Aseleben Maifest — Ausfahrt der Maien

May Festival on the Süßer See

Aseleben is a district of the municipality Seegebiet Mansfelder Land in the Mansfeld-Südharz district. The village lies on the banks of the Süßer See — a remnant lake of the former Mansfelder Salziger See, which dried up in 1893 due to mining subsidence. Today, the remains of the lake landscape shape the region. In the middle of this natural area, the Aseleben Maifest takes place annually in May — with the traditional Ausfahrt der Maien, a May festival parade that highlights the village's youth.

Ausfahrt der Maien

The Ausfahrt der Maien is an old custom that is still practiced in the villages of the Mansfelder Land. Young men and women parade through the village with the maypole — the girls carry may bushes, and the boys shoulder the trunk. Also present: a trumpet ensemble and a ceremonial speech by the mayor. On May 23, 2026, at 12 p.m., the parade starts in Aseleben. On Sunday, May 24, the actual village festival follows from 10 a.m. with a morning pint (Frühschoppen), live music, and a children's program.

Mansfelder Land — Land of Copper Mining

The Mansfelder Land has a long and harsh history. Over 800 years of copper mining shaped the landscape, culture, and social structure of the region — until the closure of the last mine shaft in 1990. The tradition lives on in the village festivals: mining brass bands, mining songs, and "Glück Auf" greetings are part of the vocabulary. In the state of Saxony-Anhalt, in the Mansfeld-Südharz district, this mix of industrial heritage and rural customs is characteristic.

The Süßer See

The Süßer See is now a nature reserve and local recreation area. Visitors to the Maifest can combine it with a hike along the lake shore — the birdlife here is exceptionally diverse, with reed warblers, great reed warblers, and migratory waterfowl in spring. Aseleben itself, with only a few hundred inhabitants, is a typical village of the region.