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Reiterlesmarkt

How Rothenburg's Christmas Market got its name

Why doesn't Rothenburg ob der Tauber call its Christmas market the "Christkindlmarkt" as most German cities do? Here's an explanation, courtesy of the Rothenburg Tourist Office:

The name refers to an old Teutonic legend. In pre-Christian times, the Teutons believed in a rider who took care of the souls of the dead. The Teutons were afraid of this mystic figure, but the attitude toward this rider was changed in the Middle Ages. In the Christian era, everyone was expecting the rider, because--as the legend evolved--he was transformed from a wild, rude man into a friendly messenger who brings gifts to all men on Earth. (A painting of this famous rider can be seen on the façade of Rothenburg's town hall.)

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