THE HISTORY OF THE FREIBURG CHRISTMAS MARKET

Christmas markets didn’t spring up overnight, rather the idea developed from sales fairs and markets of the late Middle Ages. This is where the locals stocked up on meat and other winter-proof products in preparation for the colder season. Over time, the markets became more and more diverse, which allowed artisans such as toy makers, basket weavers and confectioners to sell their products at market stalls as well. Roasted chestnuts, nuts and almonds were also very popular back then.

The ‘December market’, which supplied the people of Vienna with goods in 1296 and Munich’s ‘St. Nicholas market’ in 1310 laid the foundations for the Christmas markets we know and love today. As the centuries passed, this popular tradition became widespread throughout the German-speaking world and, since the beginning of the 20th century, Christmas markets have become an integral part of our culture.

The first Freiburg Christmas market took place from 1-20 December 1973. There was musical accompaniment every day from morning to evening, with performances by children’s choirs and bands. As was typical in Germany in the 1970s, driving on Sundays was banned. The first event was a rousing success.

What happened?

• There were 50 applications for 20 stalls.
• ‘Weckmänner’ (sweet bread in the shape of a man), sizzling sausages, mulled wine and roasted almonds were particularly popular
• The biggest hit: the fruit stall 
• A press release was issued on 13 December 1973 stating that the Freiburg Christmas market should become a regular event.

The second iteration of the Freiburg Christmas market attracted visitors from well beyond the city limits. Even members of the Canadian armed forces, stationed in Lahr, joined us – 36 bus loads of them, no less! We also had a great deal of guests from Switzerland and France, causing profits to increase to above 30 percent. 

What happened?

• There were 25 stalls on the newly renovated Rathausplatz
• For the first time, charity stalls were set up on Sundays
• On 30 November 1974, the Kaiser-Joseph-Straße was decorated with snowflake motifs and the Red Cross sold goulash soup straight out of an old field cannon
• A decorated tram ran through the city centre
• Courtesy of the Ganter brewery, Santa Claus paid us a visit in his sleigh
• Freiburg schools were invited to take part in a painting competition, with prizes including 30 portable radios. 

The number of applications to run a stall grew rapidly. Indeed, in 1982, the Liegenschaftsamt (the Freiburg office responsible for property) received over 150 applications for the 10th Freiburg Christmas market, and in 1984 there were 200. As a result, the market was initially expanded to 33 stalls, with a carousel as the centrepiece. In 1985, the market grew to 38 stalls and by 1990 there were 46 stalls.

What happened?

• 1980 saw the hunt for the most beautiful ‘Springerle’ (biscuits made by rolling the dough into a mould before baking). The Münster Springerle won
• New stalls included ones that sold wreaths and candles, puppets and dolls
• In 1981, old organ pipes from the Christuskirche parish were sold, with the proceeds going towards a new organ
• The biggest hit was the 170 retailers’ ‘Dukatenspiel’ at the Freiburg Christmas market, at which a small car was raffled off
• Politician Rolf Böhme, who was mayor of Freiburg at the time, opened the 10th Freiburg Christmas market, with gingerbread and cocoa at the opening 
• Particularly popular in 1983 was a stall selling traditional Black Forest hats
• The visiting St. Nicholas needed a donkey to carry all the fruit that was given out to the children.

In 1991, the market was extended to include 26 stalls on Franziskanerstraße. During the first few years, the expansion was very poorly received by visitors, yet, it’s no longer possible to imagine Freiburg Christmas market without these extra stalls today.  By 2012, the market had expanded to 113 stalls plus additional Sunday stalls on Kaiser-Joseph-Straße. By 2014 there were 120.

What happened?

• A nativity scene was added in 2012
• Due to the construction of the new building at Kaiser-Joseph-Straße 192, only half of Franziskanerstraße could be used in 2013. Turmstraße provided space for ten stalls and proved to be an ideal extension and helped to disperse the flow of visitors 
• In 2014, two rides and a nativity scene were added
• New in 2018: Freiburg Wirtschaft Touristik und Messe (FWTM), together with Orthopädie Freiburg Mitte (OFM), organised 69 of its own stalls and a children’s bakery The fees for the arts and crafts stalls were reduced by 50 percent – those for snack and mulled wine stalls were raised slightly
• A new container for rinsing crockery was put up in Predigerstraße
• Due to the high number of visitors, the area around the Rotteckring and Predigertor was expanded in 2019  
• In 2021, part of the Colombipark was included – due to the severity of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Christmas market was cancelled after 6 days
• In 2022, for the first time in its history, the Christmas market lasted for 36 days. 

In 2023, the Freiburg Christmas market celebrated its 50th anniversary