From erecting maypoles to kissing at Mácha’s statue: Why Czechs celebrate Valentine on May Day
While much of the world celebrates love on Valentine’s Day in February, in Czechia it is May 1 that truly belongs to lovers. This spring date is marked by kisses under blooming trees, meetings beneath the statue of poet Karel Hynek Mácha, and a long tradition of romantic symbolism.
For centuries, May has been perceived as a month of fertility, growth, and social rites that shaped community life. Why was fertility associated specifically with the month of May? What did the tradition of erecting maypoles look like in Czechia? How were maypoles connected to the transition from childhood to adulthood? And who was Saint Walpurga? These are just some of the questions answered by ethnologist Martin Šimša of the National Institute of Folk Culture.
"In the past, May was not only a month of love, but also of fertility and eroticism. And if we look at the name maius, or May, the very essence of what happens during this time is encoded directly in the name of the month itself. The word maius in Latin referred to growth. The word magnus, meaning “great,” also comes from the same linguistic family. The ancient god Jupiter was a deity of growth and the generative force of spring; in ancient Rome, sacrifices were even made to him during the May celebrations. By its very nature, this month is a time of growth, and all the customs that our ancestors practiced during this period were aimed at supporting that growth and applying it to their crops and abundance, so that everything would grow vigorously and they would enjoy a good harvest."
One of the traditions associated with May that has survived in many parts of Czechia to this day is the erection of maypoles. In Czechia, it typically takes the form of a whole tree, stripped of its branches and bark except at the very top, which is decorated with fabric or paper ribbons and often a wreath. Nevertheless, variations of this tradition can be found all across Europe.
"The maypole, which is essentially a little green tree, is a very old artifact. It can truly be seen as a kind of insignia, a cultural object that our ancestors used during these customs. It is interesting that in our region there is a kind of divide separating the eastern and western forms of this tradition. In the eastern areas, the maypole has remained in the form of a small tree, usually carried by girls, who might take it into the forest or dance around it. In contrast, across Western Europe, the May tree is attached to a tall pole and raised high – perhaps precisely to further encourage growth. Moreover, in Western Europe, it is typically the boys who are responsible for handling and erecting the maypole."
However, the length of time the maypole remains erected varies from region to region – in some villages it stands for just a few days, while in others it remains up for the entire month.
"Over the course of the 19th century, as various reinterpretations took place, the duration was gradually shortened. However, the oldest records make it clear that the maypole originally stood throughout the whole month of May, and sometimes even until Pentecost. The maypole clearly signaled to everyone that the month of May was underway – a special time with its own privileges, during which young people also behaved in distinctive ways. This is quite an important aspect of the custom, because the celebration of May was largely associated with unmarried but adult youth who were capable of being sexually active, and indeed, they often were. Many people, in fact, never had the chance to marry and remained single for long periods – for example, young men who could not afford to buy a house and support a family. For them, living without sexual relationships was not realistic, and so this was one of the ways in which they expressed their sexuality."
Maypoles as a symbol of adulthood
In the past, however, the boundary between childhood and adulthood was not as clearly defined as it is today. It was usually said that once a girl finished school, she became an adult, but it also depended on whether the other young adults accepted her into their group. And it was precisely this transition that took place in the month of May, closely connected to the maypole traditions.
"It was precisely through these small maypoles that the boys or the youth group collectively indicated which girls they considered to have become adults. In some regions of South Bohemia, a house could end up with as many maypoles on its roof as there were girls. It then, of course, depended on the girl whether she accepted this “challenge” or not. If she did, she left the maypole standing and could begin to join the group of adults, take part in their festivities and be invited to dances. Alternatively, she could take it down, hide it, throw it away, or destroy it, making it clear that she was not yet interested in accepting this kind of recognition."
Legend has it that Saint Walpurga, who from a young age had devoted herself to God and did not wish to take part in these festivities, was mocked by others who said she was not worth a maypole being erected for her. She then prayed to God, asking Him to reveal that He was her true bridegroom. And in front of her house overnight, a large, tall, and beautiful maypole sprouted, as if to show that God acknowledged her as His true bride. This saint is also associated with the so-called Saint Walpurgis Night, which falls precisely on the night between April 30 and May 1 and is linked to many rituals associated with warding off evil spirits. In the Czech Republic, the occasion is traditionally marked by lighting a bonfire on a hill and burning an effigy of a witch, symbolizing the driving away of evil.
To move from fire back to the celebration of spring and love, many Czechs mark the occasion with a kiss under a blooming cherry tree. Such a kiss was originally meant to ensure fertility for the couple, and the roots of this tradition can already be found in ancient Rome. There, May 1 was celebrated as the so-called Floralia, a day dedicated to Flora, the goddess of spring and fertility.
Karel Hynek Mácha and the making of a Czech symbol of love
Today, many Czechs associate May 1 mainly with the opening two lines of Karel Hynek Mácha’s most famous poem, Máj:
Late evening, on the first of May
The twilit May – the time of love.
However, neither the author nor his most famous poem gained recognition overnight. Máj was published during the Czech National Revival, a period when literary works were expected to serve primarily educational and patriotic purposes.
The poem Máj gained supporters only several decades later, when famous Czech literary groups such as Májovci (May school), Ruchovci (National school), and Lumírovci emerged.
“This generation reinterprets Mácha. They focus more on his life and turn his emotional turmoil into a kind of attractive backdrop. And that is the Mácha we have on Petřín – poet of spring, youth, and nature,” says Petr Bílek from the Faculty of Arts at Charles University, referring to perhaps the most famous depiction of Karel Hynek Mácha – the bronze statue located on Petřín Hill in Prague.
It is precisely at this statue that lovers usually meet, and they give each other a May Day kiss there. According to legend, those who do so will have love that lasts a lifetime.
Whether it is erecting a maypole, kissing under a blooming tree, or standing by the statue of Karel Hynek Mácha, it is no surprise that many people call May 1 the Czech Valentine’s Day. And quite rightly so.
