A Very Rainy Polterabend

We started off the day at Sven’s family’s house. We met his mother there. His father was baking bread for the Polterabend, in his basement. Here I also was lent a Lederhosen to wear for the Polterabend by Sven’s father. He sells them on the side. Normally only the bride and groom will wear the Lederhosen and Dirndl, but they let me wear one too since I was a special guest. Unfortunately, they didn’t have any maternity Dirndl for Rebecca!

Bread for the Polterabend

Sven's father, Albert, and Sven

Getting help trying on the Ledelhosen

German Ilya

After visiting Sven’s family in Zell, we headed to Endenburgh for the Polterabend. Polterabend is the term for a German pre-wedding custom in which the guests gather to break porcelain to bring luck to the couple's marriage. The word "Polterabend" comes from German verb “poltern” (making a lot of noise) + noun “abend” (evening).

The Polterabend normally takes place in front of the house of the bride or that of her parents. The couple generally announces the occasion but does not specifically send out individual invitations. Word spreads via word of mouth, and those with a desire to show up may do so. Many couples use this as a way of including people whom they are not able to invite to the wedding itself. Something to eat and/or drink is arranged (either provided for or requested of the guests). Often times guests will bring their gifts to the Polterabend. The actual high point of the custom is the throwing onto the ground of porcelain that has been brought. However, stoneware, flowerpots or ceramics such as tiles, sinks and toilet bowls are also happily thrown items. Metal objects such as tin cans and bottle tops are brought along to the festivities. Forbidden are glasses (glass stands for happiness that should not be broken) and especially mirrors (as a broken mirror will bring seven years of bad luck). The couple must thereafter take care of cleaning up the pile of shards. This is supposed to make the couple aware that it will have to work together through difficult conditions and situations in life.

The first part of the Polterabend for Sven and Eny was in the rain, right outside Eny’s mom’s house. Here is where the smashing of porcelain plates, cups, bowls, and even a sink occurred. It was fun and interesting to observe this tradition, and most of the people there didn’t seem to know exactly how the tradition came about. Many guests seemed surprised to hear that we don’t have the same tradition in the U.S. Many objects were smashed and eventually, Sven and Eny were getting tired and unhappy with how long it was taking and how much sweeping up they had to do. With several hundred guests, there were many broken shards to clean. Finally it ended after they had me announce in German, “Shit! That is enough! Let’s go eat already!” After this, everyone headed to the tent with the food and beers.

Sven and Eny are cleaning up the dishes

A lot more dishes came even after this!

While many of the people did not speak English, there were plenty who did that we were able to communicate with. Rebecca was even able to speak French with one person. The food was very good; it was basically a big German potluck. While we ate, we conversed with Sven’s sister, Samantha, and her boyfriend, Martin. They both spoke English well, and our conversation with them was very nice. After the food, a large band, which Sven was a part of, played some German music.

The two plates on the right were Ilya's

The party was complete with music and dancing. Outside, it was raining heavily (we later learned that there was severe flooding in other parts of Germany) and it became quite muddy, but somehow it seemed to contribute to the festivity of the event. There were burning logs set up to direct guests through the rain to the bathrooms.

Sven has been a member of a “carnival group” from his hometown of Zell for a number of years. This group has been around for generations and always consists of 11 single men who basically party together during local carnivals, wearing traditional masks and costumes and drinking lots of beer. We learned that Sven’s marriage represents the end of his membership in this group, as its members must be unmarried. In commemoration of the occasion, the other 10 group members burned a life-sized, scarecrow-like version of Sven at the stake. It was quite the spectacle since they kept it burning with gasoline and had planted fireworks within it!

Sven's group getting ready to burn his effigy

Burning of "Sven"

Burning of "Sven"

Sven and Eny singing with his group

Sven playing the drum

Sven playing drum, Ilya playing tambourine

The party, which began at 6 p.m., lasted until after 5 a.m. and was a great time for all who attended.

Taking away over 700 bottles the next morning