Kokot w Bórkowach – 133rd Hahnrupfen of the Domowina Youth Burg

Sorbian-Wendish Harvest Custom

The Hahnrupfen – Sorbian "Kokot" – is one of the oldest and best-known Wendish-Sorbian harvest customs in Lower Lusatia. In Burg (Spreewald) – Sorbian Bórkowy – the custom is held annually by the Domowina Youth Burg. The Domowina is the association of Sorbs/Wends, which preserves the cultural identity of Germany's oldest indigenous minority.

133rd Edition 2026

In 2026, the Hahnrupfen will take place on the weekend of July 25th and 26th. The venue is Waldschlößchenstraße near the Nahkegraben ditch, on the eastern edge of Burg. The festival grounds will be transformed into a traditional riding arena with a flagged wooden structure and a festival stage.

The Custom: Rooster, Riders, and Harvest King

The actual plucking is the centerpiece of the festival:

• A festively decorated rooster, traditionally made of wood or fabric, is hung on a flagged gate.
• Young riders from Burg and the surrounding area gallop under the gate and try to grab the head, wings, or tail of the rooster with their hands.
• Whoever grabs the head becomes Harvest King; whoever grabs a wing becomes the Harvest King's assistant.
• The Harvest Kings receive the oak leaf wreath as a symbol of victory.
• Afterwards, the Harvest King chooses a Harvest Queen from the young women of the village.

Symbolically, it's about bidding farewell to the harvest spirits of the old year and welcoming the new sowing period.

Ceremony and Supporting Program

• Wendish-Sorbian costume wearers will lead the parade.
• Music and dance – especially the typical Sorbian polka rounds.
• Opening with speeches in Sorbian and German.
• Festival tent with beer, bratwurst, and traditional Sorbian wedding soup.
• Stalls selling Sorbian-decorated Easter eggs, traditional embroidery, and Plinsen (Sorbian pancakes).
• Riding games and demonstrations.

Burg (Spreewald) – Pure Sorbian Tourism

With around 4,000 inhabitants, Burg (Spreewald) – Sorbian Bórkowy – is one of the central places in the Sorbian Spreewald. Wendish-Sorbian tradition is particularly vibrant here: costumes, language, and harvest customs are preserved by the Schmiedemuseum Burg (Blacksmith Museum), the Spreewald-Therme (thermal spa) district, and the Spreewald harbor. Burg belongs to the district of Spree-Neiße and is located in the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Spreewald.