The Tale of the Christmas Nutcracker

A Christmas Favorite, Its History is Rich with Tradition and Color

Oct 14, 2009 Barbara Bell

For centuries, both children and adults have loved these wooden toys carved like a "misshaped little man" (1) in whose teeth the nutshell opens to reveal its hidden gift.

Dazzling sugarplum fairies, delicate snowflakes and exotic Arabian dancers populate the spectacular world of Peter Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite. With so much splendor, it’s easy to overlook this much-loved winter ballet’s hero, a prince-like figure who fends off an invading army of mice on Christmas eve. Though better known for his dancing role, the brave nutcracker made his first appearance in Nussknacker und Mausekönig (Nutcracker and Mouse King), a tale of the supernatural told by German author and composer E.T.A. Hoffmann in 1816.

Telling the Story in Music and Dance

Hoffman gave his wooden hero character and courage as well as a tender heart. In Hoffman's story, however, the ending is more brutal than in Tchaikovsky's musical interpretation. In his story, the nutcracker soldier suffers a beating at the hands of the invading mouse army and barely escapes.

Ironically, Hoffman became the subject of a musical treatment himself, in Tales of Hoffman by Jacques Offenbach. This opera relates how a poet dreams of three women—a mechanical performing doll, a bejeweled siren, and the consumptive daughter of a famous composer—all of whom break his heart in different ways.

Origins of the Nutcracker as Gift and Symbol of Good Luck

German children of the Biedermeier era (c. 1820) were familiar with wooden nutcrackers, found in many homes of the time. They were given as gifts as far back as the 16th century, when European craftsmen created them in a variety of human and animal forms. A nutcracker in a droll human shape was intended to bring good luck to the home and hearth, while presenting a fierce grin and glaring eye to protect the household from evil spirits.

The common practice of ending a meal over a bowl of nuts, some cheese and a stein of good German beer, could lead to pleasant times with the family's nutcracker sure to stimulate conversation and story-telling.

During the political upheavals, changes in fortunes, and various wars of the 19th century, the popular toy became a means to express social commentary, serving to lampoon contemporary authorities such as the police, the Church, the military, and even the Kaiser.

Erzgebirge Region Produces Best of the Nutcrackers

The most popular and commercially successful ones came from the Erzgebirge region of eastern Germany. The village of Seiffen (Saxony) remains the heart of nutcracker production in Germany’s Erzgebirge. More than 75% of all nutcrackers created in the region find their way to the American market, where they are coveted by collectors. (2)

One of the best-known makers of German nutcrackers, the Steinbach family continues to create the most desired collectible nutcrackers. For over two centuries their craftsmanship has provided exquisite examples of the colorful and brave Nussknacker for Christmas giving. Children continue to delight in the story of the Nutcracker as told by Tchaikovsky and danced by countless young ballet students around the world.

References

For Further Information:

Steinbach Home Page: www.Magicofnutcrackers.com/MagicHome.htm

Christkindl-Markt: www.Christkindl-markt.com/german-nutcracker-collection-a-49.html

The copyright of the article The Tale of the Christmas Nutcracker in Antiques & Collectibles is owned by Barbara Bell. Permission to republish The Tale of the Christmas Nutcracker in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Nutcrackers