Walpurgis in the Harz

The festival of dark powers

When talking about devil worship and witches’ rides, it usually refers to Walpurgis Night in the Harz.

The Walpurgis Festival is a traditional European celebration that dates back to pre-Christian times. More than 1,000 years ago, the “original inhabitants” of the Harz already celebrated a spring festival, during which various offerings were made to the supreme Germanic god Wodan to welcome spring.

The Harz Walpurgis Nights are celebrated in more than 20 towns across the region. The main hub of the bubbling witch’s cauldron is found in the towns of Bad Grund, Braunlage, Hahnenklee, Sankt Andreasberg, Schierke and Thale.

Devil’s Dance or Witches’ Ride

What does Walpurgis in the Harz mean? (in German only)

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© Blankenburger
© HAHNENKLEE Tourismus Marketing GmbH
© Rübeländer Tropfsteinhöhlen
© Karin Kühn
© Braunlage Tourismus Marketing GmbH | J. Schütz
© Hahnenklee Tourismus GmbH
© Andy Happel

The witches are heading for the Brocken, the stubble is yellow, the crop is green. There the great crowd gathers, Lord Urian sits on top. Thus they go over rock and stone, the witch farts, the goat stinks.

from FAUST by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Walpurgis films from the Harz

(in German only)

© Andy Happel
© Andy Happel
© WTG - Polyluchs
© Braunlage Tourismus Marketing GmbH | J. Schütz

Walpurgis in Sankt Andreasberg

Truly, then the devil is loose in the Harz

On the last night of April, the dark forces celebrate a festival with their witches. Like a bubbling witch’s cauldron, the magical mountain world attracts thousands of guests from all over Germany during these days.

And every year anew, the towns around the mysterious Blocksberg are taken over by devilish witch festivities.

Antje Wedde | Wolfshäger Witches' Brood

Podcast “The Harz Behind the Scenes” (in German only)

Oberhexe Antje Wedde der Wolfhäger Hexenbrut — © Sascha Berwald

Today everything feels a bit bewitched around here!

Walpurgis Night is just around the corner, and for this occasion, Andreas met with the Wolfshäger Hexenbrut for our podcast "The Harz Behind the Scenes" — more precisely with chief witch Antje Wedde. He finds out why the Wolfshäger Hexenbrut is part of a sports club and what the so-called "Knatterfurz" is all about.

Behind the scenes of Walpurgis Night in the Harz

Special episode of the podcast “The Harz Behind the Scenes” (in German only)

Walpurgis in Hahnenklee - drei Hexen — © HAHNENKLEE Tourismus Marketing GmbH

In many places throughout the Harz, Walpurgis Night is celebrated on 30 April: traditional, modern, colourful, and full of witches and devils.

In this special episode of our podcast "The Harz Behind the Scenes", we take you behind the scenes of the Walpurgis celebrations in the Harz. Andreas and Luca talked to both professional and volunteer organisers of the festivities and even managed to get two witches in front of the microphone.

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