Anke Hanusch dips a thin tool into dark blue wax and dots it precisely onto a yellow-dyed egg. In the back and forth—wax to egg, egg to wax—a honeycomb pattern grows. The intricate motif has meaning. It symbolizes diligence and a good work ethic. For her Sorbian ethnic minority in Germany, the tradition of decorating eggs for Easter is part of their culture. The craft dates back to the Middle Ages.
Decorating eggs is an ancient tradition around the globe. The tradition does not always have religious import. But for some Christians, the Easter egg can symbolize either the resurrection or the Trinity. Historians say early Christians dyed eggs red to commemorate Christ’s blood shed on the cross. Others say green and yellow—sometimes associated with rebirth and resurrection—were also common Easter egg colors among early Christians.
Modern-day Sorbs are descended from Slavic tribes in Central and Eastern Europe. They settled in Germany some 1,500 years ago. Today, about 60,000 Sorbs live in Germany, mostly in the German states of Saxony and Brandenburg.
Stephanie Bierholdt works at the Sorbian Cultural Center in Schleife, Saxony. The town lies just 10 miles from the Polish border. She says Easter is the biggest holiday of the year for Sorbs. Many people travel home to celebrate with their loved ones.
“The best thing is that this tradition is still alive in families,” she says.
On April 6, Bierholdt, Hanusch, and other members of Schleife’s Sorbian community gathered at the cultural center. They met weeks before Easter to celebrate their heritage through Easter eggs and traditional folk costumes, songs, and dances.
Hanusch wore the red Sorbian folk costume and bonnet of an unmarried woman. (Married women wear green.) She was among more than 30 artisans selling Easter eggs at the cultural center.
Decorating an egg in the Sorbian style can take 90 minutes to six hours. The time depends on the techniques used, the design, and the size of the egg. Artisans use a needle or the tip of a goose feather quill to draw the designs.
Hanusch’s least expensive decorated chicken egg is priced at almost eight dollars. The most expensive—a painted emu egg—at more than $99.
Egg artisans say the worldwide bird flu outbreak and ensuing egg shortage and price hikes have not yet affected their craft—though they strongly prefer eggs from a farmer over a supermarket.
Hanusch, who is Sorbian on her father’s side, is learning to speak the Slavic language. She says she and other Sorbian children start decorating Easter eggs as young as two—from when they can first hold a pencil. Many do it only during the Easter season throughout childhood. But Hanusch continued with the skill and became a teacher to others, including her niece.
“I think it’s a valuable cultural asset that needs to be preserved,” she says. “It would be a shame if it were to become extinct.”
An even bigger shame would be to miss the true meaning of the Easter season: the grace, glory, and hope of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Hallelujah! He is risen!
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day. — 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
