BellaOnline Forums Travel and Culture German Culture Superstitions and German Garden Gnomes

In my purse I have a small pen given to me many years ago by one of my sons as a good luck charm, a great many Germans have a garden gnome in their garden for the same reason, but how many of us say we are not superstitious but nevertheless either do or carry something �just in case�.





Germany's Garden Gnomes
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art51642.asp

Great article Francine. I like the way you've linked folklore, mythology and traditions throughout Europe.

A question - do gnomes need to come inside because winter weather will damage them, or is it just tradition?

Hi Asha,

Well strange as it sounds, although continually living through hard and snowy German winters is not exactly going to improve their condition, it is more a tradition that they are brought inside.

Over the years amongst other places I have seen them in hallways looking towards the front door, often in winter gardens (is that a conservatory in English?) looking into the home, in book shelves and once one holding a violin that from October until April had pride of place on top of a television.

And it seems that when Spring arrives, so it is again possible for human beings to spend some time out in the garden, then out go the gnomes, although often to a new spot in the garden each year.

i love garden gnomes

Firstly conservatory - in England this is an area full of floor-length windows - I've heard them compared to greenhouses - that is attached to a house that allows you to look out on garden/landscape. Is this what you mean by a winter garden?

My question came from the fact that I know I have seen gnomes in gardens throughout the winter in the UK - maybe people who don't know the true customs of how gnomes should be treated...

It strikes me that gnomes in hallways looking towards the front door could be welcoming in luck and guests, family and friendship. If they can help things grow outside maybe they can also help growth inside the home...

Yes 'divineplinth' I know what you mean. Was not used to them at all on first moving to Germany, and was inclined to think that gnomes belonged in kindergartens, not 'grown up' gardens, however would miss them now if they all suddenly disappeared.

A winter garden is indeed a 'conservatory' Asha, and yes you are right, the traditional belief is that garden gnomes are both welcoming and able to bring luck and health into the garden and then the home.

Not everyone brings them in during the winter, but certainly the majority. In much the same way as one would not leave anything one treasured out in all weathers, then the attitude seems to be that a garden gnome does not belong out there either.

Snow has already started in Germany, so as you can imagine even from a purely practical viewpoint a beautifully made terracotta 'ornament', which is what the really good ones are, would not last many years of being exposed to long German winters.

Snow already... At the moment we just seem to be getting a lot of rain (probably also not great for gnomes!).

Hi Asha, Yes parts of Germany have had the first snow already.

Don't know why but prefer snow to rain, although it makes no logical sense because it is not only wet it is also cold, so it might officially still be Autumn but it is also definitely woolly sweater time.