Hilari
The Hilari is a carnival-like custom. It is celebrated exclusively in the four villages of Feuerthalen-Langwiesen , Flurlingen and Laufen-Uhwiesen along the Cholfirst in the north of the canton of Zurich . The Hilari is one of the oldest carnival customs in the canton.
Holy Hilary
The exact date of the festival is determined by the commemoration of St. Hilary of Poitiers , January 13th. If January 13th falls on a Friday, Hilari will be celebrated on that weekend (Friday and Saturday). If January 13th falls on a different weekday, the festival will not take place until the following weekend.
History of Hilaris
The four northernmost villages in the Zurich wine region have been celebrating Hilari for more than 600 years . It is traced back to the legend of the damsel Berta from Laufen Castle , above the Rhine Falls . Berta was adored and loved by her subjects because she led a mild regiment. One day a Swabian knight asked for her hand. Since she did not want to leave her subjects, Berta rejected the noble knight. The nobleman was hurt in his honor and did not give in. He and his entourage besieged the castle. Berta secretly sent messengers to get help. Peasants from the four Cholfirstgemeinden hurried to rescue their beloved mistress from her predicament. The brave peasants drove out the besiegers and freed Berta. In gratitude for the redeeming act and in memory of her patron saint, St. Hilary, Berta von Laufen presented the communities with a deed of donation on parchment on Hilari Day, according to which the entire forest on Cholfirst was given to the rescuers, according to the number of farmers who were came to the rescue. Laufen-Uhwiesen received 600 Jucharten forest, Flurlingen 300 Jucharten forest and Langwiesen-Feuerthalen 300 Jucharten forest. A festival of joy was celebrated in the four Cholfirst communities, which is still celebrated in January again today.
A second version of the Hilari custom refers to a deed of donation of the forest dated December 27, 1397. In it, Bishop Burkart of Konstanz, Anna von Bethmaringen, allows her fiefdom to be given to the courtiers of Laufen, the residents of the former Uhwieser office, via the "Grüt" , transferred to.
The Latin word hilaritas means as much as happiness and exuberance.
Modern festival
The Hilari is demonstrably one of the oldest still practiced Zurich folk customs. The disciplinary order of the Zurich School Act of 1831 granted the students of the four Cholrist communities three days off school for the Hilari. The festivities are organized annually by the Hilariverein Feuerthalen, founded in 1872. There was a Hilari president since 1846. He was elected every year and chaired the organizing committee.
The Hilari is not a carnival and therefore masks are frowned upon. At the Hilari, visitors are in costumes and make up.
procedure
Friday
In the night from Thursday to Friday, all restaurants are open . In Laufen-Uhwiesen the Hilari is rung in at 4.30 a.m. with noise instruments. The day watch in Feuerthalen-Langwiesen starts half an hour earlier.
The schools are traditionally closely linked to the implementation and organize a special student helari. The students from Feuerthalen also have lunch together on Friday. This is followed by the children's parade with a Guggen concert . In the evening, the students celebrate Hilari with a disco. Similar events take place in the schools in neighboring communities.
On this evening, the Hilari is celebrated in the four communities with a hustle and bustle in the restaurants and at private events.
Saturday
The great Hilarium procession takes place in Feuerthalen at noon. In the evening at 5 p.m., the student philari ends with the Böögg burning . The Hilariball will then be celebrated throughout the night in the “Stumpenboden” gym.
Sunday
In the evening the abdication takes place and the following night the Hilari ends in the restaurants.
Web links
- Hilarivererein
- Hilari stays in: Neue Zürcher Zeitung from January 15, 2016
- Hilari article in: Neue Zürcher Zeitung of January 17, 1943