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When mothers get served breakfast in bed or find a nicely set table Sunday, it’s because of Mother’s Day. In many countries of the world, the second Sunday in May is Mother’s Day and observed as an official day to honor mothers.
Most children pamper their mothers, give flowers, candy and cards, and behave extremely well that day.
The celebration is over 100 years old and originated in the states. In 1907, exactly one year after her mother died, Anne Jarvis from Philadelphia had the idea to pick a day to thank mothers all over the world for all their love and unselfish care. The idea became a reality one year later. As the first city in world, Philadelphia celebrated Mother’s Day on May 10, 1908.
Six years later, President Woodrow Wilson officially proclaimed the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. In the following years, Mother’s Day became popular in India, China, Mexico, Scandinavia, England and Switzerland.
The first Mother’s Day in Germany was celebrated in 1933. In the initial years in Germany, mothers were not honored for their devoted work but were rewarded for the many children they had. In 1938, Adolf Hitler awarded mothers with the “mother’s cross” to honor their outstanding help against low birth rates and death. Each year in August, on the birthday of his mother, Hitler gave the bronze medal to mothers with four children, the silver medal to mothers with six and the gold medal to mothers with eight children.
After the war, it took a while for Germans to start celebrating Mother’s Day again. People still had terrible memories of the past as well as the current miserable situation on their minds; they didn’t feel like calling special attention to something that should be normal and not taken for granted.
Today, families like to spend this day together. In the KMC, they might want to visit the zoo in Kaiserslautern-Siegelbach, which will sponsor a special Mother’s Day event Sunday. Mothers are admitted free and receive a coupon for coffee and cake. For more information, visit www.kl-zoo.de.
Some might travel to Wolfstein, 24 kilometers north of Kaiserslautern, to experience the lime mine, which is considered a special industrial monument. Visitors should wear sturdy shoes and warm clothes, since the temperatures are about 54 degrees Fahrenheit at all times. Mothers are admitted free. Tickets cost €5.50 for adults and €4.50 for children. The family ticket is €14.50, cash only, no cards accepted. Opening hours are from 1 to 6 p.m. For details, visit www.kalkbergwerk.com.
In Lauterecken, north of Wolfstein, Musikverein Reipoltskirchen will present an outdoor concert at 11 a.m. on Veldenzplatz. Lunch dishes will be available as well as surprises for mothers.
