How St Martin’s Day is celebrated in Germany

Saint Martin’s Day is here! Traditionally, that means: children dressing up, crafting beautiful paper lanterns, going door-to-door singing “St Martin ritt durch Schnee und Wind” and getting sweets, fruit and other treats in return.

To mark the day, we take a look at the life of Saint Martin, the history of St Martin’s Day (Martinstag), and how it celebrated in Germany.

St Martin's Day

On November 11, streets in Germany and other parts of Europe are illuminated by the many lanterns carried by children in the annual Saint Martin’s Day processions. Bonfires are lit in town squares and hungry celebrators tuck into food like goose, red cabbage and dumplings.

The luminous processions are to celebrate the life of Saint Martin and to symbolise the holy light that keeps the darkness at bay. These celebrations reflect the hope and faith that Saint Martin inspired through his actions.

However, while the celebrations endure, the story and life of Saint Martin has slipped into obscurity. So, just in time for Saint Martin’s Day we are bringing you the history behind Saint Martin of Tours, who he was, what he did and why he is still celebrated today.

The life of Saint Martin

Throughout his life as a soldier, monk and bishop, Saint Martin was associated with miracles and strange occurrences that have influenced the way Saint Martin’s Day is celebrated today.

Life as a soldier

Martin was born in 316 or 334 AD in Savaria in the region of Pannonia (part of modern-day Hungary), but grew up in Northern Italy. He converted to Christianity at the age of 10, which was uncommon at the time as it was a minority faith, having only just been given the status of an official religion in the Roman Empire by the Emperor Constantine.

With his father a senior officer in the Roman military, Martin was obliged to join an auxiliary cavalry unit at age 15. He continued to serve in the army until he was around 20 years old. Then, just before a battle at Borbetomagus (now Worms in Rhineland-Palatinate), Martin decided to switch his allegiances from the Roman Emperor, Julian the Apostate, to Christ. This meant that he could no longer continue to fight and receive his salary as a soldier.

Martin was arrested for cowardice, thrown in prison and later volunteered to fight unarmed in the front line, claiming that God would protect him. Before his superiors could agree, the opposing forces sued for peace and Martin was released.

The incident for which he is best remembered also occurred when Saint Martin was a soldier. He was approaching the city of Amiens, in Gaul (France), where he met a naked beggar. Cutting his riding cloak in half, he offered half to the beggar.

Later that night, Martin had a vision of Jesus, clutching his cloak and telling angels that Martin had given it to him. In some versions, he awoke to find his cloak whole again. The experience was enough to cement his belief in the Christian faith, and he was baptised shortly after.

Image credit: jorisvo / Shutterstock.com

Life as a monk

After leaving the army, Martin became a follower of Trinitarian Christianity (the belief that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are three distinct entities but one spiritual force).

After a disagreement over Christian beliefs in the Imperial Court, he was exiled from Illyria (the modern-day Western Balkan region) and went to live on an island as a hermit. One story tells of how Martin fell ill from eating a hellebore plant. On the verge of death, he prayed and was miraculously cured.

He eventually returned to Gaul and established a hermitage there, which attracted many Christian converts. The site of his monastery developed into the Ligugè Abbey, the oldest known monastery in Europe. Martin continued to travel and preach throughout Gaul, and there are many stories of him performing miracles on his travels. On one occasion, he is said to have resurrected three men from the dead. 

Life as a bishop

In 371 AD, Martin was tricked into visiting the city of Tours. He was summoned to help the sick, but, on his arrival, he was taken to the church and consecrated as a bishop. According to the stories, Martin tried to run from this position and hid in a barn full of geese, but their quacking gave him away. This is why goose is commonly eaten on Saint Martin’s Day.

Other stories include an incident where pagan worshippers agreed to cut down a sacred fir tree if Martin would stand in front of it. Martin stood in front of the tree, but, incredibly, it missed him as it fell. He was also well known for freeing prisoners, so much so that even when the Emperor heard he was visiting, he refused to meet Martin, as he knew he would request the prisoners' release.

Death

Saint Martin died on November 8, 397, but was buried on November 11. This is why Saint Martin’s day is celebrated on November 11 today. He was venerated during the late 5th century. The Latin poet, Ventantius Fortunatus, a saint himself, famously declared, “Wherever Christ is known, Martin is honoured.”

Saint Martin was buried at his hermitage at Candes-St-Martin in France. However, the building was too small to accommodate the huge crowd of pilgrims it attracted. So when Bishop Perpetuus of Tours took office in 461, he built a basilica for Saint Martin and buried his sarcophagus behind the altar.

Martinmas: St Martin’s Day traditions

Saint Martin’s Day originated in France and has spread all over Europe. It not only celebrates the life of Saint Martin but also the end of the agrarian year and the end of harvest. The Advent season is derived from a 6th-century Christian tradition, whereby worshippers would fast from Saint Martin’s Day until January 6, the day of the Feast of the Three Wise Men.

Saint Martin’s day is often referred to as Martinmas, the day on which Saint Martin is honoured with a mass. As the mass coincides with the end of harvest, fresh wine would have just been produced, and farm animals slaughtered in accordance with winter preparations. This is why Saint Martin’s Day is celebrated with feasts and bonfires.

Saint Martin’s Day (Martinstag) in Germany

Traditionally, as in other parts of Europe, St Martin’s Day is one of the events that mark the beginning of the winter season in Germany. Here are some traditional ways that Martinstag recognised: 

Feasting and drinking

Feasts traditionally take place on Martinstag in Germany, in keeping with the origins of the holiday as the start of winter, when livestock were slaughtered to be preserved for the colder months. In wine-growing regions, the feast also coincides with the uncorking of the first bottles of wine. 

Inspired by the story of Saint Martin hiding in a barn full of geese, those who recognise St Martin's Day traditionally eat a roasted "Martinsgans" in the evening, served with red cabbage, dumplings. Dessert may be a Martinshörnchen, a pastry that is supposed to represent the hooves of Saint Martin’s horse and his mantle. Children may also get given a Martinsmännchen pastry, a kind of doughy, raisin pastry in the shape of a man with a long smoking pipe in his mouth.

Bonfires

In Germany, bonfires are lit on the eve of Saint Martin’s Day. This is an especially popular tradition in the Rhineland region, where in the 15th century, the holiday was given the nickname Funkentag (spark day) because of the numerous bonfires. Once the bonfires go out, the ashes are spread on fields to make them fertile for the coming season of sowing and growing.

Lantern processions

A particularly beloved and eye-catching St Martin’s Day tradition in Germany is children's lantern processions. On the night before Martinstag and on the day itself, children walk in processions known as Laternelaufen, carrying paper lanterns that they usually make at school, and singing songs such as “Laterne, Laterne, Sonne, Mond und Sterne” or “Ich geh’ mit meiner Laterne.” 

The processions tend to start at a church and make their way to a public square, where a bonfire is lit. The procession is sometimes fronted by someone riding a horse, dressed as Saint Martin (sometimes even with a cloak cut in two!), followed by children and parents carrying paper lanterns lit by candles. At the end of the procession, the children are given a biscuit, half a bread roll, or half a pretzel.

Video credit: Sing mit mir - Kinderlieder / YouTube.com

The largest procession like this takes place in Kempen, near Cologne, where up to 8.000 people follow behind a costumed Roman soldier on a white horse. 

In some regions, the children go door to door and sing to local residents in exchange for offerings like sweets, fruit or biscuits, in a custom known as Martinssingen - very similar to the trick-or-treating associated with Halloween. 

When is St Martin’s Day?

St Martin’s Day is celebrated on November 11 each year. In 2025, November 11 falls on a Tuesday.

Is St Martin’s Day a holiday?

While an unofficial “holiday” celebrated by many families in Germany and many parts of Europe, St Martin’s Day is not an official public holiday, so you unfortunately can’t look forward to a day off work or school. 

Happy Martinstag!

Whether you're heading out to a lantern procession, eating a roast goose, making a big bonfire, or all of the above, we wish you a very happy St Martin's Day!