Hiddenseer bracket tree

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Exhibit in the Hiddenseer Heimatmuseum

The Hiddensee bow tree is a variant of the Christmas tree that was widespread on the island of Hiddensee in earlier centuries . The shape of a fir tree was reproduced from a central support and bent branches inserted there. The branches were given various kinds of Christmas decorations. Occasionally, such a construction was also used on the island of Rügen or in the Hanseatic city of Stralsund , where it was then called the Rügener ironing tree or simply ironing tree .

Description and history

A bow tree consists of a fir-like structure made of curved willow branches or other suitable material. The arches or hangers were attached to a log and wrapped with evergreen branches of juniper or boxwood; Colored tissue paper was also used. The arms created in this way were decorated with jewelry, gingerbread figures, sweets, nuts and candles. The trunk initially consisted of a broomstick that was sharpened and placed in a vessel with sand. Later he received his own, relatively heavy, wide stand to maintain stability. On each of the four feet there was an apple symbolizing fertility . Depending on the size, the hanger tree was placed by the window or on a table in the living room, it was also placed directly on the floor. Some residents also set up these trees outside in front of the houses. The top of the tree was often given a "Kinjesköpping" , a small child Jesus doll. Or it showed a stiff pennant.

This special Christmas tree was created out of necessity, because almost no firs or other suitable conifers grew on the islands. The bow tree also found its way into some North Sea islands because there were hardly any conifers there either (see also: Jöölboom ).

Only since the end of the 20th century, with the increase in the trade in goods and the steady stream of tourists to Rügen and Hiddensee, were and are the usual Christmas trees for the Advent season.

Some committed citizens have been campaigning to revive this tradition since the beginning of the 2010s. Above all, there is ironing trees in this context, of art forging be created.

A small bow tree is exhibited in the Hiddensee Local History Museum (see introductory picture). There are also originals of Hiddenseer temple trees in the collections of the Stralsund Museum , the Binzer Museum and the Berlin Museum European Cultures .

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Christian Rödel: The rebirth of the bow tree, on www.ostsee-zeitung.de, December 22, 2017; accessed on June 21, 2019.