January 2021

The origin of Christmas evenings with lights - the miner without light is a poor wretch

The Erzgebirge Christmas customs have a traditional mining character. Miners have shaped the cultural life of the Ore Mountains for centuries. The tradition is maintained especially in the Advent season and passed on from generation to generation.

"On! On! I call you to the pit, I who stand above. As often as you go down, think up! ”This saying was the expression of the miner's bell that called the miners to their shift.

The last shift of the miners, the Mettenschicht, was the last entry into the tunnel before Christmas. The busy year was brought to a fitting end with singing, music, a hearty meal and plenty of drinks under the lights.

This miner's lamp, which has been in the collection since the 2000s, represents the shift.