Germanic calendar
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The Germanic calendars were any of the various calendars in use among the Germanic peoples prior to the introduction of the Julian calendar[[Citing sources citation needed]].
Germanic months were lunar months of 29 days[[Citing sources citation needed]]; the Old English "mónaþ", Old Norse "mānaðr, and Old High German "mānōd", as well as the modern English language "month", the modern Swedish "månad", and the German language "Monat", are all cognate with the word "moon"[link]. A leap month was periodically added to keep the months synchronized with the seasons[[Citing sources citation needed]].
Each group of Germanic peoples developed its own names for the months, which have long since been replaced with local adaptations of the Roman month names, although Germanic languages have largely kept the old Germanic names for days of the week to this day, most of which are named after the old Germanic gods.
In the 8th/9th century CE, Charlemagne tried to introduce German(ic) names for the months of Julian calendar. However, those names did not persist in the long term. Yet, later on, up to the 20th century, German month names were sometimes used in Germany (sensu lato) which were based on or resembled those Carolingian month names. Some of these more recent German month names are given in the right column of the table below.
Month Names
| Modern English | Old English | Old Norse | Old High German (and the New High German equivalent) | Poetic German |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Æftera Géola (After Yule) or Giuli | Morsugr (the first half of the month) and Þorri (the latter half) | Hartimānōd (New High German: Härtemonat, English: Month of Severe Frost) | Hartung (Severeness), Eismond (Ice Month), or Schneemond (Snow Month) |
| February | Solmónaþ (Sun Month) or Fillibrook (Brook-Filling) | Þorri and Gōmānaðr; Kyndilsmessa | Hornung (Hornung) | Hornung (Time of Hornets[link]) |
| March | Hréðmónaþ (Month of the Goddess Hréð or Month of Wildness[link]) | Gōmānaðr and ??? | Lenzinmānōd (Lenzmonat, Spring Month) | Lenzing (Springing) or Lenzmond (Springtime Month) |
| April | Eosturmónaþ / Eastermónaþ (Month of the Goddess Eostre) | ??? | Ōstarmānōd (Ostermonat) | Ostermond (Month of the Goddess Eostre) |
| May | Þrimilcimónaþ (Month of Three Milkings) | ??? | Drīmilki[link] (no common NHG equivalent), Winnimānōd (Wonnemonat) | Wonnemond (Graze Month [later interpretation: Blissfulness Month]) |
| June | Ærra Líða (Before Midsummer) | ??? | Brāhmānōd (Brachmonat) | Brachet or Brachmond (Fallow Month) |
| (None; leap month) | Þrilíða (Third Midsummer) | (none) | (none) | (none) |
| July | Æftera Líða (After Midsummer) | ??? | Hewimānōd or Houmānōd (both Heumonat, hay-month) | Heuert or Heumond (Hay Month) |
| August | Weodmónaþ (Plant month) | ??? | Aranmānōd (Erntemonat, Month of Harvest) | Ernting or Erntemond (Crop Month / Harvest Month) |
| September | Háligmónaþ (Holy Month) or Hærfestmónaþ (Harvest Month) | ??? | Witumānōd (Holzmonat, Month of Wood); or Herbistmānōd (Herbstmonat, Month of Harvest) | Scheiding (Separating) or Herbstmond (Autumn Month) |
| October | Winterfylleþ (Winterfilled) or Rugern (Rye harvest) | ??? | Windumemānōd (Weinlesemonat, Month of Vintage) | Gilbhart / Gilbhard (Forest Yellowing) or Weinmond (Wine Month) |
| November | Blótmónaþ (Blót Month) | ??? | Wintarmānōd (Wintermonat) | Nebelung (Fogging) or Nebelmond (Fog Month) or Wintermond (Winter Month) |
| December | Ærra Géola (Before Yule) or Giuli (Yule) | ??? and Morsugr | (Julmonat) | Julmond (Yule Month) or Heilmond (Holy Month) or Christmond (Christ Month) |
References
External links
- [Hwæt! Months & Seasons] in Old English.
- [Facts and Figures: The Norse Way] General information on old Germanic culture, including time.
- [Old High German dictionary, including month names] (in German)
- [Old Norse dictionary, including month names] (in German)
- [Old English dictionary, including month names] (in German)
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