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Ostern

Easter is called Ostern in German. The Easter Week starts on Palm Sunday as is known as the Karwoche. Its climax starts on Maundy Thursday, known as Gründonnerstag and is followed by Karfreitag, Karsamstag, Ostersonntag and Ostermontag.

Traditionally people either go to Church on Saturday evening to a service called the Osterfeuer or on Sunday morning.

Also on Sunday morning children hunt for Easter Eggs, Ostereier, around the flat or in the garden.

Easter marks the end of Lent, so people eat meat again on Easter Sunday. They eat pork, beef or even rabbit and can start drinking alcohol again.

Karfreitag, Ostersonntag and Ostermontag are public holidays, so all of the shops are closed.

The date on which Easter falls varies from year to year, but can be calculated. It can be anytime between the 22nd March and 25th April. The exact fomula is known as “Computus” (see Wikipedia for more details).

To hear a simple explanation and a short discussion in German, listen to the podcast:

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18 Responses to “Ostern”

  1. AllThingsGerman.net » Blog Archive » Happy Easter - Frohe Ostern! Says:

    […] would like to wish a Happy Easter to all our […]

  2. German Words Explained » Blog Archive » Die Auferstehung Says:

    […] « Ostern […]

  3. Pension Sprachschule Maria Shipley » Blog Archive » Die Auferstehung Says:

    […] Die Auferstehung is the German word for the Resurrection – the event in the New Testament that is celebrated at Easter. […]

  4. German Words Explained » Blog Archive » Christi Himmelfahrt Says:

    […] Himmelfahrt is known in English as Ascension Day. It is celebrated on the 40th day after Easter […]

  5. German Words Explained » Blog Archive » Fronleichnam Says:

    […] Fronleichnam is the name given to Corpus Christi – a date in the Catholic Church calendar that is celebrated 60 days after Easter. […]

  6. Pension Sprachschule Maria Shipley » Blog Archive » Fronleichnam Says:

    […] Fronleichnam is the name given to Corpus Christi – a date in the Catholic Church calendar that is celebrated 60 days after Easter. […]

  7. AllThingsGerman.net » Blog Archive » Fronleichnam Says:

    […] Fronleichnam is the name given to Corpus Christi – a date in the Catholic Church calendar that is celebrated 60 days after Easter. […]

  8. German Words Explained » Blog Archive » Osterfeuer Says:

    […] Osterfeuer is a bonfire that is lit on the evening of Easter Saturday, usually in connection with a Church […]

  9. AllThingsGerman.net » Blog Archive » Osterfeuer Says:

    […] Osterfeuer is a bonfire that is lit on the evening of Easter Saturday, usually in connection with a Church […]

  10. Free eCards Says:

    Ostern sounds little bit good than Easter…… Its sounds great. Isn’t it ?

  11. Easter Pack 1 | Easter | German Words Explained Says:

    […] Ostern […]

  12. Pension Sprachschule Maria Shipley » Blog Archive » Easter Pack 1 Says:

    […] Ostern […]

  13. Pension Sprachschule Maria Shipley » Blog Archive » Christi Himmelfahrt Says:

    […] Himmelfahrt is known in English as Ascension Day. It is celebrated on the 40th day after Easter […]

  14. Osterhase | Easter | German Words Explained Says:

    […] tradition, which dates back to the 17th Century, says that the Osterhase decorates eggs at Easter and hides them in people’s gardens, although the practise became more common in the 20th […]

  15. Pension Sprachschule Maria Shipley » Blog Archive » Gründonnerstag Says:

    […] day, people go to Church to be freed of their sins in order to make a “clean” start for Easter, thus leading to one explanation of the name: the idea is that “green wood” is said to […]

  16. Fastenzeit | Easter | German Words Explained Says:

    […] In some areas of Germany, people are not supposed to laugh on Good Friday, or dance between Maundy Thursday and Easter Sunday. […]

  17. Christi Himmelfahrt Says:

    […] Himmelfahrt is known in English as Ascension Day. It is celebrated on the 40th day after Easter […]

  18. Die Auferstehung Says:

    […] Die Auferstehung is the German word for the Resurrection – the event in the New Testament that is celebrated at Easter. […]


 

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