German Easter Bunny gets 70,000 letters from children
April 7, 2023
Youngsters wished for chocolate eggs, sent colorful handicraft gifts, and shared their worries with the Easter Bunny. The tradition in the north German village of Ostereistedt has been ongoing for over 40 years.
This year's letters included ones from Ukrainian children who had recently moved to GermanyImage: Focke Strangmann/dpa/picture alliance
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The Easter Bunny in Ostereistedt, northern Germany, once again received tens of thousands of requests from children hoping to have their wishes realized.
The meaning of Ostereistedt loosely translates to "Easter egg town" in English, and children have been sending their letters there for the past four decades.
Where did the letters come from?
According to Deutsche Post, some 70,000 letters were received at the post office in the village some 30 kilometers (19 miles) northeast of Bremen.
A person dressed as an Easter Bunny was seen delivering the last of the children's requests.
More than a thousand letters came from abroad, from a total of 40 different countries, including Australia and Brazil. Ukrainian children living in Germany because of the conflict back home also wrote to the Easter Bunny.
Rabbit figures stand in front of the village sign of Ostereistedt, which translates as 'Easter egg town'Image: Focke Strangmann/dpa/picture alliance
The total is actually down 10,000 on last year's figure — and well short of a peak of 100,000 in 2021, when the coronavirus pandemic was at its height.
What did the letters say?
The tradition aims to encourage children to write letters. In response, Deutsche Post's Easter Post Office sends back colorful Easter-themed letters written by a team of volunteers.
Whether it was peace on earth, cinema tickets or more chocolate, the children were keen to let the bunny know what they wanted this year.
Some of the Ukrainian children who wrote said they were grateful to live in Germany and had already made friends. Some also mentioned that they wanted to learn German.
One letter writer, Lola from the southern state of Baden-Württemberg, asked what the Easter Bunny's favorite food was. Another, Fynn from the western state of Rhineland-Palatinate, wanted to go to the movies with him.
"With every letter, I see the children's eyes light up when they find the answer in the letterbox," said Doris Kröger, head of the Easter Post Office.
jsi/rc (dpa, KNA)
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Easter procession
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Easter Bunny
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Burning Easter wheel
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Good Friday procession in Bensheim
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Easter fountains of Franconia
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