The Walpurgisnacht is celebrated on the 30th of April in Germany.  According to tradition, on this night witches from throughout the country fly to the Blocksberg for their annual gathering.

In many places bonfires are lit, and it is even a tradition in some parts for people to jump over it!

Other traditions are comparable to those at Halloween.  Since the 1990s the latter has become more popular in Germany, making the Walpurgisnacht less well-known, especially amongst foreigners.

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

(Press the “play” button to listen to the podcast)

Download the MP3 file