German NutcrackerGerman Christmas Traditions and DecorationsIf you are interested in a German nutcracker then you have found the right page. Get here all informations you need to know before buying such a special German gift. I've added even a small video below showing our family-owned German nutcracker in action... Where does the name come from?The wooden nutcracker has his name from the nutcracker bird. This creature of the forest lives in Europe. It cracks seeds quickly with the help of its thick-billed structure.History of the German nutcrackerThe history of the wooden nutcracker starts in the 16th century in Germany. And of course it predates the famous ballet from the Russian componist Pjotr Iljitsch Tchaikovsky.Nutcrackers showed up in Germany's Erzgebirge region in 1725. Other estimations - like the town Seiffen - claim the nutcracker's official birth year as 1879. By the way, Seiffen in Germany was home to many of the world's most famous toymakers. Nutcracker's LegendErzgebirge legend: Long ago there lived a hardhearted and wealthy farmer. He promised a reward to anyone who could crack his walnuts. One day, a carver came from Seiffen and surprised the farmer with a wonderful wooden puppet. It was colourful painted with strong jaws, powerful enough to crack walnuts. Grateful, the miserly farmer rewarded the entire village.According to another legend the nutcracker might also be symbolic. Erzgebirge residents suffered Germany's early political repression. So, toymakers constructed a wooden figure whose only military purpose was to crack nuts on command. Traditional Look preferedMost collectors want the traditional look. The designer nutcracker with more hair or fabric, a occupation nutcracker or women are very new. They came up in West Germany after World War II. That is true also for figures like "Clara and the Mouse King" from The Nutcracker ballet. As Germany divided, the trends divided too. The video below shows you our traditional German nutcracker while his attempt to cracking nuts.German unification brought new trendsThe East Germans stuck to the traditional nutcracker - the king and the guard. West Germany, however, expanded the nutcracker line. After reunification West German businesses bought the East German toy companies.The business nature changed while designs became more innovative. Women, traditionally excluded from the court, are now represented. There exist even nutcrackers who are riding Harleys... The typical nutcracker collectionTradition dominates in the Christmas list of German collectibles. The most important and also first piece in a nutcracker collection is the King. He is the "chief" and should be given due respect. The number two piece is a soldier who guards the King (see him in action in the video above!). The number three nutcracker in the collection is for good luck: the Chimney Sweep. You can see them in the carousel widget above.MaterialTypically the nutcracker is made from pine, maple, beech or linden wood. The wood is first dried and then cured for several years. The figure is individually put together and painted manually.Erzgebirge Santa ClausToday, maybe the most popular German nutcracker is the Santa Claus from Erzgebirge. His elfin' self is aimed to bring you good cheer. The same is true for the Prince. Both nutcrackers are associated with the Christmas season and are pieces of art. Enjoy them!Return from "this" page to German Christmas Traditions Return from german nutcracker page to best german gifts |