Contrary to popular belief, Mother’s Day was not invented by the Nazis. Although they used it (like many other things) for their ideological propaganda by honoring the Aryan woman who was happy to give birth in May, the roots of the day go back to medieval England. King Henry III introduced “Mothering Day” there in the 13th century.
After the tradition had fallen dormant for centuries, it was revived in the USA in the early 20th century on the initiative of the American Anna Jarvis. From there the day made it back across the Atlantic to Europe and eventually became a permanent institution in Germany. In this country, Mother’s Day always falls on the second Sunday in May. By the way, it is not a holiday – to clear up a second rumor.
You can find a detailed history in the infographic below, a brief summary here:
During Mother’s Day week, German florists turn over around twice as much as in a normal week: 120 million euros.
For the majority of Germans, if you still have a mother, you give her something for her special day. Usually it’s flowers.
In the gallery: Pregnancy and birth are a very special time for expectant parents. The tension is great and uncertainties are not uncommon. That’s exactly why a lot of books are read during this time. We have collected seven audio books that provide expectant parents with advice and support.
