Traditional wood art for Christmas
The Thuringian Forest is particularly proud of the products of its glassblowers. The Erzgebirge, in turn, is famous for its wood art. Each of us knows and loves the turned and colorfully painted Erzgebirge wood art figures, first and foremost the smoking manikin and the nutcracker.
Wood art as a way out of hardship
In the middle of the 18th century, the once flourishing mining industry in the Ore Mountains and other low mountain ranges in Germany slowly came to a standstill. The inhabitants of the forest villages urgently needed to find new ways of earning a living. So it was obvious to use the abundant raw material wood from the surrounding forests. Alongside woodcarving, woodturning awoke to unimagined greatness and became a folk art. Especially toys in all possible variations could be assembled very well from turned wooden parts.
The nutcrackers are the kings of the Christmas season
.The Erzgebirge nutcracker is undeniably the number one among the representatives of the Christmas wooden art tradition. In a splendid colorful uniform, with miner's cap and white beard, he cracks walnuts and hazelnuts with his strong teeth to the delight of children. The imaginative painting varies between miner's clothes and army uniform.
Künstler verewigten den hölzernen Nussknacker in ihren Werken. Tschaikowski schuf das berühmte Märchen-Ballett "Der Nussknacker" nach den Motiven der Geschichte "Nussknacker und Mausekönig" von E.T.A Hoffmann. Die ersten Takte des "Tanz der Zuckerfee" kennt wohl jeder von uns.
Die nussknackenden Drechselfiguren gibt es von ziemlich klein bis riesengroß. In Seiffen im Erzgebirge können Sie in den zahlreichen Werkstätten den Handwerkern über die Schulter schauen. Hier in unserem Online-Shop finden Sie Holzkunst-Erzeugnisse der deutschen Traditionsmanufaktur Rascher. Alle Figuren entstehen bis hin zur Bemalung in Handarbeit.
Die Nussknacker kommen in verschiedenen bunten Verkleidungen zu Ihnen nach Hause: Vom Husar über den Rosenkavalier bis zum jodelnden Jäger oder Lebkuchenbäcker sind einige interessante Berufe vertreten.
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
Original Rascher Nussknacker "Der jodelnde Jäger", neu, deutsche Handarbeit_3
Original Rascher Nussknacker "Rosenkavalier", neu, deutsche Handarbeit_3
Original Rascher Nussknacker "Lebkuchenbäcker", neu, deutsche Handarbeit_3
Original Rascher Nussknacker "Rosenkavalier", neu, deutsche Handarbeit_3-515
Original Rascher Nussknacker "Rosenkavalier", neu, deutsche Handarbeit_3-515-516
Original Rascher Nussknacker "Rosenkavalier", neu, deutsche Handarbeit_3-515-517
Original Rascher Nussknacker "Rosenkavalier", neu, deutsche Handarbeit_3-515-518
Original Rascher Nussknacker "Rosenkavalier", neu, deutsche Handarbeit_3-515-518-519
Original Rascher Nussknacker "Rosenkavalier", neu, deutsche Handarbeit_3-515-518-520
Original Rascher Nussknacker "Rosenkavalier", neu, deutsche Handarbeit_3-515-518-520-521
Original Rascher Nussknacker "Rosenkavalier", neu, deutsche Handarbeit_3-515-518-520-521-522
Original Rascher Nussknacker "Rosenkavalier", neu, deutsche Handarbeit_3-515-518-520-521-522-523
Original Rascher Nussknacker "Rosenkavalier", neu, deutsche Handarbeit_3-515-518-520-521-522-523-524
Original Rascher Nussknacker "Rosenkavalier", neu, deutsche Handarbeit_3-515-518-520-521-522-523-525
Original Rascher Nussknacker "Rosenkavalier", neu, deutsche Handarbeit_3-515-518-520-521-522-523-525-526
Original Rascher Nussknacker "Rosenkavalier", neu, deutsche Handarbeit_3-515-518-520-521-522-523-525-527
The nutcracker usually has a small smoking neighbor, the smoking man. The first Thuringian smoking men date from around 1820. These were made of papier-mâché, dried paper pulp. Probably for fire safety reasons, the paper-born smoking man did not become a great success.
It worked better elsewhere. In the area around Olbernhau in the Ore Mountains, Ferdinand Frohe invented the turned wooden smoking man. This variant prevailed on the market for Christmas decorations. Together with the likewise Erzgebirge incense candles, the Saxon "Raachermannel" started their triumphal procession around the Christmas world.
Not only children have fun when the smoking figure emits thick clouds of smoke and the whole room smells of the typical incense.
Wooden art from the Christmas station
When it comes to incense smokers, the wood art corner in the Sitzendorf Christmas railway station offers you a small but fine selection. The snowman on summer vacation is one of the most popular motifs. Guests from Great Britain enjoy the Englishman, in addition, for example, the miller or the Iron Gustav. But see for yourself. Our online store offers a wide selection. In the other categories you will find tree ornaments from our own glassblowing workshop.