Gansabhauet: Sursee's St. Martin's Day Tradition
Every year on November 11, St. Martin's Day, the small town of Sursee in the canton of Lucerne holds one of Switzerland's oddest and best-loved festivals: the Gansabhauet, or "goose beheading."
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Gansabhauet: Sursee's St. Martin's Day Tradition
Every year on November 11, St. Martin's Day, the small town of Sursee in the canton of Lucerne holds one of Switzerland's oddest and best-loved festivals: the Gansabhauet, or "goose beheading." Crowds gather in front of the old town hall to watch an event that has been part of local life for centuries.
A dead goose hangs by its neck from a wire stretched above the square. One by one, participants step up to try to cut it down. Each wears a red cloak and a shining golden sun mask, and is blindfolded so they can't see. After being turned around to lose their bearings, they get one swing with a deliberately blunt sabre. It often takes many attempts before someone finally cuts through the neck and wins the goose.
The custom probably goes back to St. Martin's Day being the traditional date for paying rents and taxes, which were often paid in geese. The festival has also grown to include games for children, like sack races, pole climbing, and the "Chäszänne," a funny-face contest where the prize is cheese.
The holiday remains a lively celebration of community, history and Swiss identity.
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