Since we are on the topic of German holidays, I wonder if anyone has heard of a holiday called Kerpner Kirmes. In letters from German relatives living in Wisconsin (dated 1880-98) there are references to a big party that happens on Oct. 3rd after the corn has been "bushed" and the turnips are finished. In the afternoon there is bird shooting and at night there is a big dance. From one letter: "Can you call/dance the German Quadrille?". There are letters saying "it is best to come to our house rather than [the other cousins' house], because we live on the plain and they live in the valley where you can't see anything" (but see what?). At any rate is Kerpner Kirmes some sort of dialect phrase for Ocktoberfest? These folks were from the Cologne and Bonn areas. Thanks, Sue Schafer/Schaefer Seattle

Sue, it's not an Oktoberfest. In short words: every German town or city has (or has had) it's own "Kirmes" (or Kirchweih or Kerb or similar). A translation could be "consecration of the church". It's traditionally the highlight of all festivities of the year and in most towns it's celebrated between september and november. There is dancing, shooting, merry-go-rounds and so on. And a lot of beer, which used to be a special brew for this festivity. Your "Kerpner Kirmes" is just the Kirmes of a town called "Kerpn" (I would assume it's "Kerpen", close to Koeln). _________________________ Heinz L. Zulauf Flotowstrasse 9 D-64287 Darmstadt Germany e-mail: [email protected] Visit my Private Homepage "The Classical Music Site" http://myweb.vector.ch/zulauf _________________________ ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sue Schafer" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, December 04, 2000 10:44 PM Subject: [GERMAN-LIFE] Kerpner Kirmes > Since we are on the topic of German holidays, I wonder if anyone has heard of a holiday called Kerpner Kirmes. In letters from German relatives living in Wisconsin (dated 1880-98) there are references to a big party that happens on Oct. 3rd after the corn has been "bushed" and the turnips are finished. In the afternoon there is bird shooting and at night there is a big dance. From one letter: "Can you call/dance the German Quadrille?". There are letters saying "it is best to come to our house rather than [the other cousins' house], because we live on the plain and they live in the valley where you can't see anything" (but see what?). > > At any rate is Kerpner Kirmes some sort of dialect phrase for Ocktoberfest? These folks were from the Cologne and Bonn areas. > > Thanks, > Sue Schafer/Schaefer > Seattle >