Glücksbringer, literally good luck bringers, are good luck charms that are common and known throughout Germany. You’ll see them around New Year’s and on birthday cards; or really any occasion where a person could use good luck.
The known symbols of good luck in Germany are a Schwein or Glücksschwein (pig), a Fliegenpilz (toadstool), a Marienkäfer (ladybug), a Schornsteinfeger (chimney sweep), a Glückscent,-pfennig (lucky penny), a vierblättriges Kleeblatt or Glücksklee (four-leaf clover or Iron Cross), and a Hufeisen (horseshoe).
Glücksschwein - Lucky Pig
A Glücksschwein is a ‘good luck pig’ or a ‘lucky pig’. While a pig was a sign of prosperity and wealth in most of history, it is not clear how a pig became connected to good luck. Whatever the connection, for any occasion that requires good luck the pig makes an appearance, often in the form of a marzipan pig.
Of course there are plenty of explanations as to why pigs bring good luck. Most of the following refer more to the expression “Schwein gehabt” which means that somebody had good luck, often in undeserved, surprising, or unfortunate circumstances. For the last instance we also say “Glück im Unglück“, good luck while having bad luck. Some seem more plausible than others, so take your pick.
1. A pig as a consolation price
During the Middle Ages, there were many shooting competitions and horse races. The prizes could be valuable cloth, a sparrowhawk, or maybe a crossbow. It is said that the consolation prize for the worst shooter was a pig. It was embarrassing and shameful to drive a pig through town and thereby showing everybody that you lost, but the shame was offset by having a valuable pig. So, you’d be in luck even if you had lost the competition and everybody knew it.
2. Sow is trump
In the 16th century, the ace in card games used to be called Sau (sow), so if somebody drew an ace or a sow he or she was lucky. In the card game of Schafkopf the ace is still a Sau.
In the boardgame Glückshaus (lit. good luck house, House of Fortune or Lucky Pig) dating back to the 15th century, the pig symbolizes the second highest field.
3. Catching a piglet
During a Ferkelrennen (piglet race) a piglet is dropped in a circle of people who tried to catch it. Whoever caught it, had the good luck to take it home. He or she “hat Schwein gehabt.”
4. Protection of the boar
Pigs (Schweine) and boars (Wildschweine) were highly valued for their strength and as a food source, especially in ancient times. It was common to invoke an animal’s power by carrying parts of it or even dressing up like it. Teeth, bones, claws, feathers, and pelts are typical talisman that provided the wearer with the animal’s powers and protect them. It was a small step from protection to attraction of good luck.
The boar was one of those animals which was used by Nordic tribes. Effigies of a boar were mounted on helmets, like on this Benty Grange helmet, dating back to the 7th century AD, found in England.
Fliegenpilz - Toadstool
Why would Germans use a mildly poisonous mushroom as a good luck charm? It might be the eye catching red color of the Fliegenpilz (toadstool).
A Glückspilz (lit. good luck mushroom) used to describe (negatively) upstarts or parvenus; in English the word „mushroom“ was used because these social climbers shot up like mushrooms. However, the German Glückspilz became an expression for a lucky person in the second half of the 19th century. We still use it today, and the toadstool is used as a good luck charm.
There even is a little rhyme that you can write in somebody’s Poesiealbum.
Es gibt Pilze, groß und klein.
Mögest du ein Glückspilz sein!
(There are mushrooms, big and small, may you be a lucky mushroom.)
Marienkäfer - Ladybug
Farmers like ladybugs so much that they were sure the Virgin Mary had brought them. Consequently, they named the bug after her, Marienkäfer. The ladybugs help farmers and gardeners by eating greenflies and scale insects. It’s no wonder that they soon rose up to good luck charms.
Glückscent, Glückspfennig - Lucky Penny
The Pfennig, or since 2001 the 1 Eurocent coin, is a symbol of wealth. Giving it to somebody means that you wish that they will never be without money. A typical gift for a wedding or house warming is a loaf of bread, salt, and a penny. That way you wish the recipient that they’ll always have bread, salt, and money.
Another connection between penny and good luck is that the penny was seen as a smaller replica of the Tauftaler or Taufpfennig (a medal or thaler you receive at your baptism and which protects from evil spirits) or the Weihgroschen (a coin that was sanctified). People often nailed these coins on their house or stable door and carried it with them to protect them.
Nowadays the penny’s function is not so much protecting you but for actively attracting good luck.
Schornsteinfeger - Chimney Sweep
A Schornsteinfeger or chimney sweep with his sooty face doesn’t look like he would bring any good luck. But on the other hand, if you didn’t have your chimney cleaned, you can’t heat your house properly, you can’t cook, and you might die from smoke inhalation or start a fire. Therefore, the chimney sweep was soon seen as a person who would bring good luck.
Glücksklee - Four-Leaf Clover
Have you ever found a four-leaf clover? If yes, you might indeed be lucky because they are very rare. That’s why the vierblättrige Kleeblatt is considered good luck.
There is a special clover that’s grown for New Year’s Day when people in Germany wish each other good luck. They try to help the good luck not only with wishes but also with symbols. In stores you can buy specially grown Glücksklee (Iron Cross) often with a chimney sweep made from pipe cleaners.
More about German New Year’s traditions here.
Hufeisen - Horseshoe
A horse has always been a symbol of strength as well as a valuable animal. The Hufeisen (lit. hoof iron) or horseshoe protects the horse and eventually everything that protects the horse was viewed as a good luck symbol.
A horseshoe is especially lucky when found. People nailed it above their door to keep witches and evil spirits away and to attract good luck.
There is no consensus as to how to hang a horseshoe. Is it open at the top it can catch all the good luck while the good luck will fall out if you hang the horseshoe that is open at the bottom. On the other hand a horseshoe with its ends facing up resembles the devil with horns.
Sources and Resources
- Wiki – Glücksbringer
- Glückssymbole
- Schwein
- Fliegenpilz
- Marienkäfer
- Schornsteinfeger
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