Maibaumaufstellen - A traditional Bavarian Custom

Every Year on the 1st of May many big spruces have been prepared for the traditional “Maibaumaufstellen”. Usually these trees are between 25 and 35 metres high (but some are even higher).

Historical Background:
The way it is known today it can be retraced to the 16th century but other origins can even be found before Jesus Christ. The first registered Maibaum was posed in Aachen in 1224. It`s a symbol of self-confidence of the Bavarian villagers. Furthermore the villages compete about the height of the trees.

Decoration Of The Maibaum:
There are no branches anymore and the bark is stripped off the tree. Sometimes completely, , sometimes like a spiral and sometimes not at all. Some villages even colour their tree in the Bavarian colours white and blue.
Only the tree top is not cut off. On the very top, there is a wreath, and there is another one some metres above the ground. In between there are signs with the trades in the village or buildings on it, like the church the school or the town hall.

Procedure of 1st Of May :
The tree is felled and decorated the days before. In the morning of the 1st of May the tree is brought to the central point of the village. It has to be put in the right direction to the rack, in which it has to be put in order not to fall down. You can imagine how hard it is to do this job, as the tree is very tall and heavy with little space to manoeuvre. Several pairs of bars, linked in a special way, called “Schwalben” (swallows, see photo), are used to lift the tree up in little steps by musclepower. The whole area is closed off and the cars have to be redirected. So there is no danger for thespectators. The process is lead by a man who has experience in this issue. After the work is done, all the villagers meet in leathertrousers near the Maibaum to celebrate: They eat traditional Bavarian food and drink BEER ! The workers get free stamps for the food and the BEER, and they celebrate a long time.

The Stealing Of Maibaums:
There is another tradition linked to the “Maibaumaufstellen”, the so called “Maibaumstehlen”. The younger citizens try to steal a tree from other villages. But also they have to protect their own one until it is lifted up. Meanwhile they celebrate as well, of course. If they manage to steal a tree, they may claim a ransom, consisting of lots of BEER and food. For example one village earned 150 litres of BEER and 50 meals as a ransom.
But there are also strict rules:

• The tree must`n be destroyed or damaged
• Only the tree counts as a prey
• If the tree has already been lifted up, it must not be stolen
• It is not allowed to steal the tree if it is not located in the village
• The tree has to be stolen stealthily
• If the victim doesn`t ransom, the thief is allowed to put it up in the own village, which is regarded as a great shame for the original owner
• Police or judges should not be needed.

The “Maibaumaufstellen”, in contrast to many other habits, is a tradition that is common for all Bavarians and even some other parts of Germany or even Austria. Furthermore it strengthens the community of the villagers.