History German Christmas Tree
Germany s tannenbaum christmas tree.
History german christmas tree. By the 18th century the christmas tree was popular throughout germany and illuminating it with wax candles was common in. It was in 1605 in strasbourg in alsace then in germany that a chronicler wrote in old german. The history of christmas trees goes back to the symbolic use of evergreens in ancient egypt and rome and continues with the german tradition of candlelit christmas trees first brought to america. The modern christmas tree was developed in 16th century germany when christians would bring the trees into their homes and decorate them.
The custom was widespread among the german lutherans by the 18th century but it was not until the following century that the christmas tree became a deep rooted german tradition. However the christmas tree tradition dates back to the middle of the 16th century when the first of tannenbaum ballads appeared in printing. The german religious reformer martin luther 1483 1546 is often credited with starting the christmas tree custom but the first appearance of a tannenbaum was recorded in germany many years after luther s death. By the 19th century the tradition spread across germany and abroad.
Martin luther 1483 1586 was a german theologian who began the protestant reformation in the 16 th century. Auff weihenachten richtett man. The story goes that as he walked through a dark forest one winter s night he looked up at the sky to see twinkling sterne shining through the branches of the fir trees. Introduced into england in the early 19th century the christmas tree was popularized in the mid 19th century by german born prince albert husband of queen victoria the victorian tree was decorated with toys and.
It is widely believed that martin luther was the first person to put lichter on the christmas tree.