The standing wooden soldier nutcracker, the iconic nutcracker that we know today, was first made in the sonneberg and ezerberge regions of eastern germany in. The first performance of the nutcracker was, to put it. Often the nutcracker is the image of authorities from the past. Steinbach smoker in christmas nutcrackers 1946 1990 vintage metal nut cracker in christmas nutcrackers 1946 1990 tell us what you think opens in new window or tab. The german nutcracker is unique to the world of german crafts being produced in the erzgebirge mountain regions of northeastern germany because they are one of the few crafts that were designed after the ruling class, military personnel, church leaders, and other authoritative figures that existed in germany and throughout europe for centuries. History and tales of nutcrackers from old germany, your collectors items christian steinbach on.
History of german nutcrackers a hammer was the original way to open nuts, but as people got fancy, so did our tools. The nutcracker tells a story about a girl who befriends a nutcracker that comes to life on christmas eve and wages a battle against the evil mouse king. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. They were often given as gifts, and at some point they became associated with christmas season. The nutcracker ballet is a holiday tradition, but how did it begin. History of german nutcrackers get a nutcracker for your. The history of the christmas nutcracker lili on the loose. Dec 10, 2009 the nutcracker ballet is a holiday tradition, but how did it begin. What would erzgebirge folkart be without its nutcrackers. By noreen malone for most people, christmas nutcrackers the kind that look like little men call to mind sugarplum fairies and first trips to the ballet.
Nutcrackers showed up in germanys erzgebirge region in 1725. Apr 16, 2020 traditional handmade german nutcrackers, many stayles and sizes to choose from, make a great christmas present or secret santa gift. The surprising history of the nutcracker the smith. The number two piece is a soldier who guards the king. Hoffmann published his story, the nutcracker and the mouse king. While it is fairly easy to find a nutcracker at christmasthemed stores and toy shops around the world, chances of finding a specific model are increased by looking online like on ebay. Authentic german christmas nutcrackers erzgebirge palace. German nutcrackers from the erzgebirge region of germany are sought by collectors all over the world. W hen the san francisco ballet company performed the first complete version of the nutcracker in the u. German nutcracker german christmas traditions and decorations. The most famous carvings came from herr christian steinbach.
The history of the nutcracker ballet in america time. Dec 24, 2014 w hen the san francisco ballet company performed the first complete version of the nutcracker in the u. A unique history of nutcrackers featuring the in a nutshell infographic. The standing wooden soldier nutcracker, the iconic nutcracker that we know today, was first made in the sonneberg and ezerberge regions of eastern germany in the early 19 th century. The most popular origin story of nutcrackers in germany is that a wealthy farmer wanted to improve his productivity and was frustrated by the. December 6 1892, at the imperial mariinsky theatre in st. Nov 17, 2018 german nutcrackers and the nutcracker ballet. It is generally agreed that lev ivanov, second balletmaster to the st. Shchelkunchik listen help info is an 1892 twoact ballet fairy ballet.
Hoffmann, a german romantic author of fantasy and horror, composer, music critic, and caricaturist. First the wood is cut into specific sizes and shapes suitable for creating that special nutcracker. Hoffmanns 1816 fairy tale the nutcracker and the mouse king. Life was rough during that time and people had to fight hard just to stay alive. The most common nutcracker is the in the form of a wooden soldier, which weve had for about 200 years now. Hoffmann was set to music by tchaikovsky and originally choreographed by marius petipa. Nutcracker dolls originate from late17th century germany, particularly the ore mountains german. According to german folklore, steinbach nutcrackers were given as keepsakes to bring good luck to your family and protect your home. Nutcrackers are a huge part of christmas decorating. From the earliest beginnings of christianity to the heartache of war to the long held traditions that make the german people some of the greatest craftsmen in the world, the.
A personal story about how i celebrated holidays when i was a kid and how i fell in love with my first nutcracker. According to german folklore, nutcrackers were given as keepsakes to bring good luck to your family and protect your home. Today many wooden toy soldier nutcrackers are manufactured in germany to meet the demands of the many collectors in the. One origin story attributes the creation of the first nutcracker doll to a craftsman from seiffen. Its a typical christmas decoration in germany and in many other parts of the world. The german smoker has a long and interesting history that tells of the ingenuity and hardworking spirit that makes the german people so interesting and traditional in their ways of life. The history of christmas trees goes back to the symbolic use of evergreens in ancient egypt and rome and continues with the german tradition of candlelit christmas trees first brought to america. The secret jewish history of the nutcracker the forward. A nutcracker is said to represent power and strength, serving somewhat like a watchdog guarding your family against danger. A brief history of the nutcracker doll all media content dw 12. Other estimations like te town seiffen claim the nutcracker s official birth year as 1879. Hoffmanns 1816 tale the nutcracker and the mouse king had been adapted by alexandre dumas he of three musketeers fame in 1844, and it was a ballet based on this version that was. Tradition dominates in the christmas list of german collectibles.
German nutcracker 16 blue wooden erzgebirge soldier large wood nutcracker ballet xmas home decor german table decor christmas gifts germany mybeautifulbavaria 5 out of. The most important and also first piece in a nutcracker collection is the king. The nutcracker ballet is based on the story the nutcracker and the king of mice written by e. According to german folklore, nutcrackers bring good luck to your family and protect your home.
Enter the nutcracker museum and you are amazed at the vast amount of nutcrackers being shown. According to german legend, nutcrackers bring good luck and protection to a family and its home the ballets enduring appeal provides a further, indirect boost to the economy. Ivan vsevolozhsky and marius petipa adapted hoffmanns story for the ballet. Dec 11, 2012 the nutcracker and the mouse king german. The history of this family dates back to the th century. Hoffmann, a german romantic author of fantasy and horror, composer, music critic, and caricaturist in the tale, young marie stahlbaums favorite christmas toy, the nutcracker, comes alive and, after defeating the evil mouse king in battle, whisks her away to a magical kingdom. The history of christmas trees goes back to the symbolic use of evergreens in ancient egypt and rome and continues with the german tradition of candlelit christmas trees first brought to. Alexandre dumas peres adaptation of the story by e. Hoffman penned the original tale nutcracker and the mouse king, though his version somewhat differs from what audiences enjoy today. However, nutcracking devices have had a longstemming evolution for a few thousand years. Originally from austria, the steinbach family history dates back to the th century. Many limited edition nutcrackers are available please see the product description for details. Mar 10, 2019 according to german folklore, nutcrackers bring good luck to your family and protect your home.
A brief history of the nutcracker doll all media content. The first thing you should know when purchasing a christmas nutcracker regardless of if its christmas themed or not is that it will likely not crack nuts. His story chronicles a prince cursed to ugliness by the mouse queen, and a little girl embroiled in violent battles between armies of toy soldiers and mice. Especially kings, soldiers and gendarmes are often used as a model. Family members worked as judges, merchants and architects. Marius petipa, the esteemed and prolific maitre dballet of the st. Other estimations like te town seiffen claim the nutcrackers official birth year as 1879. As this was a tumultuous time in germany, the steinbach family was forced to move many times and eventually settled in erzgebirge, germany and worked as silver, iron, tin and nickel. It tells the story of a little girl who goes to the land of sweets on christmas eve. Originating as a cottage industry in the rural areas of germany, the carving of nutcrackers has become widespread. Looking back we discover that this story has a history as varied and rich as the land of sweets itself. The most popular and famous nutcracker carvings come from sonneberg in thuringia and form the ore mountains. In the tale, young marie stahlbaums favorite christmas toy, the nutcracker, comes alive and, after.
Gdr nutcracker in christmas nutcrackers 1946 1990 steinbach smoker in christmas nutcrackers 1946 1990 vintage metal nut cracker in christmas nutcrackers 1946 1990. While some of the steinbach family members were highly successful architects, judges and merchants, others were highly skilled in the art of wood carving. German christmas nutcracker santa claus 30,0 cm 12 inches authentic german erzgebirge nutcrackers christian ulbricht i love how the history of german nutcrackers is tied up in a fairy. Nm the leavenworth nutcracker museum antique nutcrackers. The legend says that a nutcracker represents power and strength and serves like a trusty watch dog guarding your family from evil spirits and danger. Heres how the typical german collectible became the most. Our steinbach and christian ulbricht nutcrackers are timeless treasures perfect for a gift or to add to your home or collection. German nutcrackers really crack nuts 100% handmade.
Although what is seen on the stage today is different in detail from the original story, the basic plot remains the same. German nutcrackers and the nutcracker ballet cuckoo forest. Meet the germans a brief history of the nutcracker doll its a typical christmas decoration in germany and in many other parts of the world. History of the nutcracker pacific northwest ballet. Grimms symbolism jacob grimm, the oldest of the famous brothers grimm. I ron lever nutcrackers are shown in the ironworks museum in rouen, france with some dating back to the th century, and brass nutcrackers are known to have existed in the 14th and. Dec 09, 2007 tradition dominates in the christmas list of german collectibles. See more ideas about german nutcrackers, great christmas presents and secret santa gifts. The wood is put on a high speed milling cutter where the shaped parts are produced and carpenters then glue the pieces together. Steinbach nutcrackers german nutcrackers, incense smokers.
Most german nutcrackers base forms are made of wood, although some may be made of metal. A story that spawned a thousand childrens books and countless adaptations for the stage, and then eventually made it to the silver screen. Hoffmann in 1816 and then adapted into pyotr ilyich tchaikovskys famous ballet in 1892. So turn on the waltz of the flowers, grab a mug of eggnog, and read up. Heres how the typical german collectible became the. A brief history of the nutcracker doll a global phenomenon germany is a leading manufacturer of traditional nutcrackers. History of the german nutcracker the history of the wooden nutcracker starts in 16th century in germany. The dark, cocainefueled history of the nutcracker ballet. The unsmiling figures are thought to be lucky, and provide protection for the household as they stand sentry on the mantle. The last of his three ballets, it was first performed in december 1892.
German nutcrackers authentic nutcrackers from germany. About us the history of the steinbach nutcracker family starts in 1284 with erwin steinbach, a famous architect and master builder who lived in strasburg, germany. The steinbach family, world famous for its manufacturing of nutcrackers, is originally from austria. A nutcracker bares its teeth to evil spirits and serves as a messenger of good luck and goodwill. The original story, the nutcracker and the mouse king, was written by german author e. This included making handmade german nutcrackers, smokers, and cuckoo.
In 1872, wilhelm fuchtner made the first commercial production of the wooden nutcrackers. The nutcracker was first developed around 1870 and is nowadays one of the most famous representatives of the erzgebirge. Nm the history of nutcrackers leavenworth nutcracker museum. To find the nutcrackers origins, we must first travel to germany in 1816, when author and composer e. And even with the nutcrackers prevalence, it can be difficult to find an authentic german nutcracker. Petersburg premiere the first performance of the christmas ballet was held as a double premiere together with tchaikovskys last opera, iolanta, around the christmas holiday season on december 18 o. Read on to learn more about the history of the nutcracker and how they evolved into todays form. German nutcrackers in the shape of soldiers or kings have been in use since the 15th century.
History of german nutcrackers get a nutcracker for your home. It was found in 1960 after being buried for over 1800 years. The leavenworth nutcracker museum shows a bronze roman nutcracker dated between 200 b. The origin of the nutcracker, a classic christmas story, is a fairy tale ballet in two acts centered on a familys christmas eve celebration.
History and tales of nutcrackers from old germany, your collectors items. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. Hoffmann, in which young marie stahlbaums favourite christmas toy, the nutcracker, comes alive and, after defeating the evil mouse king in battle, whisks her away to a magical kingdom populated by dolls. The number three nutcracker in the collection is for good luck. The story of a young german girl who dreams of a nutcracker prince and a fierce battle against a mouse king with. Christmas nutcrackers made in germany wooden nutcracker. Few in the east could afford to buy nutcrackers themselves, so east german woodworkers exported their goods to west germany and its ready. Learn the connection between nutcracker dolls and the famous nutcracker ballet. Hoffman german original of 1816, the nutcracker and the mouse king, but alexandre dumas 1844 french adaptation of hoffmans story, histoire dun cassenoisette the tale of the nutcracker. Learn more about what makes these christmas decorations special, and where you can get one. Dec 22, 2015 according to german legend, nutcrackers bring good luck and protection to a family and its home the ballets enduring appeal provides a further, indirect boost to the economy. The history of nutcrackers extends as far back as when humans were cracking and eating nuts, and will continue on into the future for as long as people continue to. Steinbach was a famous architect and built the muenster dome in strasbourg france during the th century.
Steinbach handmade german bird hunter nutcracker with box. The design of hinged levers as nutcrackers may date as far back as ancient greece. Humpty dumpty steinbach german nutcracker s857 limited edition. Although the steinbach nutcracker may be the most well known german brand in the u.
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