The Thursday before Easter is called Maundy Thursday and in German, it goes by many names but the most used one is probably Gründonnerstag (lit. green Thursday). Others are Hoher Donnerstag, Weißer Donnerstag, or Palmdonnerstag. It is the fifth day of the Karwoche (Holy Week) that started on Palmsonntag (Palm Sunday). It commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples.
What Is Green about Gründonnerstag?
Why is Maundy Thursday called Gründonnerstag? What is green about it? The short answer is, we don’t know for sure. We do know that the expression grûne dunrestag or grüene donerstac has been around since the 13th century.
The long answer has multiple explanations, some of which might go together or at least overlap.
Middle High German "grînen"
One theory is that ‘grün’ is a misnomer of the middle high German word grînen (greinen). A short look into a Middle High German dictionary tells us that ‘grînen’ means “brüllen, Mund verziehen, lachen, knurren, winseln, wiehern, grunzen, wimmern, weinen” (yell, twist your mouth, laugh, grunt, whimper, neigh, grunt, whine, cry).
So, if we focus on the meaning of crying and feel that Maundy Thursday is a day of grief, then maybe the ‘grün’ in “Gründonnerstag” comes from ‘greinen’. Though depending on your source, Gründonnerstag can also be interpreted as a joyous day.
I personally find this theory the most far-fetched.
Virides = The Green Ones
The green of Gründonnerstag might refer to the gospel of Luke where he calls sinners readmitted into the church community “virides”, the green ones. They are the sinners who were forgiven and allowed to receive communion again on Maundy Thursday. Luke also calls them “grünes Holz” (green wood). The people were possibly dressed in white and green when they were officially allowed to join the community again.
However, according to Christiane Wanzeck in Zur Etymologie lexikalisierter Farbwortverbindungen (2003), the Latin expression of “dies viridium” actually isn’t used until the 17th century.
Green Food
Many people eat green foods (like kale, lettuce, nettles) on Gründonnerstag, especially the Frankfurter Grüne Soße (Green Sauce) is very popular. This custom has been around since at least the 14th century. Though, it stands to reason that green foods were eaten because of the name (which has been around longer) and not the other way around.
Liturgical Color
The reason for the color green might lie with the liturgical color of the day. Normally, the color of Gründonnerstag is white, hence the name Weißer Donnerstag. But liturgical colors were not always the same in every congregation, and it is possible that some parishes used green as their color.
In the early 1600s, at least two parishes, Mainz and Eichstätt, called for the color green for foot washing, a custom that takes place on Maundy Thursday. It seems unlikely, that the color in a couple of cities could lead to the Germany-wide adoption of the name “Gründonnerstag“.
Connection to Palmsonntag
After reading the reasoning of Wanzeck, I have to agree with her conclusion that the origin of the word “Gründonnerstag” lies in the Christian religion, but not in connection with Luke or with the liturgical color. The name most likely derived from Palm Sunday (Palmsonntag), the last Sunday of Lent and the day that starts the Holy Week (Karwoche). It commemorates the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on a donkey where people greeting with palm leaves.
Since Europe is a little light on palm trees, other greens are used. The important part here are not the palm leaves but the green. Palm Sunday also used to be called “Grüner Sonntag“, in the same way that the week following that Sunday used to be called “Grüne Woche“. Following this pattern, the Thursday during the Grüne Woche can just be called “Grüner Donnerstag” or “Gründonnerstag” for short. For me, this is the best explanation, but you are welcome to do your own research.
Customs on Gründonnerstag
Fußwaschungen
Unlike Karfreitag (Good Friday), Gründonnerstag is not a public holiday (anymore), but it does have a special place in the Christian liturgy. In many churches, ceremonial Fußwaschungen (foot washing) takes place. It recalls when Jesus washed the feet of his disciples at the Last Supper.
The foot washing might only takes place in churches now, but it used to be a custom that regents would wash the feet of their subjects on Maundy Thursday. Karl V introduced this ceremony first to the Holy Roman Empire in the 16th century. The humbling gesture of a monarch showed their humility as preached by Jesus and also showed that the regents saw themselves as a servant to the people (or at least wanted to convey that sentiment)>
The Habsburg house continued this tradition until the end of the monarchy in 1918. The emperor and empress washed the feet of twelve old men and women in the Zeremoniensaal (hall for ceremonies) of the Hofburg in Vienna. The old people also received a sack of silver coins.
In Bavaria, Duke Wilhelm V der Fromme started the ritual foot washing by the regent at the end of the 16th ceremony; and here too the ceremony was performed until the end of the monarchy. Twelve of the oldest, most worthy poor men were chosen and in reference to Jesus’ disciples (apostles) they were called “Apostel“.
Eating Green Food
As already mentioned, many people eat green food on Gründonnerstag, like spinach and the first spring herbs. Traditionally, Maundy Thursday is a fasting day, so eating green vegetables follows the rule of not eating meat or fish. Theoretically, people also shouldn’t any eggs since it’s an animal product. And they didn’t use to, but instead collected them to pay their tithe or rent. Whatever eggs were left over could be boiled and kept until Easter, when people were allowed to consume them again.
If a landowner had extra eggs, he might give them to the poor and/or the children in the area.
Antlasseier - Gründonnerstagsei
The eggs laid on Maundy Thursday (and Good Friday) are said to have special powers. These Antlass– or Gründonnerstagseier bring blessing to the family and protect the house and farm from any kind of disaster. This belief is most prevalent in Austria but the custom is dying out. The nice thing about Maundy Thursday and Good Friday eggs is that they don’t need to be blessed by a priest, the blessing is within them.
There are regional difference what color to dye the eggs, and what exactly to do with them for maximum effect. You may throw an egg over the roof of the house to protect it from storms or bury it by a river to protect from flooding. But I have also read that nowadays people might deposit the egg in the glove compartment of their car. I guess it can’t hurt, especially since the Gründonnerstags- and Karfreitagseier don’t go bad (that’s the rumor anyway).
The term “Antlass” comes from “Ablass” meaning indulgence. Sinners who repented during Lent were allowed back into the congregation and could receive communion again on Gründonnerstag. Ablass can also be understood in the financial sense that farmers paid their rent on Gründonnerstag with eggs thereby settling their debt.
Coburg's Grüühuos
While children all over Germany and beyond have to wait until Easter Sunday to find hidden eggs, the kids in Coburg go on an Easter egg hunt on Gründonnerstag. The Grüühous (grüner Hase, green hare) hides the eggs on Maundy Thursday.
Eating a Pretzel
In the city of Mühlhausen in Thuringia, it is a must for everybody to eat a “Gründonnerstagsbrezel“, a pretzel made from yeast dough dusted with cinnamon sugar. Because if you don’t you’ll grow donkey ears.
Pretzels have a long history (you can read all about it here) and are eaten and handed out during different times of year and different dates. In some areas, people decorate their Palmbuschen for Palm Sunday with pretzels. Pretzels are also given out as good luck charms, on New Year’s Day and for kids who start school.
The latter might be the connection between pretzel and Eselsohren (donkey ears). In the 19th and into the 20th century, children started school on Easter. Parents and godparents gave the first graders a pretzel for good luck and to prevent them from being called an Esel (donkey).
Esel was (and is) a common word to call somebody stupid. In schools into the 19th century kids who didn’t do well in school were put in the back of class wearing a hat with donkey ears. It’s similar to a dunce cap in the US.
Sources and Resources
- Wiki – dt – Gründonnerstag
- Christiane Wanzeck: Zur Etymologie lexikalisierter Farbwortverbindungen (2003), excerpts on Google Books
- Wiki – Fußwaschung Allgemein
- Wiki – Fußwaschung Bayern
- natur & heilen – Brauchtum Gründonnerstag
- Salzburg Wiki – Antlassei
- Salzburg – ORF -Antlassei
- Brauchtum Ostern Österreich
- MDR – Gründonnerstagsbrezel
- Mein Coburg
- YouTube Playlist
