GERMAN FAMILY LIFE: THE POLTER-ABEND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2130, 20 December 1894, Page 10

GERMAN FAMILY LIFE : THE POLTER-ABEND.

Germans — among themselves— are as cheerful as the French and as serious aa the English. They are the best dancers in Europe, and tbe best mu>icians of Europe, as they are almost the bet>t bnsintS6 men in Europe They can be as wise aB the Greek Sages, and as mirthful and simple as children. They are frolicsome and sedate in turns, according to circumstances, and in their leisure hours they lay aside their cares to be children with children. They write philosophy and delight ia toys. Daring my three years' stay in Goi many I took part in more pleasant pastimes than during the whole of my previous and af Ur life.

The German Christmas tree is quite a different thing from its imitations in England and other countries. Thair Christmas tree ia a giant, the others are but pigmies. Bat today I feel inspired to tell you what a German " Polter-Abend " is. A night of frolics we might call it in English, and a night of frolics it is. It is the night which precedes a wedding, whether of orange blossom, silver, gold, or diamond 1

To begin with the first, the friends and relatives of the bride and bridegroom devise an entertainment to celebrate the last day of their single life. Sometimes the entertainment takes place in the bride's bouse, sometimes at a friend's house, or, if the company is expected to be very numerous, it takes place at some public rooms. The bride and bridegroom are not allowed to know the items of the " Polter- Abend," though, of course, they know of it, as there is no German weddiDg, whether in hut or palace, without this festivity. Some of the 11 Polter-Abend " of crowned heads, indeod, have become historical, and have been reproduced in book and on canvas. In one of theße, tableaux vivants of " Lalla Rookh " were performed by royal personages and court ladies.;

At a " Polter- Abend " I myself witnessed daring my three happy years in German land, there were tableaux vivanta representing episodes in the bride and bridegroom 1 * life— such as their first meeting, their betrothal, their parting wheu he went to the war, her first letter, his return, the wedding 1 Appropriate music accompanied the whole. Then two beautiful girl?, representing the two rivers which ran through the bride and bridegroom's native towns, recited stausaas on ths -virtues of the young couple. An elder rotative then appeared ac schoolmaster, and held a class of history for the youngsters of the family— the hictory being that of the two families, slightly builegqued. All the unmarried friends of the bride also formed a charming ballet; and the bachelor friends of tho bridegroom sang comic songs and choruses. 'Ine entertainment finished, refreshments

were handed round, and the night concluded with dancing, whioh lasted till daybreak*. The poor bride seemed very wan and weary when it was all over, for she was obliged to dance with every man in the room at least; once during the evening. She was dressed in white, with a myrtle wreath on her head, the German bridal dress— mlmw the veil. The dress was of white muslin, instead of beirg of satin, as on the bridal day. At silver weddings the wife wears a silver" wreath, which is afterward carefully kept under a glass caße, and at each subsequent anniversary a gold leßf is added to the wreath, and when there are 25 of these gold leaves, the golden weddirg is celebrated, and the old wife wears a gold wreath over her cap. Here, also, I have re collections of a golden wedding " Polter-Abend," The entertainmentß were much on a par with the firafc, only the schoolmaster was a son of the old couple, and the scholars were their grandchildren. The chapter of history, also, whioh they had to say wes a longer one than on tho first occasion. A touching Incident was when an old lady stepped forth with a basket of flowers ia her hand and recitod a piece of poetry. This old lady was the only surviving one of all who had witnessed the old people* first wedding 50 years before. She had been their bridesmaid. Two days after the golden " PolterAbend " (to allow a quiet day of rest between the two ceremonies) the old people went to church, the bride wearing her golden wreath, and they were married over again. The church was crammed with their friends and perfious of every age and every class in life.

I have often wondered how It is that the " Polter-Abend " has not yet been introduced into England. Since we have adopted the German Christmas tree, why not adopt this poetical custom 1 Tho English are as fond of fancy dressing and theatricals as the Germans, and the " Polter-Abend " is a splendid opportunity to show off various talents in reciting, singing, dancing, &c. True, the Germans know how to do these thing's woll, and enter heart and soul into the fun, which Englishmen might not do.

Germanß are still fond of dancing even after having reached middle age. There are no door-loungora at Gairaan balls, no bored looks. Men go to bulls to dance and to be amused. Tho first dance, or rather promenade, at every ball is devoted to old people, though the young may take part in it. It is called the " polonaise." It is merely walked through, but the leading couple devise new figures, which give movement and variety to the promenade. When the datcss are interrupted for supper they are resumed by a second "polonaise" la honour of the old folk, who thus have a little compensation for their long waits for ths young ones under their oharge. Englishmen are merry at Christmas only. Germans are merry all the year, one way or another ; at least, so I found during the three years I lived among them as one of themselves. Germans aro naturally very poetical, there being very few of the better educated who cannot write a piece of poetry on the spur of the moment. Their poetry is the poetry of the heart, not mere words. They are likewise very romantic in spite of their stolid look, and will make rendezvous on a star with absent friends — platonic friends — not lovers. At a certain hour each is supposed to look at the star fixed upon and then converse with each other. Their souls meet if their bodies are apart.

It is at surd to imagine that the German woman iB only a clever housewife. She is quite as well educated and accomplished— lf not more so — as the women of other countries, and as full of fun, when young, as other girls. She can also flirt as well as cook ; and is as derated and loving a wife as the most devoted Englishwoman. And if German women make the b«Bt of wives, German men make the best of husbandf. The one is worthy of the other. Those who call German wives unhappy slaves have never lived with Germans. Surely to be a clever housewife is not to be a domestic slave ?

The wives I have known attended to their house in the morning, after which they weDt out, paid visits, rode, drove, or received their friends like other women in other countries. If they work they read novels and instructive books ; and have time to sing, dance, and make merry when they will. If I were not English I Bhould wish to bfi German 1