Rattling
Rappeln was a very common form of people's justice, especially in western Germany, from the Middle Ages up to the 20th century , in which a person who, in the eyes of the rest of the citizens, was guilty of moral misconduct, had violated the people's sense of justice un moral lifestyle, was "acoustically lynched".
The target of this "people's court" received visits from people around them until late at night, who climbed onto the roof under cover of darkness, knocked on the roof tiles and on the gutters, hit the wooden shutters and hit the slates " rappelten ".
At the same time, the outraged citizens held a " cat music " with disused metal household appliances - such as pots, jugs, frying pans - out of tune wind instruments and disused kettles. This “disharmonious symphony” was a public denunciation that was associated with a lot of noise and was accompanied by yelling, screaming and whistling .
This habit was gradually given up over the years because on the one hand the moral concepts changed and on the other hand the accompanying "cat music" was interpreted as disturbing noise and was therefore prosecuted by the police .
In Austria there is the "ratchet", in some areas also called Räppeln, Rappeln, Klappern (also Kleppern, Kliäppern), rasps, Schledern, Kläpstern, Klibberen, Karren, Lören, Garren or Klacheln. This is a linguistically similar custom, but in terms of its meaning and purpose it is completely different, which is cultivated in Catholic areas during Holy Week. Children (mostly acolytes) walk through the streets of the villages and districts with wooden instruments, ratchets, to remind the believers of the times of prayer and devotions with different sayings.
swell
- ↑ Tü Pitters Klocke tones . JF Ziegler'sche Buchdruckerei, Remscheid 1919.
- ^ Gustav Hermann Halbach : Bergischer Sprachschatz , 1951.
- ↑ Remscheider General-Anzeiger , July 15, 1895.