Kirwa tradition up close: Exhibits wanted for new museum in Amberg!

Kirwa tradition up close: Exhibits wanted for new museum in Amberg!

Something is happening in the Amberg-Sulzbach district when it comes to Kirwa! Next Saturday, July 19th, the district office in Amberg is inviting you to a viewing day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., where all Kirwa enthusiasts and interested parties can present their treasures. We are looking for traditional costumes, jugs, photographs and all sorts of curiosities that are connected to the Kirwa tradition in the Amberg-Sulzbacher Land. As the Central Bavarian newspaper reports, the exhibits seen may possibly be exhibited in a planned Kirwa museum.

Finally, the Kirwan in the region have been listed in the Bavarian state register of intangible cultural heritage since 2023. The future museum will enable the Kirwa tradition to be experienced both virtually and tactilely, thereby preserving a piece of living local history. The viewing takes place in the foyer of the main building of the district office, Schloßgraben 3 in Amberg. Parking spaces are available directly in the office courtyard, so getting there is no problem.

Invitation to the community

Former and active Kirwa people, as well as supporters of the tradition, are warmly invited to present their objects and materials. An experienced museum team from the Frankonzept agency in Würzburg will check the exhibits for originality and authenticity. Advantageous: After viewing, the objects can be taken home again so that the participants continue to have a personal connection to their treasures.

The Kirwa itself is firmly rooted in club life and brings the villages to life, especially in summer. After a festive service on Sunday morning, the big highlight of the Kirwa celebrations begins. The boys set off in a carriage or tractor to “catch up” their moila for dancing out the Kirwa tree. Accompanied by traditional songs that tell of love, lust and life, the village square becomes the scene of the action. Here people dance around the symbol of Kirwa, the Kirwa tree.

Traditional activities at the Kirwa

The Kirwa couples wear colorful dirndls and lederhosen, while in some towns the original Upper Palatinate costume can also be seen. The dance, which is played to brass music, is an integral part of the program. The new Oberkirwa couple is chosen - an honor that comes with certain obligations. Instead of a mere ceremony, the music provides the appropriate setting, while Gstanzln, cheeky rhyming songs, humorously address current events in the village.

Another highlight is the selection of the Kirwa bear, which takes place on Kirwa Monday. This person usually wears a bear costume or simple clothing and makes his way through the village armed with coal. He and his followers smear passers-by with soot. With stop-and-go through the various inns and spacious households, the train through the village is not only a boozy experience, but also provides numerous danceable moments.

The planned viewing of Kirwa exhibits is not only a step towards a museum, but also an important signal for the preservation and maintenance of the living culture of this tradition. We cordially invite everyone who is interested to take part and perhaps even preserve a part of this unique history!