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Germany is a predominatly Protestant country, but there are large mumbers of Catholics, especially in the south. Thus there are both Protestant and Catholic confirmations. These used to be very important events in a boy's life. Some German boys for their confirmaton wear folk costumes. Many German children are confirmed, either in the evangelical or catholic church. It is a big day for them. Mothers would send out photographs of their sons in their new suit bought for confirmation. Friends and relatives might send the boy post cards as seen here (figure 1). Baden was in the German Federal Republic (West Germany). Religion is today less an influence in Germany than is the past. Church attendance, for example, is far below American trends. Thus conformation is a less important event than has been the case in the past. In the former DDR (Communist East Germany) many boys and girls who do not belong to any church also are expressing a desire to have some sort of an inauguration nowadays (Jugendweihe). Interestingly the NAZIs were condidering some sort of non religious ceremony replacing confirmation as they hoped to eventually phase out Christanity from German life. This course did not occur because the NAZIs were defeated in World War II and a horough denazification process conducted by the allies aftter the War. Religion in Germany never returned to its former status before the NAZIs and the War, but this is a developmentthat occurred throughout Western Europe. Even so, confirmation continues to be an important event in the lives of most German boys. New suits were commonly purchased for confirmation through the 1980s, but by the 1990s wearing suits for confirmation became less common. Boys would dress some what more casualy without a suit jacket with tie, white shirts nd slacks. Some boys also wore vests.
Germany since the Reformation has been a predominatly Catholic country, although the two denominations are today essentialy equal. The Reformation was born in Germany with Marin Luther posting his "95 Thesis. The resulting religious wars devestated Germany, especially the 30 Years War. Luthernism is the primary Protestant denomination. There is, however, a very sunstantial Catholic minority, especially in southern Germany. While Catholics were a minoriy in Germany, this
wasnot true in every German state (Landen), especially in Bavaria and other southern German states. One 1964 source reports that 95 percent of Germans were either Protestant or Catholics and only 5 percent to other religions. There were about 30,000 Jews, compared to 600,000 before the NAZIs seized power in 1933. Protestants live throughout Germany, but mostly in North and Middle Germany. In the south most people are Catholics (especially Bavaria and Austria. A more recent source indicated that in Austria about 85 percent were Catholics, 6 percent protestants, and 1 percent Islamic. In the former Communist East
Germny (DDR), most people were protestants, too. East Germany had about 35 percent of all German protestants, but only 8 percent of Catholics. In West Germany the ratio between Protestants and Catholics was much closer, 51 and 44 per cent. Another source indicates that West Germany during 1989 there were 41 percent protestants, 43 percent catholics, 3 percent Islamics. The East German composition was 30 percent protestants, 6 catholics, and 64 percent had or reported no religion. A source indicates that in 2000, 42 percent of Germans were protestants, 33 percent catholics and 3 percent Islamic people. Other sources suggest that the two denominations are relatoively equal. Today in larger towns throughout Germany, both both religions are present, but you can tell by the age of the churches, which one was originally there.
Confirmation is an important event in the life of a German 14-year old girl or boy in the Protestant („evangelisch“) confession. The primary Protestant confession is the Lutheran Church. Confirmation is primarily an event for Protestant boys. Lutheran confirmation is a public profession of faith prepared for by long and careful instruction. In English, it is called "affirmation of baptism", and is a mature and public profession of the faith which "marks the completion of the congregation's program of confirmation ministry". [Lutheran Book of Worship - Ministers Desk Edition, p.324.]
Confirmation is a recognized Christian sacrament, accepted by both Protestants and Catholics. For catholics, however, the First Communion at about age 8 years is the most important religious event for a boy or girl. The Catholic Confirmation plays an only very minor role and is not much visible in the commuities. Protestant families commonly send out
photographs of their sons in their new suit bought for confirmation. Sometimes these are regular suits, but some boys wear very formal suits. Friends and relatives send the boiys cards with congratulations. Germany since World war II has become an increasingly secular country. Thus noy as many children do Confirmations today as was common in earlier years.
Boys normally wore dark suits. Often new suits were bought for the occassion. Some German boys for their confirmaton wear folk costumes. Many German children are confirmed, either in the evangelical or catholic church. It is a big day for them. Mothers would send out photographs of their sons in their new suit bought for confirmation. Boys wear a formal suit with long trousers. In former time up to this event they normally wore short pants in summer and winter. Thus it was a big change in dressing habits for the boys.
Confirmation was once very common for German boys. Lsarge numbers of boys participated Confirmation ceremonies. This was especially true of middle-class boys. Religion is today less an influence in Germany than is the past.
Church attendance, for example, is far below American trends. Thus conformation is a less important event than has been the case in the past.
Confirmation became firmly implanted in German traditions as both a religious event and a coming og age ceremony. This created a problem when the Communist took over in East Germany. Many children and families, even those with out religious traditions, wanted a confirmation ceremony. This has occurred elsewhere where Communist regimes were faced with the need to replace Christian rituals such as confirmation with non-religious ones. In the former DDR (Communist East Germany) there were many families without any religion as a result of the regime's athiest campaigns. Many boys and girls from these families, however, wanted some kind of celebration to recognizing their maturity. Communist authorities began to promote " Jugendweihe " or Youth Dedication. Jugendweihe was a celebration that first celebrated in 1852, One source defines it as "a solemn initiation marking the transition from youth to adulthood that was developed in opposition to Protestant and Catholic Churches' Confirmation."
And as the Communist regime after World War II supressed organized religion throuogh a range of policies promoting athiesm, Jugendweihe gradually replaced Christian Confirmation ceremonies.
Since unification there are now also in West Germany some families and children who prefer a kind of non-religious „Jugendweihe“ in the style of the former DDR. Religion in Germany is today less an influence in Germany than is the past. Church attendance, for example, is far
below American trends. Thus conformation is a less important event than has been the case in the past. In the former DDR (Communist East Germany) many boys and girls who do not belong to any church also are expressing a desire to have some sort of an inauguration nowadays (Jugendweihe). There are now also in West Germany some families and children who prefer a kind of „Jugendweihe“ in the style of the former DDR.
Interestingly the NAZIs were condidering some sort of non religious ceremony replacing confirmation as they hoped to eventually phase out Christanity from German life. This course did not occur because the NAZIs were defeated in World War II and a thorough denazification process conducted by the allies aftter the War.
The East German Communist regime launched an athiesm campaign, especially directed at children. School children in particular were subjects of this campaign. I have few details at this time, but for many years attempts outside the family to involve children in religion were very dangerous. I'm not sure to what extent Confirmation ceremonies were heald for youths in East Germany. One reader reports, in the former DDR (Communist East Germany) many boys and girls who do not belong to any church also are expressing a desire to have some sort of an inauguration nowadays (Jugendweihe).
Religion in Germany never returned to its former status before the NAZIs and the War, but this is a developmentthat occurred throughout Western Europe. Religion is today less an influence in Germany than is the past. Church attendance, for example, is far below American trends. Thus conformation is a less important event than has been the case in the past. Even so, confirmation continues to be an important event in the lives of many German boys.
New suits were commonly purchased for confirmation through the 1980s. This was normally the practice for families that coukd afford to do so. This reflected both the solemnity of the occassion and the importance of the ceremony in a boy's like. By the 1990s wearing suits for confirmation became less common. This reflected a general trend in Germany and Europe away from forma; clothing, especially for boys. German boys would dress some what more casualy without a suit jacket with tie, white shirts and slacks. Some boys also wore vests to provide a somewhat dressy look.
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