Christmas cribs (manger scenes, nativity sets) in the Internet
(This side is automatically translated - please excuse
all the mistakes!)
Crib, manger scene (old-high-German krippa, originally wattlework),
Device in the stable for feeding the domestic animals
Creche, manger scene, figural representation of the holy family in the
stable of Bethlehem (after Lukas 2), with the Jesus child in a crib, with
ox and donkey (Jesaja 1.3), usually with the herdmen and the three wise
men (kings). In Christmas time it is set up in churches and homes; cribs
a found first from the middle of the 16th century in Italy and Spain soon
thereafter in southern German churches and at palaces. Miniature forms
were the box cribs. Important collections in the museums of Munich, Brixen,
Neapel.
Cribs are found in Germany in all catholic churches. They are build in
the advent season, whereby the holy family is not set up until in Christmas.
The wise men from the morning country (the 3 kings) are included frequently
already before the 6th of January into the crib landscape, but they achieve
the stable however only on this day. The special organization of the crib
landscape has an old tradition in many municipalities and the structure
is made over years by the same person and even also " further-left ". Many
cribs are structured in such a way and decorated in affectionate and lengthy
work.
History
According to the religious tradition, it was the holy Franziskus, which
in the year 1223 as the first carried out the idea of a plastic representation
of the Weihnachtsgeschichte around Christi birth. Only many later however,
toward end 17. and in the 18th century, the Christmas crib than actual
became popular as reconstruction of the large event, which was fantasyful
and realistically at the same time. The art of Christmas cribs particularly
developed in Neapel under installation course of elements from the sculptor
art, architecture and the folklore.
African Nativity Scenes
In Christian areas of Africa wonderful Nativity Scenes were created out of different materials mostly wood.
See some examples on my Art from Africa page.
Daxelmueller, CH (1992): Between Neapel and Taiwan. To the history of the
Weihnachtskrippe. In: Christmas in Germany - mirrors of a celebration.
Hrsg. v. Ch. Daxelmueller […. ]. Munich, Zurich: Quickly & Steiner.
35 - 58.
Interesting
Weihnachtskrippe in the zoo
At the Nikolaustag was it so far: One hundred shining and surprised pairs
of eyes of children of a catholic kindergarten. They had come into the
zoo, in order to stay to an attendance with the individual zoo animals
also with the Weihnachtskrippe in the child zoo. The Weihnachtskrippe was
developed in this year to the zwoelften mark in a Stallung of the child
zoo and opened at the Nikolaustag. And too all astonishment participated
the Nikolaus in its red coat and boiling that, white beard also, in order
to out-assign its gifts from the bring along bags. Untermalt of besinnlicher
music and with the light of hundreds of candles on the many fir trees shows
up the Christian Weihnachtsgeschehen in the midst of a Tierstallung. The
life-large figures, Maria and Josef, the Christkindle in the wood crib
lined with straw and the being astonished shepherd boys framed of the "
genuine " animals of the child zoo: The Hinterwaelder cattle from the Black
Forest, the threatened barrier oh sheep, the Lamas, dwarf goats and Shetlandponys.
(zoo of the
city Karlsruhe)
