Christmas Traditions
Christmas was an important holiday in Norka
Christmas trees were decorated with apples and sweets, gold and silver paper ornaments fashioned by
the children, and candles. In areas where evergreens were not available cherry trees would be cut, well
in advance and set in water in a warm place so they would bud and bloom by Christmas.
The highlight of Christmas was the celebration on Christmas Eve, with the choir songs and recitations by the children. At midnight, the older folks went caroling from house to house. They would sing two or three pieces then knock at the window and call "For you today is born the Savior, celebrate with us!" The families having larger homes would invite the carolers in for hot tea, coffee cake and pastries. - Excerpted from "Norka: a German Village in Russia" by Marie Olson and Anna Reisbick. This booklet is available for purchase from AHSGR.
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Christmas in a Volga German Colony
When colonists settled in the Volga region of Russia in 1763 they brought some of the Christmas customs of Germany.
The story in the Bible suggests that Christ was born at night and since 400 A.D. Mass has been celebrated at midnight. This is the reason most of us have celebrated on the evening before Christmas day.
In the village of Norka a program was presented by children on Christmas Eve. It was wasn't put on by the Sunday School as we know it but by the village school. The children received religious training daily as part of their education. It was also held in the school house because the church had no heating facilities.
The Christmas program consisted of poems and songs given by the village children who were chosen by their teachers. Everyone looked forward to seeing the huge Christmas tree which was decorated with burning candles. At the top of the tree was airing of angles which revolved from the heat given off by these candles. This was probably the only Chirstmas tree in the village because there were no fir trees in the area. It had to be brought in from another region. In the homes Christmas trees were assimilated by using boughs from other trees and bushes. They were decorated with ornaments and colored paper chains.
After the Christmas program the children were anxious to go home to await the arrival of the "Krist-Kindchen". The name which translates "Christ-Child", was a woman wearing a long white dress or robe and a veil to hide her identity. From her apron she would give out candies, cookies, and other treats to the children. In other villages there are accounts of the "Krist-Kindchen" carrying a switch. By kissing this switch the children showed their obedience.
In Germanic folklore there was such a person called the "Lulzelfrau" and another called "Perchta". They were based on the Patron Saint Lucy dating to 300 A.D. She was designated as the "Saint of Light" In Swedish folklore there is the Lucia Bride, Queen of Lights, who wears a crown of burning candles. The "Krist-Kindchen", who also carries a burning candle, is probably from the same origin.
When the "Krist-Kindchen" left there came another person. All the boys heard reference to him during the year. If they weren't behaving they were told, "Der Belznikel kommt". This mean and gruff character dressed rough and shabby and could scare any adult. He carried a switch and would use it on boys who had been bad during the year. Sometimes he would put a boy in a big sack and take him away.
In the name "Belznikel" - "Belz" has been translated as meaning the fleece coat he would wear inside out or as the work "fool".
St. Nicholas, who is was known in some European countries, had a person with him who was devil character. He would give pieces of coal to bad children whereas St. Nicholas would give out treats. In Germany he was know as "Knecht Ruprect" or as "Black Peter"
On Christmas day there was a morning church service at the school house followed by family dinners. There was no exchange of presents as we know it today. The children did take cookies, called "brainik" to their godparents. One of the treats that the children would receive was a candy, called "confect", that was wrapped in paper. On it would be a colorful picture and the girls would save these wrappers.
Much visiting was carried on among the homes with the families using their finest horses and sleighs. The young ladies would gather at one home in the evening and the young men would ride by with family sleighs to catch their attention.
This account is of one village and may have varied somewhat in the other villages of the Volga and Black Sea colonies. It was also at a time, in the early 1900's, when things would soon change in Russia.
Source: Material given to William Burbach by his mother, Elizabeth Burbach and by Katherine
Rudolph in 1980. Provided courtesy of William (Bill) Burbach, MiIwaukie, Oregon.
Several days before Christmas the family gathered in one room of the house. The mother who was outside passed gifts in front of the window as she knelt below out of sight. One can imagine the excitement of the children as they saw toys and goodies passed in front of their eyes. No doubt they were very good children from that time until Christmas!
One appealing folk belief was that when the sky was red at sunset on the days before Christmas, the angels were busy baking cookies for the holidays.
Even some of the animals must have looked forward to Christmas. It was a custom in Volga German homes to bake an extra loaf of bread for the cat and dog. Bad luck was supposed to result if the family forgot to bake this gift for their pets.
After the Christmas program in Norka, the children were anxious to go home to await the arrival of the "Christkind", or "Christ child". The “Christkind” was a young woman wearing a long white dress or robe and a veil to hide her identity. She carried a burning candle and from her apron she would give out candies, cookies, and other treats to the children.
When the "Christkind" departed there came another person. All the boys heard reference to him during the year. If they weren't behaving they were told, "Der Belznikel kommt" or the Belznikel will come for you. This somewhat scary and gruff character, was usually played by a grown up boy, dressed in rough and shabby clothes with a fur cape. Belznikel roughly translates to “Nicholas wearing fur”. The Belznikel carried a switch and would use it on boys who had been bad during the year. Sometimes he would threaten to take a disobedient boy away in a large ragged sack. This trick usually improved the boy’s behavior very quickly.
The Belznickel originated in southwestern Germany along the Rhine, the Saarland, and the Odenwald region of Baden-Württemberg and is also a part of the Christmas tradition in the Pennsylvania Dutch communities.