Easter Traditions in Austria - Ratches

Going with RATCHETS is an old tradition in the HOLY WEEK.
It is an oral tradition, that the church bells fly from Holy Thursday till Easter Sunday to ROME, Italy. So the bells don´t ring....

The children walk with their noisy ratches through the villages. This noise should remind the people of the Holy Service (usually the church bells do) and the suffering of Jesus Christ.

Starting Holy Thursday evening the Ratching ends on Saturday.
Sunday the church bells are back and ring again!

Girls were allowed to take part in this procession only some years ago...

The children collect money and sweets from the houses they visit.

But they have to recite a little saying:

Wir ratschen, wir ratschen den englischen Gruß, den jeder katholische Christ beten muss...

And here are some of these noisy instruments:

Wheel ratchet

Hand ratchet




GLÖCKEL