This fascinating Northern European traditional celebration takes place on the 30th April every year.
A Walpurgis Bonfire
Like with many of our traditional celebrations, it’s origins are subject to debate. Some say that the day was celebrated as far back as the days of the Vikings. In those days it was a spring ritual incorporating fertility rites of various kinds.

Others say that the day celebrated is in memory of St Walburga, a nun who fought witchcraft and pre-Christian traditions in Germany in the 8th century.

The truth is probably a mixture of both; The Vikings did indeed have a spring celebration. The timing of Walpurgis is just perfect for that, bearing in mind the climate and seasons in Scandinavia.

The Vikings are also known to have had a strong belief in fertility rites. It all adds up to the conclusion that this holiday is the usual European mixture of pre- and post Christian rites.

As it is known under the name of ‘Valborg’, it is obvious that the festival is now connected with St Walburga.

How is ‘Valborgsmässoafton’ celebrated?

Attending a huge bonfire is the traditional way of celebrating this holiday.
Adding to the bonfire
During the weeks leading up to Walpurgis, there is usually a local designated fire-place locally, to which people carry things they no longer need, that are suitable for burning. This may be anything from wooden furniture to used cardboard or garden waste.

As the time gets closer, branches, twigs and bushes that have been cut down are added to the bonfire. Everybody is hoping that it won’t rain, as this would ruin the bonfire!

Really, anything else that will burn well can be added to the Walpurgis bonfire. However, during recent years it has become common for the fire brigade to inspect the bonfires before they are lit.

There have been instances of hazardous or other unsuitable material being added, causing accidents whereby people get poisoned by the gases from toxic material or hurt by material that explodes when it catches fire.
Valborg in Stockholm
As the sun goes down, the fire is lit, usually by a prominent member of the local community. For small local bonfires, it is simply the job of one of the men who contributed with material. Sometimes individuals who have proven themselves very brave or competent in some are get the honours.

Once the fire has caught on, there is usually a bit of communal singing. Sometimes a local choir will also participate, making all the difference when it comes to the quality of the singing.

The most common song that it sung on this occassion celebrates the departure of winter and the arrival of summer. It is called ‘Vintern rasat ut bland våra fjällar…” and it is known to everybody as it is taught in schools. Sometimes child-friendly songs with more accessible lyrics are chosen.
A Family Bonfire
The weather is usually still quite chilly at this time of the year in Scandinavia. Since the bonfires are usually held on commons, by the water somewhere, or in a park, participants tend to be in rubberboots and hard-wearing clothes. The event is decidedly un-glamourous.

Grilling hot dogs and and other snacks is also usually a feature of the celebration. Sometimes games are arranged for the children.

Footnote: The Witch Connection

There is a strong connection between Walpurgis night and witches. The exact connection isn’t really known to anybody, but I’ll try to put a bit of context around it;
A witch gets a ride..
Witches feature quite heavily in Swedish folklore. This may be because Scandinavia came to Christianity later than the rest of Europe. At the far Northern outskirts of the continent, old traditions died hard…

It is believed today that the so-called witches were little more than ‘wise’ old (often unmarried) women with some medical / midwifery skills.

They were inclined to listen and counsel those who sought their advice in connection with health problems, matters of the heart or various psychological problems.

The witch would then provide a recommended approach to the problem, perhaps involving rituals, herbal potions or simply some practical advice on how to handle a tricky situation.
A witch and her master
However, between around 1400 to 1750, women engaging in such practices were persecuted throughout Northern Europe, put on trial, and subsequently executed if found guilty.

As the trials and means of extracting confessions were both unfair and biased. there were plenty of ‘guilty’ verdicts and executions. Approximately 50 000 people were executed throughout Europe before the practice ended.

The public witch trials and fabricated ‘confessions’ succeeded in creating a great myth and fear surrounding witches. The public were told that witches had confessed to being in cohorts with the devil and having sold their soul to him.

Under torture, those accused ‘admitted’ to participating in child-sacrifices, the poisoning of farm animals, putting death-spells on their neighbours and having intercourse with the devil.

In some cases there is some evidence pointing to some of these women possibly having had pre-Christian beliefs. But largely it was probably untrue and at any rate, this ought not to have been a crime punishable by death.
Blå Jungfrun, where the witches travel….
One odd details is that a large number of Swedish ‘witches’ confessed to having flown by means of magic to the island of ‘Blåkulla’ (also called Blå Junfrun – the Blue Maiden), an un-inhabited, mist covered, cone-shaped island east of the Swedish mainland. There they participated in orgies with the devil…
Rare photo of the maze
Interestingly there is an ancient stone maze of unknown origin on the island…Stone mazes are said to be related to fertility rites… Up until quite recently local people refused to have anything to do with the island, claiming it was evil.

Suffice to say there was a very strong fear of witches and their powers. People wanted to protect themselves. Walpurgis night is said to be effective against the power and influence of the witches. Those participating in the celebrations become protected. Something in the fire and the song reduces the strength of their curses and spells.

Celebrating the memory of Walpurga and her struggle against witchcraft also adds to the protection. I couldn’t explain it more in details than that because I am not aware that any more details of this ‘magic’ are known.

University Students’ Celebrations

Valborg is also the day of the students.
Student Celebrations; Rafting.. On this day, champaigne breakfasts outdoors are arranged for university students; speeches, a traditional luncheon and plenty of choir singing all take place throughout the day.

On Valborg, university students often wear their traditional white and black hats and participate in competitions such as building and sailing a raft on a river that runs through a university town (such as Uppsala or Lund)

The Modern, not so Dignified celebrations…

Police and Fire services are on full standby on Valborg, as this night is a favourite for trouble-makers… Teenagers too young to participate in university or adult celebrations, but too old to accompany their parents to a family oriented bonfire roam the city centres looking for trouble…
More informal celebrations….
On this night it is now almost compulsory to get drunk, have a spontaneous bonfire or even put somebody else’s private property on fire.

Together with New Year’s Eve and St Lucia it is the Police force’s least favourite holiday. Since the police is fully occupied monitoring youth gangs, and the adults are out by the bonfire, it is prime-time for house burglaries.

My own Walpurgis memories

My strongest memories of celebrating Valborg is from my childhood when I would attend a traditional bonfire with my parents.
St Per” A church ruin
in Sigtuna. Haunted!

Later when I was at boarding school, we’d first attend the school sponsored bonfire (usually already somewhat drunk, but obviously not visibly so…) We’d sing, listen to a semi-religious talk before going back to our Houses (dorms) There we’d go through with the ‘lights-out’ routine, wait an our or so, then sneak out through a window after having carefully arranged our beds to look like there was somebody in them.

At the shore of a nearby lake we then had our own celebration, playing music, drinking moonshine, making out, going for an icy swim, telling ghost stories and eating grilled meat and sausages…

I have a very strong memory of having to walk the distance back to school from the beach alone for some reason….

Somebody had been telling stories about local ghosts and witchcraft. I was very, very scared and thought that every bush was moving. I was fully expecting the local witches’ ghost to attack me, or the three legged ghost-horse.
Scared of ghosts and witches….
There sky was glowing faintly from the approaching dawn. It’s colour was unusual and seemed magical. The meadows and fields that I had to cross were covered with mist.

It was a well known fact that Sigtuna had had more than its’ fair share of Viking and medieval mystery… I was reciting Our Father and everything else I could think of as I made my way back to school. These were some really awful ghost stories, involving buildings that were still standing.

I have never been so happy to get back into my own bed as I was that night..!
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