Article: Nutcrackers: Whimsical wooden soldiers, kings and princes, handmade for generations, win our hearts every year at Christmastime. (Country Icons).(Brief Article)

The figural nutcrackers that we know today began as a practical folk craft in the Erzgebirge (Ore Mountains) and Thuringia regions of Germany in the 1700s. Long before The Nutcracker hit the stage, the nut was seen as a Christian symbol of new life. Walnuts, which were rare, were gilded and suspended from Christmas trees, then eaten as special treats. Such luxurious items deserved equally special paraphernalia. The commercial production of figural nutcrackers dates to 1872, when an Erzgebirge craftsman named Wilhelm Friedrich Fuchtner began hand-turning the pieces out of local woods. Today the sixth generation of the Fuchtner family carries on the tradition in Seiffen, as ...

Related newspaper, magazine, and journal articles:

 
 
Newsweek Harper's Magazine The Washington Post Chicago Tribune Crain's Chicago Business PRNewswire Pediatric News The Nation Advertising Age The Economist (US) A FREE trial gives you access to over 80 million articles! Access over 6,500 publications with a FREE trial!