The Prologue of the Nuremberg Christkind
Many people from Nuremberg know it by heart - or at least the beginning and ending of the prologue. If you're not from Nuremberg, you might be asking: What's a prologue?
The first prologue, also called the "opening" or "Christmas prologue", was heard in 1948 at the opening of the first Christkindlesmarkt after World War II. It was written by Friedrich Bröger, then the head dramaturge at the city theater. In the following years, he formulated new versions (above all in the middle section of the prologue) to take into account changes in the cityscape. In the earliest versions of the prologue there was often mention of ruins, rubble and the pain of the loss of home, but also of hope and the comfort of the feeling of Christmas. As Nuremberg was rebuilt in the 1950s, this was reflected in the prologue of the Christkind, such as a mention of the reconstructed churches of St. Lawrence and St. Sebald with their bells or the new city hall. In the 1960s, skyscrapers and factories were added to the prologue.
Since 1969, the prologue has remained unchanged. But read it yourself:
You notice that the text comes from a different time - but it has now become a classic. The words are immediately connected to the Nuremberg Christkind and the text has become, in part, a trademark for the Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt. What began as a modest poem in the damaged Nuremberg in 1948 has developed an even greater impact seven decades later.
The statement of the prologue is more important than ever. The Christkind reminds visitors that Christmas is a time of love, peace and joy. It emphasizes that Christmas is not just a festival of gift giving, but of giving itself, sharing and togetherness on this Earth. The opening of the Christkindlesmarkt is a moment of contemplation and reflection, that once again touches and inspires people in Nuremberg and everywhere each year.
Categories at The Christkindlesmarket
Bratwursthäusle
Le Méridien Grand Hotel Nürnberg