104 raw eggs play the leading role in an Eifel Easter custom that has its origins in the 16th century. The Schönecker egg location on Easter Monday is one of the oldest surviving egg harvest customs in Germany. This exciting competition between two young runners has been held in almost the same way every year for several centuries in the castle town of Schönecken. A pair will be chosen at auction to provide the runner and the packer this year. The two of them then have to take care of the 104 eggs that are needed for the competition themselves: so they go through the whole village, introduce themselves to the people from Schönecker and collect egg donations from the residents. On Easter Monday around noon, 104 raw eggs are laid out in sawdust at a distance of one cubit, that is 62.5 centimetres. The packer has to pick up the 104 eggs one by one, its longest way is 65 meters. He covers a total of 6.9 kilometers, plus 104 times bending down, snatching up, turning, walking on and depositing the eggs in the collection basket. The runner makes his way to the neighboring town of Seiwerath and back. He has to cover around 7.6 kilometers and has to overcome a difference in altitude of 122 meters. In Seiwerath his presence is confirmed with a short note. Then he runs back in the direction of Schönecken. A speaker informs the viewers about the current status. Who of the two has completed his task first, is the winner of the egg situation. For the bachelors, the victory is not as important as the fact that they have ever actively participated in the laying of eggs. The day ends with the award ceremony and a parade through the town and dance in the evening, with the runners and runners having the dance of honor. After the usually extensive celebration of the laying of eggs, the main actors, the collected eggs, find their abrupt end in the bellies of the bachelors on Easter Tuesday. What is behind the bachelor sodality of Schönecken?

A member of the association reveals it >>

It is the festival of the bachelors. The preparations begin in Holy Week and conclude on Holy Saturday with the decoration of Von-Hersel-Strasse, which many members already regard as a pre-festival.

The festivities start on Easter Sunday at 3 p.m. with the Easter concert by MV Schönecken and the Eifeler Dorfmusikaten in the FiF. "Party time" is announced from 8 p.m. Also present: "Alex im Westerland" and the DJs hardliners N-Dee and DJ Crazy A.

The program on Easter Monday begins at 9:00 a.m. with the clubs going to church with the participation of the Schönecken Music Society. The traditional egg laying starts at 2 p.m.; at 3 p.m. there will be a concert by MV Rommersheim in the FiF. Furthermore, music with "Jive-Joes" is on the program. At 9 p.m., dance and rock music will follow with "Highway 51" - admission is free.

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