View Full Version : Beacon fires southern Germany
Don't sink
24th Jun 2012, 10:15
Anyone operating over Bavaria, Munich, Nurnberg area last night spot all the beacon fires? Anyone know why?
RoyHudd
24th Jun 2012, 10:22
Probably the football. (hopefully)
wozzo
24th Jun 2012, 10:28
St John's Eve fires (Johannisfeuer).
St John's Eve - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_John%27s_Eve)
Last night was St. John's Eve.
It is a tradition to mark this day, John the Baptist's birthday, in some Catholic areas
by lighting a bonfire on the top of a hill.
It was also a pagan tradition to mark the passing of the summer solstice.
mach 84
24th Jun 2012, 10:34
usually the fires are lit on the 21st of june, to mark the beginning of summer,
in german called "sonnenwende" as from then the days are getting shorter,
now this fires are lit on the weekend before or after, for convenience.
Don't sink
24th Jun 2012, 12:02
Thanks everyone for that, a pilots life.....you learn something everyday. And what a view we had of this event from above
hetfield
24th Jun 2012, 12:19
Fly over France at night on their NATIONAL DAY:)
14th of July
What's amazing is to fly at night over China during New Year's....
Airbubba
24th Jun 2012, 13:28
What's amazing is to fly at night over China during New Year's....
Or India and parts of the UK during Diwali.:ok:
Teddy Robinson
24th Jun 2012, 13:55
There is a similar event in Southern Germany/Austria in January called "Funken" .. thats to celebrate "burning the wicked witch of winter" (complete with cat) ... and another great excuse to stand around in the snow by a fire with friends until the early hours drinking Gluhvine, sometimes fortified with rum :E
Duckbutt
24th Jun 2012, 15:05
Saw the same last night at a few locations over Western France as we flew back from Palma to UK.
Absolutely fascinating to see a spectacular firework display from 34,000 feet above.
JW411
24th Jun 2012, 16:49
I flew from Zaragoza to Liege on the night that France won the World Cup. The whole of France was covered in bonfires and firework displays. When we got to the other end, the Belgian border could be seen very clearly in the dark. No fireworks and no bonfires!
Bill Harris
24th Jun 2012, 22:51
Amazing, the things one can learn reading PPRuNe. :ok:
--Bill