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The traditional name may be Walpurgisnacht, but nobody calls it that way in Germany. It is usually referred to as "Tanz in den Mai" (Dance into May). Many Germans celebrate it by going to dances or by making large bonfires and drinking ;-). May 1st is a public holiday (Maifeiertag, like labor day). (I was born in Germany and have lived in different parts of Germany) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 141.3.40.56 (talk) 07:46, 28 April 2011 (UTC)Reply
I am german and I disagree: in North and East-Germany Walpurgis-Night is a common non-christian event! Lots of people celebrate it as a neo-pagan-romanticism!--92.226.84.192 (talk) 13:39, 1 May 2012 (UTC)Reply
Does anyone have the Romanian name for Walpurgis Night? --Ryttu3k 12:11, 10 August 2006 (UTC)Reply
In romanian common speech it is referred to as: "Noaptea Valpurgiei". /dalv —Preceding unsigned comment added by 85.229.218.249 (talk) 15:28, 18 January 2010 (UTC)Reply
Should this link to Beltane? The page there suggests they are related (or indeed, the same).
The author of the popular Harry Potter series, JK Rowling, used this celebration from German folklore to derive an alternate name for a group of dark wizards in the novels, known as “death eaters” (i.e. Walpurgis Knights)
A small note; I believe there was an episode of Lexx from the first season entitled Walpurgisnacht. I don't recall much more than that, but perhaps someone with a clearer memory should include it under References in Popular Culture?
-- It's hard to see why this article makes no mention of Mendelssohn's work "The first Walpurgis Night" [which is, I think, "Die Erste Walpurgisnacht" in the original). I am not competent to add the appropriate comments, but ... perhaps someone else is?
-- In due course I can provide Midi/Noteworthy Music Files of the Work - which should also be referenced in ChoralWiki (for some reason it seems to be totally ignored there under Mendelssohn!).
80.177.220.101 11:42, 8 June 2006 (UTC) MusicJohn, 8/Jun/06Reply
Why is this page at "Walpurgis Night"? I would expect it to be at "Walpurgisnacht". If it is more common in English to translate, "Night" shouldn't be capitalized. Jkelly 03:13, 23 March 2006 (UTC)Reply
Surprise this article do not mention any thik about the relation between te workers´ holiday of the firts may and the Walpurgis nigth. Always they are, at least, two dimention for the things one is the formal thrut tath every body knows The exoteric truth. The other is the dark side . The esoteric Truth The satanism maniobrate to obtained their Holiday on the firts of may. The day in with the witches meet in their mountain. They obtain his holiday in disguise of the Reds Parties. Iluminati, my friends, Iluminati Best regards —Preceding unsigned comment added by 83.59.197.33 (talk) 21:12, 30 April 2008 (UTC)Reply
Some of the items currently in R.M.C. may better fit in a "Trivia" section - including one I am about to add. I thought about adding a "Trivia" section but I did not, primarily because I thought it would be a bit presumptuous on my part. Tzittnan 16:18, 17 January 2007 (UTC)Reply
I could not find a date for St Walborgs canonization, but I seriously doubt it happened the year she died. (the quickest canonization is still something like over 20 years after the persons death)
The best source I could easily find says she is said to have been canonized by Pope Adrian II. (867-872)
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15526b.htm
I feel there should be a more overt reference (see another section) to LaVeyian(sp?) Satanism, as it is one of their few holidays. --Shdwwarlord (Sept. 12, 07. 1:44 a.m.)
I don't know at what point between 2008 and now (2020) the reference was removed, but I'll go re-add an entry, including some secondary sources referenced. WillieBlues (talk) 04:02, 1 May 2020 (UTC)Reply
In music, there's also a song by the folk/rock band Eichenschild titled Hexennacht from their album Mondscheinlegenden. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.17.153.96 (talk) 06:05, 31 October 2007 (UTC)Reply
This section is huge! I sorted it into categories to better focus the kind of trivia that's there, and deleted some very trivial points. However, a lot of the trivia just says Walpurgis Night is the name of a song/play/book etc without saying how that title is related to the content of the work. In other words, there's no context.
Comments and suggestions on how we can improve this? Would simply putting it into paragraph form be a good start? That might allow some further sorting by book/film/music genre. Thanks for you input, from your fellow editor Martinship (talk) 03:23, 30 April 2008 (UTC)Reply
Hi. I believe there may be an error in the first line in the second paragraph of the section entitled "Origins" in the article entitled "Walpurgis Night". It states there that Saint Walpurga was born in 710. It then states that she was, according to legend, the daughter of the Saxon prince St. Richard. However, the "Saint Richard" link takes you to an article about Saint Richard of Chichester and that article states that he lived 1197-1253. How could Walurga be mistaken for his daughter? I don't know if it's an error in the article but it is a little confusing. I'm hoping someone who knows can clear it up.
Thanks!
Ervinjn (talk) 12:25, 30 April 2008 (UTC)Reply
I believe I see the problem. The "St. Richard" link goes to the wrong St. Richard. Looking at Wikipedia's disambiguation page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Richard_%28disambiguation%29) I see "Richard the King (Richard the Saxon)". Unfortunately, clicking on it reveals that Wikipedia currently has no article on Richard the Saxon. I haven't learned to adjust links yet, but I'll try to figure it out. In the meantime, if someone knows how, perhaps they can do it.
I also found the following page about Richard the Saxon in a google search: http://leitourgeia.wordpress.com/2008/02/07/st-richard-of-wessex/
I have removed the section connecting Hitler to Satanism due to anachronism. LaVeyan Satanism, the only reference for Walpurgisnacht having any importance to Satanism, was invented twenty five years after Hitler committed suicide. Wikipedia is a place of encyclopaedic and scholarly knowledge, let's save the conspiracy theories for the black helicopter sites shall we? It is enough to mention that Hitler committed suicide on the day I see no reason to speculate it's because he was "communing with the forces of darkness", especially when those "forces of darkness" (i.e. Satan and associated acts) don't exist for most religions in the world. 136.242.180.156 (talk) 16:37, 30 April 2008 (UTC)Reply
I agree with removing the Satanist reference connecting Hitler to it. A more appropriate mention would be his membership in the occult mystical Thule Society. Changing now. Shamanchill (talk) 05:14, 1 May 2008 (UTC)Reply
I agree, Walpurgisnacht is an "official" holiday in the Satanic calendar, therefore should be mentioned. SImply becuase some people may not agree with the tennets of Satanism, does not mean it should be ommited from here --Grindlyth (talk) 18:06, 30 April 2009 (UTC)Reply
I've seen the History Channel documentary Hitler and the Occult more than once. HC is a legitimate resource. Hitler's suicide on April 30 and his command to have his body burned was no 'coincidence' - There Are No Coincidences (there is synchronism). Hitler believed in reincarnation and saw committing suicide and having his body burned on Walpurgisnacht as a vehicle to control his next reincarnation. This is an important fact and should be listed in the article. - Brad Watson, Miami 72.153.60.84 (talk) 10:42, 21 April 2011 (UTC)Reply
The current page includes that statement "April 30th was the date of Adolf Hitler's suicide, and much has been made of this fact by those researchers seeking to investigate links between Nazism and the occult, such as Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke," which, at the very least, needs a citation. I'm familiar with Goodrick-Clarke's book The Occult Roots of Nazism and this appears to be a misrepresentation of his position, which is that Hitler himself was very skeptical of occult claims, although he was influenced by others who took them seriously. The "researchers" more likely to support the position as stated would be Peter Levenda and Trevor Ravenscroft, who are not historians (like Goodrick-Clarke) but occultists. Popegrutch (talk) 20:53, 13 June 2013 (UTC)Reply
It seems that there was a reference included in a "trivia" section, but that entire section was removed on March 28, 2017, apparently because people thought it was growing out of control with very few sources cited. I'll add an entry back that just sticks to the couple of basic facts (no conspiracy theory stuff), with some secondary source references. I suppose listing it under "United States" (where the organization was founded) is the best place for now, even though it's an international religion and organization, not really a region-based thing.WillieBlues (talk) 04:14, 1 May 2020 (UTC)Reply
I , for one, agree that without a substantial source connecting Hitler to Satanism this article would be better off without it. We would not want to be sued by Satan for falsely associating him with Hitler... — Preceding unsigned comment added by 208.125.143.178 (talk) 16:54, 25 March 2022 (UTC)Reply
As Vappu approaches, I look forward to getting drunk with the rest of Helsinki on the night of the 30th. However, this article makes no mention of the fact that in Finland, the big party is the night of April 30th. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 91.156.96.173 (talk) 14:31, 23 April 2009 (UTC)Reply
For all Wikkans interested in refs RE: Euro traditions on WN - have a good browse through Frazer's wonderful work. Ernstblumberg (talk) 02:53, 30 April 2009 (UTC)Reply
From the article: "The current festival is in most countries celebrating it named after Saint Walpurga, born in Devon about 710."
What is this sentence trying to say? The words may be English, but the syntax and conjugation are not. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 162.95.148.252 (talk) 16:05, 30 April 2009 (UTC)Reply
In Sweden its NOT a public holiday. May 1 is a public holiday but that has nothing to do with Valborg (walpurgis night). In Uppsala, schools are closed because of the local festivities celebrating spring, but its not a public holiday. 83.253.15.111 (talk) 17:32, 29 April 2010 (UTC)Reply
I can trace the setting of a witches' sabbath on May Eve to 1603 (Johannes Coler). The connection with generic "witchcraft literature" of the Witch trials in the Early Modern period is evident. It is easy to find descriptions of Witches' Sabbaths from the 15th and 16th centuries. But so far I cannot trace where these witches' sabbaths were first placed on May Eve. I assume this element was present from at least the 16th, if not the 15th century, but so far I cannot pinpoint a reference. --dab (𒁳) 13:18, 23 November 2010 (UTC)Reply
I managed to grow up in the Netherlands and live there for 30 years without ever observing anyone celebrating this holiday. The nonsense you find on wikipedia... — Preceding unsigned comment added by 137.205.183.36 (talk) 08:31, 10 August 2011 (UTC)Reply
This is celebrated in Bulgaria as well on 1st of May the name is Erminday, Eremia ( Ирминден) 1. On this day people set lot of big fire and jump over it. In part of the country this is against gales but mainly is against snakes, dragons and lizards. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 37.143.249.69 (talk) 20:16, 11 February 2013 (UTC)Reply
Not the first time I have come across the 'lessening' of historical English associations with Germany. Seems a taboo amongst certain elites. What a creepy article so far.
"Walpurgis Night is the English translation of Walpurgisnacht, one of the German names for the night of 30 April, so called because it is the eve of the feast day of Saint Walpurga, an 8th-century abbess in Germania" — Preceding unsigned comment added by 5.67.247.107 (talk) 08:31, 22 October 2015 (UTC)Reply
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In the section "Feast," the current text states: The canonization of Saint Walpurga and the movement of her relics to Eichstätt occurred on 1 May in the year 870 thus leading to the Feast of Saint Walpurga and its eve, Walpurgis Night, being popularly observed on this date. In the next paragraph, it states: The 17th-century German tradition of a meeting of sorcerers and witches on May Day eve (German: Hexennacht, Dutch: Heksennacht "Witches' Night") is influenced by the descriptions of Witches' Sabbaths in 15th- and 16th-century literature.[citation needed] Given that witches gathered on this Hexennacht, the Western Christian Church established the Feast of Saint Walpurga on the same night in order to counteract witchcraft. This seems to be a contradiction: The Church could not have instituted Walpurgis Night in order to counteract a supposed celebration of Hexennacht in the 17th century if the Walpurgis feast began in the 9th century. Unless the feast commemorating the 9th century canonization was only instituted much, much later, using only the date of the old event? If so, this needs to be clarified. Otherwise, it would seem that the whole Hexennacht thing is possibly just an incorrect folk explanation for the origins of Walpurgis Night. Dinoguy2 (talk) 11:51, 2 May 2019 (UTC)Reply
Subjective in the extreme, wouldn't you say? Nuttyskin (talk) 16:10, 26 September 2021 (UTC)Reply
Hey! I've tried today to add to the article information about the (potential?) pre-Christian origins of the celebrations on the 30th of April. I've heard about them a few times and later found them also mentioned in Encyclopedia Brittanica. However, I've failed to find other good sources discussing the subject - either confirming or debunking the relationship between pre-Christian rituals and Walpurgis Night. The only thing I found was a popular-science article, which a more experienced Wikipedia user, Anupam, rightfully marked as not solid enough.
My change got inspired by a talk with a colleague where the pre-Christian origins were mentioned and we were surprised our first-to-go source, which is Wikipedia, did not mention it, one way or another.
Can someone help to clarify it? — Preceding unsigned comment added by TK synantropijny (talk • contribs) 17:55, 30 April 2022 (UTC)Reply
The article states that Walpurgisnacht is a feast that honors Saint Walpurgis, which is not true. It's a witches' shabbat held on a significant date: six months after All Saints Day, as a challenge against God. Its name derives from a coincidence, because May 1st was already marked by Christian liturgy as Saint Walpurgis feast, and nothing more. Had it been Saint Paschale's feast for example, we would be talking about Paschale's Night.
I had already put that on the article, but was reverted with a single argument: contentious. It's not my opinion, but an accurate and historical fact. Fidulario (talk) 20:30, 20 March 2023 (UTC)Reply
Walpurgisnacht: the first recording of the word was by Johannes Praetorius in 1668, referring to the Christian feast day of the eighth-century abbess St. Walpurga, a feast traditionally celebated with bonfires and fireworks on the eve of May Day (April 30), to ward off witches and demons.