Engaged...German Style
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- jerrib
- Zanzi
- biogardener
- Zanzi
- biogardener
- Zanzi
- pennywhitting
- Zanzi
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» jerrib - I always enjoy
learning of other cultures, Sylvia, and you do such a great job of bringing your topics to life.I was surprised to read that Germans wear their wedding rings on the right hand. Now you have me wondering what other cultures do.
Also, I can see all the broken dishes and be thankful I don't have to clean them up! Surely there must be another way to observe this tradition, like making a craft from glass shards or some such thing. Just thinking aloud. Hmm. I could do without this tradition.
-- posted by jerrib
» Zanzi - Re: I always enjoy
In response to I always enjoy posted by jerrib:Thank you for stopping by and for leaving your kind comments! 
Regarding the Polterabend tradition...I remember as a child when a neighbor down the street was getting married and suddenly one evening there was an incredible noise of things crashing and breaking...just the friends having a good time...yikes!
-- posted by Zanzi
» biogardener - Customs in various places
I well remember, right after World War II, living in Bredelem, a small village at the northern edge of the Harz Mountains in Lower Saxony. The evening before one of the farmers' daughters got married, every child in the village would find an old piece of pottery somewhere to throw into the farmyard and then wait for the mother of the bride to give us each a piece of cake. In those days when every bit of food was rationed, only farmers had the ingredients to be able to bake cake, so that was the only cake we would get to taste until another farmer's daughter got married, and unfortunately, there weren't enough of them around to please us.Those pieces of broken pottery got recycled frequently. We would all make sure to take a piece back with us ready for the next Polterabend. Even old pottery was hard to come by in those days.
-- posted by biogardener
» Zanzi - Re: Customs in various places
In response to Customs in various places posted by biogardener:Thank you for sharing this memory with us!
-- posted by Zanzi
» biogardener - The Term "Bride"
I don't remember if you mention this in your article, but what I found difficult to understand when I came to Canada was the difference of use in the word "bride (Braut)." In Canada, and I imagine in other English-speaking countries as well, you are a bride from the day you get married until some time after the honeymoon. In Germany you are "Braut" from the day of the engagement to the day of the wedding when you become "wife (Frau)." It took me a long time to figure out the difference in usage, because no one ever explained it to me.-- posted by biogardener
» Zanzi - Re: The Term "Bride"
In response to The Term "Bride" posted by biogardener:Great distinction! In this article I only focused on the engagement, not so much on the wedding, but this is a great gem of knowledge.
-- posted by Zanzi
» pennywhitting - Re: Re: I always enjoy
I've thoroughly enjoyed reading this article and realize that I would be fine in both worlds. I have my own wedding band on my left hand and my grandmother's on my right. By any custom I must appear totally married :>)Best wishes. Glenice
In response to Re: I always enjoy posted by Zanzi:
-- posted by pennywhitting
» Zanzi - Re: Re: Re: I always enjoy
In response to Re: Re: I always enjoy posted by pennywhitting:LOL...you are married from every angle!
-- posted by Zanzi
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