Warm sunshine, crystal clear air, romantic wafts of fog and flying spider threads leave no doubt. With these picturesque attributes, Indian summer arrives as a feast for the senses. The furious season finale in nature is much more than a pleasant weather phenomenon. Read this guide to discover what Indian summer is all about.

Cobwebs are best seen wet from the morning dew

Table of Contents

Show all
  1. the essentials in brief
  2. Origin and meaning of the term
  3. When is the start?
  4. Why do spider threads fly?
  5. Meteorological Singularity
  6. myths and legends
  7. Weather phenomenon and farmer's rule
  8. Celebrate Indian Summer - where?
  9. Beautiful and funny sayings
  10. Book Indian Summer
  11. frequently asked Questions

    12. the essentials in brief

    • The origin of the term "Indian summer" is unclear, it was first mentioned in writing at the beginning of the 19th century
    • The fine cobwebs may be reminiscent of white hair or old women weaving
    • Indian summer almost always begins near the beginning of autumn
    • For at least 200 years, there has been continuous good weather at the end of September/beginning of October

    Where does the term come from?

    In autumn, a strange word is circulating in Germany: Indian summer. At least from mid-September to mid-October, the term causes headaches for many people, when the summer weather once again displaces the onset of autumn. The word contains three components that actually have little to do with each other: summer, women and old. Why is it still called Indian Summer?

    There is no scientifically reliable explanation of the origin and meaning of the term. What is certain is that Indian summer has been mentioned in written language since the beginning of the 19th century. At that time, the year was divided into two seasons, summer and winter. Spring was called "young women's summer", autumn was called "old women's summer". Today, a variety of theses are trying to find a comprehensible explanation for the origin and meaning of the word:

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    Spinning threads symbolize silver hair

    A characteristic indication of the Indian summer are delicate flying threads on which young spiders float through the air. The spider threads are reminiscent of the long, silvery-grey hair of elderly women, which suggests the term Indian summer.

    Another explanation relates to the cobwebs that canopy spiders weave from these flying threads. In Old German, the term "Weiben" stands for knotting or weaving of threads. From this point of view, the word component women in Indian summer does not refer to older women, but to the busy activity of spiders. Thus the term means: late summer of the cobwebs.

    Linguists discuss controversially

    From the point of view of the recognized etymologist Elmar Seebold, a secondary interpretation and origin is more reasonable. As a result, towards the end, summer makes itself beautiful again before saying goodbye to being old, weak and toothless. This creates the association of a short, second spring of aging women, before the final beginning of old age.

    Wolfgang Pfeifer contradicts this interpretation in the etymological dictionary of the Germans and pleads for the traditional interpretation of flying spider threads as old women's hair. The Brothers Grimm solve the conflict about the origin of the term Indian summer pragmatically. In the revision of their German dictionary, the origin of the word is defined as unclear. This opens the door to almost all mystical, imaginative, paradoxical and rational interpretations.

    digression

    No metaphorical disparagement of seniors

    In 1989, the Darmstadt Regional Court found that the term Indian summer was neither misogynist nor age-discriminatory. A 77-year-old woman from Darmstadt had complained, who felt that her personal rights were being affected by the expression. The offended lady assumed the traditional term was a symbolic degradation of her age group. The judges did not follow this argument, so Indian summer was allowed to keep its name.

    When does Indian summer start?

    Indian summer is not in summer at all, but usually begins at the beginning of autumn

    You will look in vain for a fixed date for the beginning of Indian summer in the calendar. What is certain is that the date usually coincides with the beginning of autumn. Progressive global warming and unpredictable weather capers have so far passed by the late summer glorious weather without a trace. What scientists soberly refer to as a meteorological singularity proves an astonishing consistency. For more than 200 years, the good weather period at the end of September has reliably sweetened the farewell to summer. The following table shows when Indian summer arrived in Germany and Austria in recent years:

    2016 2022 2022
    Germany 23.09. 21.09. 17.09.
    Austria 09.09. 22.09. 06.09.

    In 2022, the glorious weather was also not long in asking. Indian summer bathed Germany in golden sunlight from September 9th. Apart from small interruptions, the period of fine weather lasted until the start of the Oktoberfest in Munich. In Austria, Vienna.at announced on September 20: Indian summer is approaching. The fantastic weather lured enthusiastic people to go hiking and enjoy the outdoors until October 1st.

    tips

    Indian summer is the best time to plant perennials and shrubs. From the end of September to mid-October, young plants root vigorously and quickly in the sun-warmed soil. Furthermore, now is the ideal time window for preparatory soil work when you create a new vegetable patch.

    Why do spider threads fly around?

    Tiny canopy spiders and pygmy spiders produce gossamer threads as a means of transport for travel to a suitable site for a web. For this purpose, the millimeter-small spiders climb to a high position. When the right wind picks up, they let out a spider's thread and use it to sail for kilometers through the air. The light weight combined with the buoyancy of warm air ensures that the savvy travelers fly far and high.

    The filigree webs are particularly visible to the human eye when autumn morning dew gets caught in them and glitters. The ingenious airships made of gossamer threads appear en masse in late summer, so that they have established themselves in the general consciousness as a characteristic symbol of Indian summer.

    Tiny spiders create the beautiful spectacle of Indian summer

    Meteorological singularity colors the foliage

    From the point of view of meteorologists, the Indian summer is the so-called "weather rule". In technical jargon, the splendid fine weather phase in late summer is also referred to as a meteorological singularity. This means a weather situation that is very likely to occur, as is typical for Indian summer. Since weather records began, a high pressure area with cool, dry, continental air has been stretching across Central Europe for 5 out of 6 years.

    In the morning the thermometer is in the single digits. During the day, temperatures rise to well over 20 degrees Celsius. As a result of the striking fluctuations, trees and shrubs put on their colorful foliage, apparently overnight. Under ideal conditions, the beautiful weather lasts for several weeks and conjures up a "Golden October".

    Comparable weather phenomena in the form of a meteorological singularity are ice saints, sheep cold and dog days.

    myths and legends

    Various myths and legends are entwined around Indian summer. The focus is on the filigree threads and cobwebs that have inspired imaginative stories for centuries. According to an early Christian legend, the silver threads are the yarn from the cloak worn by the Virgin Mary on her Ascension. Another sacred legend tells that Saint Mary together with 11,000 virgins covers the land with silk threads every year. For this reason, the magical cobwebs between branches and grass are called "Marienseide", "Marienhaar" or "Marienfäden".

    Our ancestors were convinced that elves and dwarves were busy weaving at night when cobwebs glittered in the forest and field in the early morning. Popular belief interprets the characteristic cobwebs as lucky charms. It promises great fame and prominence when the delicate webs attach themselves to a person's clothing. If late summer spider threads get caught in the hair of young girls, the wedding will soon be celebrated.

    background

    Indian summer - Indian summer speaks English here

    In North America, the term Indian summer combines the two European weather phenomena Indian summer and golden October. Dry, warm weather and blue skies stage a furious spectacle of colors on the mountain slopes from Canada to New England. In good years, the natural spectacle extends over a long period from the beginning of September into November. The floral standard-bearer for the fall colors is the sugar maple (Acer saccharum), a common tree species in New England that is also enjoying increasing popularity in Europe.

    Weather phenomenon and farmer's rule

    The more spiders are out and about in autumn, the harder the winter is supposed to be

    As a late summer weather phenomenon, the Indian summer is reflected in numerous farmer's rules. We have compiled some of the best-known sayings about rural weather forecasts for you below:

    • When spiders crawl in droves in September, they smell a harsh winter.
    • If October is warm and clean, a harsh winter is coming.
    • Warm October brings indeed a mild February.
    • If October smiles with sunshine, there will hardly be any snow before Christmas.
    • All Saints' Day brings summer for old women, is summer's last banisher.
    • If it's pure on All Saints' Day, Indian summer kicks in.
    • Saint Leopold is often kind to Indian summer.

    Opinions can be divided about the accuracy of pawn rules. After all, sayings such as "Summer says amen to the name of Mary" and "If Matthew has nice weather in the house, it will last another four weeks" encouraged the Munich Oktoberfest to be brought forward over the years from mid-October to the end of September.

    Places celebrate Indian Summer

    The sun-drenched days of Indian summer need to be celebrated before the first frost drives people indoors. According to this motto, resourceful places in Germany organize a big festival every year to say goodbye to the beautiful season in a befitting way. The main leaders are Kleinwaltersdorf in Saxony, Rodenberg in Lower Saxony and Burg Stargard on the Baltic Sea, whose activities we present in more detail below:

    Kleinwaltersdorf

    Kleinwaltersdorf has made a name for itself with its Indian summer festival, which is dedicated to a special theme every year. In 2022, the event was held under the motto "Great Climate". For three days there was a lot going on in the village with a varied program for every generation. The multifaceted offer at the 24th Indian Summer, which is sure to be followed by many more festivals, ranged from a cheerful Meppelkiste race to a big dance evening to a cozy coffee gossip.

    Rodenberg

    Every year at the end of September, the whole town in Rodenberg in the Schaumburger Land is on its feet and celebrates the Indian summer. A colorful array of different attractions transforms the center into a late-summer adventure park for the whole family. Sales stands present regional products, gastronomy lures with selected specialties and clubs demonstrate their skills. Fanfare corps, music clubs and bands play on a large stage. Every year the organizers come up with something new to inspire visitors from near and far to the Indian Summer Festival.

    A meeting place for young and old at the end of September is Burg Stargard with its traditional Indian summer market. On the last weekend in September, the romantic hilltop castle on the Baltic Sea invites the whole family to stroll and feast. The attractions are accompanied by a historic handicraft market and wine festival.

    Beautiful and funny sayings about Indian summer

    Many books, proverbs and poems deal with Indian summer

    The pleasant general conditions in the Indian summer are a welcome occasion for funny sayings. Immerse yourself in a collection of selected flashes of inspiration, sayings, jokes and punchlines about the Indian summer:

    • Jam is made from the dreams of spring in Indian summer.
    • In Indian summer, leaves sunbathe to get a nice tan.
    • Autumn is the spring of winter.
    • In Indian summer, Mother Nature refuses to turn the page to autumn.

    Since the verdict in Darmstadt, the following funny saying has been making the rounds: Can we still say Indian summer? Or is it now: feminine natural state without a menstrual background?

    Book called Indian Summer

    The term Indian summer turns out to be a source of inspiration for writers and poets. The following table demonstrates the wide range of reading material based on the late summer weather phenomenon:

    title subtitle category author EAN/ISBN
    Indian summer Theodor Fontane's first case historical crime thriller Frank Goyke EAN:9783898095112
    Indian summer Report on the time after the menopause Women & Psychology Julia Onken EAN:9783406628467
    Indian summer in April Cheerful novel contemporary literature Ingrid Geiger EAN:9783423208352
    Indian summer A Lake Constance thriller Germany Ulla Neumann EAN:9783886273843
    Taking a breather in the Indian summer Marlene's soul counselor contemporary literature Rita Kasparek EAN:9783739214375
    Indian summer novel Ruth Eder EAN:9783426651421
    Indian summer human only trilogy Rene Bohn ISBN:1520604106
    Indian summer poems lyric Christa Gabora ISBN-13: 978-3934969124
    Windy Indian summer novel Hanne Opperman ISBN-13: 978-3833432743

    High-quality wall and table calendars, such as “Indian summer” by Bettina Blass, published by Calvendo-Verlag, present breathtaking pictures of Indian summer.

    frequently asked Questions

    What does SOKO Munich have to do with Indian summer?

    The title of one of the most famous episodes of the popular crime series SOKO Munich is 'Indian Summer'. With two friends on the way to the sauna, Marianne Berg is hit by a car and dies instantly. The driver flees. Initially, the investigators assume that the attack was politically motivated. In the further course of the crime turns out to be a complicated network of lies, deceit and secrets. When a second woman is murdered, the situation escalates dramatically. The episode 'Indian Summer' was first broadcast on March 6th, 2017 on ZDF.

    In my senior group, I regularly organize exercises to promote memory. How can I use the Indian Summer theme as a memory exercise?

    The Bavarian State Association KDFB (Catholic German Women's Association) recommends the following exercise for training long-term memory, coordination, word finding and movement: The group sits or stands in a circle and throws a tail ball to each other. Whoever catches the ball must name a yellow or red flower that blooms between March and Indian summer. All flowers that bloom in Indian summer are mentioned as a variant.

    Which well-known poets have dedicated a poem to Indian summer?

    Erich Kästner 'Der September' and Eduard Mörike 'Septembermorgen' make us dream of Indian summer. More recently comes the beautiful poem 'Indian Summer' by Norbert van Tiggelen, a German poet from Gelsenkirchen. The riddle poem 'Ein Zaubertag im Herbst' by Elke Bräunling is a lot of fun to read.

    Where can I find a nice free gif.webp for gif.webps?

    A much frequented source for attractive Altweiber gif.webps for free is 123.gif.webp.de/herbst. Here you can discover more than 130 creative pictures, anigif.webps, animations and images on the topic without having to open your wallet. You will also quickly find what you are looking for at picmix.com. A visit to pinterest.de should also be worthwhile if you sacrifice a few minutes in advance to open a free account.

    Which tree species make the Indian summer in the garden particularly colourful?

    If you include proven autumn colors in the planting plan, you will be rewarded with an extra colorful Indian summer. Prime examples of furious foliage colors from late summer are maple species such as cinnamon maple (Acer griseum), Canadian maple (Acer saccharum) and many Japanese maple varieties. The sweetgum tree 'Oktoberglut' (Liquidambar styraciflua) keeps what the name promises.On the ginkgo tree (Ginkgo biloba), golden-yellow leaves compete with the sun. In the small garden, deciduous shrubs set colorful accents, such as blood barberry (Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea'), witch hazel (Hamamelis), glossy leaf shrub (Photinia) and the cork wing shrub (Euonymus). The sunnier the location, the more spectacular the play of colors.

    Indian summer on the balcony. Which plants are successful?

    If there is not enough space for majestic trees and expansive shrubs with glowing colors in Indian summer, magnificent perennials are on hand to transform the balcony into a late summer floral fairy tale. The winter aster 'Indian summer' (Chrysantemum) is not stingy with bright yellow flowers. In the large tub, the mustache 'Summer Sorbet' (Caryopteris clandonensis) and the sun eye 'Summer Nights' (Heliopsis helianthoides) celebrate their floral version of Indian summer on the balcony. Ornamental grasses with autumn colors round off the appearance picturesquely, such as fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides) and silver spike grass (Achnatherum calamagrostis).

    tips

    The Altweibermühle from Tripsdrill is a tongue-in-cheek variant of the traditional term Indian summer. The mill is a landmark of Germany's first adventure park in Baden-Württemberg. According to legend, there used to be a mill where old women were ground young again. Today's Altweibermühle invites you to a happy slide and is said to still "grind young" women of senior age.

Category:

Garden design