A very peculiar tradition in Cochem is
is Knipp Monday – a holiday for every Cochem resident.
Once a year, one week after Easter Monday, all the eggs and other goodies left over from Easter are packed into a backpack along with a picnic blanket and off they go to a meadow slope behind the Reichsburg. There one makes oneself comfortable on the meadow, meets young and old and it is eaten in sociable being together, drunk, laughed and played music.
According to legend, on this day over 300 years ago, a young castle servant and his sweetheart wanted to meet in the village of Faid.
On his way there the servant discovered on a meadow
(today’s Knippwiese) heavily armed French troops. He crept up unnoticed and learned that an attack on the Imperial Castle was planned. He ran back as fast as he could and informed the Burgrave, who had his men prepared for defense. Thus the attack was averted the next morning and the surprised enemies were driven away.
Out of sheer gratitude, the lord of the castle henceforth appointed
the Monday after “White Sunday” to a holiday in Cochem.
Yes, and because our residents all celebrated Knipp Monday on the meadow – but now can no longer go there – we celebrated it in our house.
Sister M.Felicitas