Sommergewinn - Summer Triumphant Festival
One of the largest spring festivals in Germany, the Summer Triumphant Festival (Sommergewinn) celebrates the coming of the growing season and banishes the darkness of the winter in Eisenach, a historic town in Thuringia.
A long history of celebrating summer
The tradition of celebrating the beginning of shorter, lighter days and spring temperatures is found all over the world. In Eisenach, the celebration has been mentioned as early as the 1200s, and specifically as the Summer Triumphant Festival since the early 1700s.
Image credit: Fotostudio Thurau
When most people were engaged in agriculture, this victory of summer over winter was an important part of the year, when preparation of the fields could begin and the very first fresh greens could be found. Although this is a common time for celebration, it’s not recognised as an official German holiday.
Mrs. Sun and Mr. Winter argue
The parade has been happening nearly every year since 1897, and in 2024 it begins at 2pm on March 8. At the end of the parade, two people playing the parts of Mrs Sun and Mr Winter have an argument in the Marktplatz, and at the end of the argument, they set fire to a straw puppet, symbolically banishing winter.
Image credit: Paul-Philipp Braun
Beautifully decorated houses
Homeowners decorate the front of their houses with symbols of new growth and abundance like pretzels, roosters and eggs, as well as giant crepe paper flowers. There is a commission that walks around and judges each house. You can judge for yourself by walking down Ehrensteig, Katharinenstrasse or Frankfurterstrasse.
Image credit: Torsten Daut
Cartwheel on fire
Since at least the mid-1600s, the people of Eisenach celebrate the coming longer days by stuffing a giant wheel full of straw, setting fire to it, and rolling it down a large hill. This custom has also been practised across Europe in the past, but is still prevalent in Eisenach.
Image credit: Fotostudio Thurau
Attending the Sommergewinn in Eisenach
Like most festivals in small German towns, the local police will shut down the streets to traffic. The best way to attend is to approach Eisenach from Frankfurt by train. For more information and details about the festivals and timings, visit the summer triumphant festival website.
Thumb image credit: Fotostudio Thurau