In the Allgäu, large fires symbolize the transition from winter to spring at the weekend. It is controversial whether straw dolls have to be burned. And why a female figure?
In Schwangau they are already looking forward to Sunday evening. Just in time for dusk, the lights are lit again: Christmas trees, boards and branches are put in a large pile for one of the impressive bonfires that ignite many small and large towns in the Allgäu on the first weekend of Lent. The community writes that the spark fire in Schwangau was first mentioned in a document in 1847. In the middle of the pile of sparks, which can hold up to 50 steres of wood, the people of Schwangau will once again this year place a pole with a witch doll attached to it – only when it is burned, after around 45 minutes, is winter finally considered to have been driven out.