggs, Germany.
Fountains aren’t the only things decorated with Easter Eggs during the season.

Some of the eggs were plastic, but many were hollowed out eggs. All had been decorated or hand painted. These were strung in groups of color; blue or yellow were very popular strands. Often other elements were intertwined with the eggs.

Many of the arches were topped by a crown or cross. There were prominent or larger eggs sporting important Easter symbols, such as lambs or bunnies.

Some had Easter baskets, many had chickens, and one place even had larger-than-life straw bunnies delivering eggs from their bicycles.

Arches and Easter Eggs, bunnies and baskets are all part of decorating the towns in Frankische Schweiz for the Easter holiday.
Arches and Easter Eggs, bunnies and baskets are all part of decorating the towns in Frankische Schweiz for the Easter holiday.

What is the Best Way to See the Osterbrunnen and Traditional German Easter Decorations?

We highly recommend taking a weekend during the season to rent a car and see what decorated fountains you can find see this is one of the many unusual things to do in Germany.

This is what happened to us. It was a beautiful Friday afternoon, and one of my fellow teachers just yelled at me in passing to go searching out the decorated Easter wells over the weekend.

After finding out what they were, the challenge was accepted, and we had a great time. We spent the night in a small hotel, ate a fresh trout lunch, and really enjoyed our time exploring the Franconian countryside.

Where are the Osterbrunnen (Map to the Easter Fountains)?

Map of Franconian Easter Fountains.
Go to our Interactive Google Map here.

Where to Stay During a Traditional German Easter

There are plenty of small inns and hotels all over Franconia, and truthfully you can’t go wrong. We love the smaller, family run hotels that have restaurants. We’ve found that by the end of a day’s touring and photographing, we just like to go downstairs to eat our dinner and have a good beer.

Osterbrunnen - One Easter Egg tree and a decorated Franconian Easter Fountain.
Osterbrunnen – One Easter Egg tree and a decorated Franconian Easter Fountain.
Frohe Ostern, or Happy Easter. People marveling at the intricate design of this Osterbrunnen.
Frohe Ostern, or Happy Easter. People marveling at the intricate design of this Osterbrunnen.

Conclusion

Easter is one of our favorite things about spring in Germany because of these unique traditions. We especially love taking a short overnight weekend road trip to try and find the most beautifully adorned town fountains.

There’s nothing like traveling through the countryside all day village-hopping, then cozying up for a good meal at our hotel restaurant at night.

If you decide to go fountain hunting this Easter, let us know how it went!

Have you ever been to Franconia? Have you seen the Osterbrunnen? If not, there is still time. They usually stay up for about two weeks after Easter.

What Easter traditions do you celebrate?

Frohe Ostern or Happy Easter everybody!

Author Bio: Corinne Vail is a travel photographer, food lover, and a perpetual traveler who has been travel writing for over 14 years. For many years she lived overseas in Germany, Japan, Turkey, South Korea, and the Netherlands teaching the children of the US. military. She’s visited over 90 countries, and she’s not stopping anytime soon.

duffelbagspouse

Friday 3rd of March 2017

I loved spending Easter in Germany. Its a fun time.

Corinne Vail

Friday 3rd of March 2017

Stacey, It's a fun time, and everyone is so ready for good weather that all the markets and decorated wells help us smile.

Alex S

Friday 3rd of March 2017

Ausgezeichnet! Thank you for sharing a glimpse into Germany during Easter. I've only seen Germany during Christmas but this is absolutely beautiful.

Corinne Vail

Friday 3rd of March 2017

Alex, Germany does all the holidays well. Thanks.