Plight of the Lutzelfrau: German Mythology
- Sylvia Rose
- Aug 15, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 23
On Dec 13 the Lutzelfrau comes to bring candy, fruit, nuts and gifts of light to children and households. While Lutzelfrau has pagan origins, her tradition is now the feast day of a martyr, as she slowly fades into obscurity.
December 13 is a significant day. In the Julian calendar (before 1582 AD). It marks the Winter Solstice, when day and night are equal length. On this day light returns to the Northern Hemisphere. With the advent of the Gregorian calendar, the date of the solstice falls on Dec 21, a week later.
The visit of the Lutzelfrau and the feast of Frau Holle (Dec 25 to Jan 5-6), one of Germania's ancient deities, both occur in winter, a time of roaming spirits and darkness.
The relationship between Holle and Lutzelfrau is not clear. Although both have dark and light sides they're considered to be separate entities.
Strong magic surrounds number thirteen. It's a prime number, divisible only by 1 and itself. Thirteen is considered the ideal number of witches for a coven.
In numerology, 13 brings good luck and prosperity, and heralds a change. It's also a number of division or duality, relating to the awareness of the 'dark' and 'light' sides of an issue or the Self.
In the 4th century AD, the Romans invent Christmas, and an influx of Christianity changes the Dec 13 celebration from the visit of the Lutzelfrau to the feast day of St. Lucy or Lucia, a Sicilian martyr whose name is derived from Latin lux for Light.
Lucy is martyred in Syracuse, when a spurned suitor outs her as Christian. Lucy's eyes are torn out, either by torture or self-mutilation. In depictions she often carries them on a plate.
She's also connected with light through her name (root: Latin luz or lux). In parts of Europe the Lutzelfrau tradition remains to present a contrast to Lucy. In this context the Lutzelfrau is called the Dark Luz.
Lucy is the patron saint of authors, cutlers, glaziers, laborers, martyrs, peasants, saddlers, salesmen, stained glass workers, the blind, and of Perugia, Italy. She is invoked against hemorrhage, dysentery, eye diseases and throat infections.
With the advent of the Gregorian calendar, the solstice date changes to the 21st. Although this relocates many traditions, Lucy's feast day remains the same. As it was in the time of the Lutzelfrau, it's a celebration of light.
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