“Tomorrow might be May Day, but the revelry begins tonight. Walpurgisnacht, aka Hexennacht – The Witches Night.

In many areas of Germany, northern and central Europe, there is a legendary night of mayhem celebrating the arrival of spring.
A tradition from the time witches were thought to gather on the Brocken, enjoying themselves. Whatever that involved for witches.
While waiting for dawn to break, bringing with it the beginning of summer, and together with their pet bats and cats, Hexen flew around the Brocken, highest of north central Germany’s Harz mountains. Partying with the ‘Devil’ and creating occult mischief.

Maps of Germany were still drawn showing “Witches Areas”, as a warning for unwary travelers, as late as the 18th century … so it seems they didn’t appear just once a year.

May 1 is St. Walburga’s Feast day, an 8th-century English missionary and Abbess who worked to convert pagans in the Frankish Empire, now Southern Germany, but the evening’s rowdy associations have little to do with the blameless Saint. It is her date of canonization, but it is because of the date that her name has become associated with witchcraft, myths, country superstitions and all things Hexerei.

And for some idea of a Harz Witches’ Dance: https://bit.ly/3OKDXLq
The music is Schüttel deinen Speck, which some don’t realize in German, is shake your lard/blubber/flab.”

from https://www.facebook.com/WitchGangApothecary