BROTHERS
GRIMM - HANAU
200 Years of Fairytales in Grimm’s Home Town
The
first edition of Grimm’s Fairy Tales was published
in 1812, and the popularity of the fantastic woodland tales of German
folklore has never waned. In 2012 and 2013, the year marking the
200th anniversary of the publication, with television shows on American
networks and three big Hollywood movies "Mirror Mirror" with
Julia Roberts, "Snow
White And The Huntsmen" with Kristen Stewart and Charlize Theron
and "Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters" with Gemma Arterton
and Jeremy Renner, and “Puss n’ Boots”, the boys from
Hanau are hotter than ever - though some of the movie treatment
of their collected stories might have them rolling in their graves. For
a more traditional telling, head to Hanau.
Fairy Tale Festival, Hanau - May to- July
The
city of Hanau in Hessen, a short train ride from Frankfurt will be
celebrating the anniversary for more than a full year and beyond.
Hanau, where the Grimm Brothers were born, has long been noted as the
starting point of the German Fairy Tale Trail (Deutsche Märchenstrasse),
which follows the route brothers Wilhelm and Jacob Grimm traveled in
their lives to record the ancient stories, traditions, and superstitions
of the towns and villages of their homeland (see German Fairy
Tale Road).
A number of the towns will be celebrating with special shows and events
in the anniversary year, but the trail begins with the annual Fair Tale
Festival in Hanau.
The Fairy Tale Festival of Hanau (Märchenfest) )begun in 1985 is held every year from May to July attracting over a million visitors - and for 2012 will be all the more special. The festival celebrations of costumed characters in story telling performances, re-enactments and general frivolity begins with the Grand Opening on May 18th in the Amphitheatre on the Schlosspark grounds of the beautiful Baroque Philippsruhe Castle and runs through July, with more events, readings and fairy tale inspired performances through to 2014.
Aside
from the festival, there are a few remaining sites in Hanau for discovering
the story of the Grimm Brothers. They were
born at Number
1 Paradeplatz in Hanau, now called Freiheitsplatz in 1785 and 1786.
The birth house was destroyed in the bombing of Hanau in World
War II,
but a plaque marks the spot. They grew up in their early years in
the nearby town of Steinau with their parents and seven brothers and
sisters.
After their father and grandfather died, they moved to Kassel to attend
school,
studied law at Marburg, then returned to Kassel to work as librarians.
From 1830 to 1837, they were professors at the University of Göttingen
and they spent the last years of their lives in Berlin.
In 1896, the city of Hanau erected the National Monument Statue of
the brothers on the New Town (Neustadt) Market Square in front of the
old
town hall, which now marks the starting point of the German Fairy Tale
Road. The city tourism office is located in the new town hall behind
the old one, where can be found maps of the trail and help with local
Grimm sites. There are exhibits dedicated to the work of the Grimm
brothers at the Grimm Museum section of the Hanau Historical Society
at Schloss
Philippsruhe, including a frock coat and briefcase belonging to the
brothers, and the most famous portrait drawn by their brother Emil.
Hanau Library Brothers Grimm
The
city library has an extensive collection of literature, illustrations
and history
related to the tales and the brothers. St Mary’s Church (Mareinkirche)
has a plaque where their great-grandfather had been pastor, near the
famous Goldschmeid Haus (see Goldsmith House Hanau).
A number of clubs and associations dedicated to the Grimms' work,
regularly offer lectures
and guided tours, while local epicureans serve champagne and an original
Brothers Grimm Cake. Grimm era costumes will be on display and guided
tours offered of the Phillipsruhe Palace. (Event
Schedule). © Bargain
Travel Europe
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Fairy Tale Route
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See Also:
FRANKFURT
CATHEDRAL & DOM MUSEUM
FAIRY TALE MUSEUM - BAD OEYENHAUSEN
CARICATURA COMIC ART MUSEUM FRANKFURT
RHEINGAU WINE MUSEUM - RÜDESHEIM
