Feuerbräuche#

Bonfire Customs, the lighting of bonfires on particular dates during the year. The most well-known bonfire customs include: the Christmas fire ( Christmas Customs) in Tirol, the Carnival bonfire ("Funkensonntag" in Vorarlberg, "Holepfannfeuer" in South Tyrol, both on the first Sunday of Lent), the Easter fire ( Easter Customs) in Carinthia, Styria and the province of Salzburg (especially the Lungau region), Tirol, Lower Austria and Burgenland, the bonfire for the Summer Solstice (Johannisfeuer), which are common throughout Austria, Herzjesufeuer in Tirol as well as Petersfeuer in Upper Austria and Salzburg. A religious (Catholic) meaning is often attributed to these (Herzjesufeuer and Petersfeuer) bonfires, but it is often maintained that they are meant to celebrate the awakening of nature. Bonfires are often accompanied by the swinging of torches ( Scheibenschlagen) and the burning in effigy of dummies. In mid-August "mountain bonfires" are lit in protest against the increasing ecological destruction of the Alps.

Literature#