The origin of the custom of burning witches can be found in the ancient Celtic holiday called Beltine, which also took place on the last night of April. Back then, people rejoiced and rejoiced, sang and danced around the fires. The lit borders were an integral part of the celebrations. The fire was supposed to symbolically light the bright part of the year – spring. In addition, the Celts believed that supernatural beings and forces had the greatest power on the last night of April. That is why it was necessary to ward off evil forces with fire. Couples in love also met on Beltine, and it was also a celebration of love.
Pagan celebrations on the last night of April survived into the Middle Ages. From this period, news about the so-called Walpurgis Night, i.e. the holiday falling on the last night of April, has been preserved from the German environment. Even then, fires were lit as a protection against the influence of evil forces. The custom probably came to our environment from German lands during the Middle Ages. In our country, the night from April 30 to May 1 was referred to as Philip Jacob’s Night, because it fell between the holidays of St. Philip and St. Jakub. Our ancestors believed that on this night witches have their gatherings and harm people more than ever. In addition, witches could not be well recognized on the Night of Philip and Jacob because they could easily transform into animals such as wolves, cats or dogs. In animal form, witches penetrated among people and harmed them. Therefore, in every household, various protective symbols were drawn with holy chalk, a crucifix had to hang on the wall. Effective protection against witches was also provided by fire, preferably lit in a high place visible from afar.
As in pagan times, in the Middle Ages too, the last night of April was marked by the celebration of young people in love. Couples even jumped over fires together, it was a kind of ritual to strengthen their feelings. Jumping over the fire on St. Philip’s Night was practiced in some regions in our countries as early as the first half of the last century, but today it is a practically extinct custom.
The old custom of throwing burning brooms into the air as a protection against the evil effects of witches, which has been known since the beginning of the 20th century, has also disappeared. In connection with brooms, it is also possible to mention the fact that housewives cleaned the entire building on the last day of April, so that it would be clean for spring and that unclean forces would not enter it. Often, the still-tidy household was sprinkled with holy water just to be sure, for some people it was enough just to draw a line with holy chalk in front of the entrance to buildings and stables, which the witch was said to be unable to cross.
While fires used to be lit on the hills, today the boundaries have moved more to the plains – to playgrounds or even family gardens. This is related to the overall transformation of the meaning of tradition. In the past, fires mainly had a protective function, with people meeting in second place. Today, on the other hand, the burning of witches is mainly an occasion for social celebrations. Although fire is still an integral part of the last night in April, it is no longer attributed magical power and the main role. This was replaced by a social program.
On the other hand, burning effigies of witches is a new custom, which could be called a truly modern custom. Even from the beginning of the 20th century, there is no evidence of the burning of such witches. Dressing up women and children in witch costumes for outdoor social gatherings during witch burnings is also a modern-day affair.
