Valpurgiyev s night since April 30 for May 1

Valpurgiyev's night since April 30 for May 1

• In many countries of Western Europe night in since April 30 for May 1 is celebrated the holiday of spring which is going back to pre-Christian traditions. In the Celtic countries approximately in the same time Belteyn was marked out, and in some German regions for May first it is accepted to drive a round dance round the May tree.

• On the German national belief, serves as an annual holiday of the witches gathering this night round the master, the Satan, on the high, inaccessible Mount Brocken where they and celebrate "sabbath".

• The belief this, removed also Goethe in "Faust's" 1 st part, developed about the end of the VIII century probably in the same way as the belief in sorcerers and witches in general arose and extended: as the 1 st of May with special solemnity it was celebrated by pagans, old women and in general all those who couldn't refuse at once pagan rites in favor of Christianity, despite strict prohibition, continued to gather in inaccessible places that appropriate image, that is songs and dancings, to meet the 1 st of May. Situation (fires, the wild area) hearings or maybe purposely dismissed by these secret pagans (to get rid of excess witnesses), promoted distribution in the people of stories about the witches gathering this night in various inaccessible places. John Koler mentions these celebrations in 1603 further in the same 17 th century, but already in the second half the mention at Johann Praetorius meets.