Sohlander Hexenbrennen

Walpurgis Night in Upper Lusatia

In Upper Lusatia — the East Saxon border region with Poland and the Czech Republic — Walpurgis Night (April 30) is traditionally celebrated with particular intensity. In almost every municipality, a Hexenfeuer (witch bonfire) is lit on the evening of April 30, which, according to ancient folk belief, drives away evil spirits and welcomes spring. The tradition dates back to pre-Christian rites and is still alive today in the Sorbian settlement area — which also includes parts of Upper Lusatia.

Sohland an der Spree — a Lusatian Municipality

Sohland is located in the Bautzen district, in the very south of Upper Lusatia, on the Czech border. The municipality with around 5,500 inhabitants stretches along the upper reaches of the Spree River and offers a charming landscape with forests, meadows, and small villages. Sohland is home to an active club scene that preserves traditional customs — and the Hexenbrennen on April 30 is one of the fixed annual events.

April 30, 2026 — Hexenfeuer and Volksfest

The 2026 Hexenbrennen will take place on Schluckenauer Straße — Sohland's traditional Hexenbrennplatz (witch burning site). Construction begins in the late afternoon, and the large Hexenfeuer will be lit in the evening. With live music, draft beer, grilled bratwurst, and Hexenpunsch (witch's punch), the festival marks a convivial start to the spring and summer event season in Lusatia. Families from Sohland, Schirgiswalde, Cunewalde, Wilthen, and other Lusatian municipalities come together — a classic village and community festival that is accessible and open to all.

The Hexenbrennen Tradition

The Hexenbrennen — also called Maifeuer (May bonfire) or Walpurgisfeuer (Walpurgis bonfire) — is one of Central Europe's oldest spring customs. On Walpurgis Night, the night of April 30 to May 1, witches are said to meet on the Brocken mountain in the Harz region according to folk belief. The bonfires in the villages are meant to drive these witches away or, at the same time, welcome spring. In its Christianized form, Saint Walburga is honored, an Anglo-Saxon missionary from the 8th century. In Upper Lusatia, in the Sorbian settlement area, Slavic and Germanic spring rites are mixed — which makes Walpurgis Night particularly vibrant here.

Saxony, Upper Lusatia, and Sohland

Upper Lusatia is one of Saxony's most traditional regions. With its many small municipalities, its Sorbian culture, its characteristic Umgebindehaus (cross-braced timber frame) architectural style, and its manageable size, it offers a piece of preserved rural Saxony. The Hexenbrennen here is not staged for tourism but is a genuine community festival — locals meet, chat, eat, drink, and gaze into the flames together as dusk falls over Lusatia.