Adorning Christmas trees from the 19th century to today

Idyllic family life around a Christmas tree with candles is portrayed in a painting by German-Dutch painter Eduard Geselschap. Poets and writers such as Jean Paul and E.T.A. Hoffmann also describe cheerful children's play around a splendidly decorated tree in their stories. While the first Christmas trees were not originally illuminated, festive candles were a mainstay by the 19th century.

Christmas tree decorations have a long tradition. Before the 19th century, apples, baked goods, nuts and candy canes were hung on trees. Later, shiny balls and glass decorations were added. Here, Jerusalem's famous Dome of the Rock is the motif. The delicate glasswork was created in 2018, but such delicate adornments are produced by machines these days and no longer by hand.

Christmas decoration motifs changed during the First World War. Instead of colorful balls and cute angels, ornaments in the form of bombs and grenades hung on German Christmas trees. Warships and airplanes also abounded. This little tree is more traditionally decorated, and was sent to the front via the army postal service in 1914.

The Nazis liked to exploit the German love for Christmas trees for their own propaganda ends, as illustrated by this Hitler Youth poster from 1939 showing Christmas decorations marching in front of green pine branches. While Christmas balls were also adorned with Nazi symbols such as the swastika, no photo survives that documents the actual use of Nazi symbols as tree decorations.

Nowadays, decorations on Christmas trees in German living rooms reflect traditions from around the world. You'll find everything from angels from the Erz Mountains to heavy fir cones, Santa Clauses with a Chinese-style beard or Russia figurines. The pictured installation by Ulrich Vogl and Evi Wiedermann named Weihnachtsverspannungen (Christmas Tensions), shows the merging of cultural traditions.