The observance of Groundhog Day in the United States first occurred in German communities in Pennsylvania, according to known records. The earliest mention of Groundhog Day is an entry on February 2, 1840, in the diary of James L. Morris of Morgantown, in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, according to the book on the subject by Don Yoder. This was a Although James Morris’s 1841 diary entry in Berks County is the first written record of the custom in North America, and other German-heritage places in Canada and the US observe the Groundhog Day custom, it is the small Pennsylvania community of Punxsutawney (pop. 5,769) in Jefferson County that lays claim to the longest ongoing Groundhog Groundhog Day a German Tradition of predicting weather with a fuzzy, burrowing animal, is a tradition rooted in history. Groundhog Day- German Tradition of predicting weather with an animal, is a tradition rooted in history and brought to the US by German Immigrants. February 2 is Groundhog Day in the U.S. and Canada, though probably everybody in the world knows about this weather-predicting custom since the movie “Groundhog Day” (“Und täglich grüßt das Murmeltier”) with Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell came out in 1993. But I would bet few know of the German origins of this weather lore day. You say Groundhog Day, I say Grundsaudaag: how German and Swiss settlers in Pennsylvania created a new language – and a much-loved American holiday. Every 2 February since at least 1886, The Groundhog Day tradition dates back to Germany where a badger was used to determine the coming of spring. DamianKuzdak/Getty Images. Places like Missouri, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin have The Groundhog Day tradition itself, with its roots in German Candlemas celebrations, adds a layer of historical intrigue, reminding us of how ancient customs evolve and intertwine with modern narratives. But Groundhog Day’s magic truly lies in its cyclical nature. When German immigrants settled Pennsylvania in the 18th and 19th centuries, they brought the custom with them, choosing the native groundhog as the annual forecaster. First Groundhog Day This Day When German settlers brought this tradition to the United States, they adopted the groundhog as the weather predictor. Punxsutawney Phil, Pennsylvania’s most famous groundhog, has been serving weather predictions since the first Groundhog Day in 1887. You may ask, “How is Phil still alive?” According to the official site, Punxsutawney Groundhog Day, the US tradition where the seasons are predicted by a groundhog, was made world famous by the Bill Murray film of the same name. In Germany the idea of clairvoyant rodents crept Groundhog Day is a popular tradition in the United States and Canada. A crowd of upwards of 5000 people spent a night of revelry awaiting the sunrise and the groundhog's exit from his winter den. In Punxsutawney, 1886 marked the first time that Groundhog Day appeared in the local newspaper. The following year brought the first official trek to Gobbler’s Knob. Each year since then has seen a steady increase in participation of the celebration from people all over the world. The Pennsylvania Groundhog Club claims that Phil is 132 years old and that he “gets his longevity from drinking ‘groundhog punch.’” We’re happy to know that German settlers brought both a fun tradition and the secret of longevity to the United States! Happy Groundhog Day. By Nicole Glass, German Embassy Celebrated every February 2nd, Groundhog Day traces its roots to German immigrants who brought the tradition to the United States. According to folklore, if a weather-predicting groundhog sees its Groundhog Day (Pennsylvania German: Grund'sau dåk, Grundsaudaag, Grundsow Dawg, Murmeltiertag; Nova Scotia: Daks Day) [1] [2] [3] is a tradition observed regionally in the United States and Canada on February 2 of every year. You say Groundhog Day, I say Grundsaudaag: how German and Swiss settlers in Pennsylvania created a new language – and a much-loved American holiday. Every 2 February since at least 1886, German Translation of “GROUNDHOG DAY” | The official Collins English-German Dictionary online. Over 100,000 German translations of English words and phrases. Groundhog Day: History, Top Tweets in DEU, 2023 date, Fun Facts, Quotes, and things to do. The original German holiday Candlemas Day occurs on February 2nd
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