Leaving Bern and heading to Lucerne on an Easter Sunday, my sis and I checked out from Bern Backpackers Hotel Glocke in mid morning. With our luggage in tow, we walked past Kornhausplatz en route to the train station.
Curiously, a sizeable crowd in joyous mood had gathered at Kornhausplatz. Being inquisitive, we moved closer to the crowd to find out more.
It turned out to be a communal Easter egg smashing event, known as Eiertütschen. The egg was a symbol of rebirth adopted by early Christians as a symbol of the resurrection of Jesus at Easter. This game of egg tapping has been practiced since medieval times in Europe and is still observed in some places in 21st century. Every year on Easter Sunday, the locals gathered here for an old Bernese tradition of egg fighting. We were very lucky to witness and take part in this tradition.
The rules of the game is quite simple. Each participant takes turn to use his or her boiled egg to tap the opponent’s egg. The aim is to break the other’s egg without breaking one’s own.
Basket full of coloured boiled eggs. Participants had to bring their own ones to the venue as no eggs were sold on the spot.
We were invited to have a go in the game. My sis had a good try.
I was still a little confused about the rules of the game when mine started. So my game was so short I didn’t even get a good picture with me in it. And I still couldn’t figured out how I lost after that. Hahaha!
We were thankful to be take part in the event albeit for a very short while. This will always be in our memory as a great example of Swiss hospitality.
