RUNNING RABBIT COOKIE CUTTER

The tinsmiths in communal Amana would get creative at the holidays or at the request of his children when he made cookie cutters.  One such popular cutter was the running rabbit cutter.  It was 8” long or shorter and very prized in one’s collection.  At Easter, bunny-shaped  sugar cookies were a German holiday tradition in Amana, prized as much as Christmas and Thanksgiving traditions. Every child received at least one 8 inch long cookie courtesy of the kitchen workers, the tinsmiths, and the Easter Bunny!  Colored eggs and other cookie shapes as fish, chicks, ducks, ponies, and squirrels also filled the basket. Cookies had a raisin eye or of one chocolate chip, with a brown sugar dough, and vanilla icing...all very tasty! This is a great German tradition passed down in many Amana families which is still shared today, while some wonder which village started the original recipe!

Below is a recipe from the vintage AMANA RECIPES cookbook.

OSTER HASEN (Easter Bunny cookies)

1 1/8 cups brown sugar, firmly packed

1 1/8 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs

4 cups sifted flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking powder

2-3 Tblsp melted butter or shortening

Beat eggs, add sugars and beat with electric mixer at high speed for five minutes. Gradually add dry ingredients which have been sifted together. ADD melted shortening and roll out on floured board to about 3/8 inch thickness. Cut with bunny shaped cookie cutter, add raisin or chocolate chip for eye and bake greased cookie sheet at 350° for 15-20 minutes.

Hand Painted Eggs...

"Art in the Round" ..or Oval in this case of the egg, was done by talented local artist, Ruth Schmieder. (1922-2011) Her eggs are collected by many egg and art lovers. These are miniature originals of local flower garden inspired paintings in oil or acrylic. They are painted on glass or wooden eggs and preserved to a fine art. Each one is done with fine detail and precision of brush strokes. These eggs help us celebrate the special Easter holiday and art in Amana , and elsewhere. It is a great way to embellish and highlight this symbol of renewal and rebirth.

CROCHETING

Crocheting was done for many generations in the Amana Colonies in the form of toys and functional items. Wool and Cotton yarns were used to make animals and figures. with their accessories such as rabbits with eggs, Santa's with bags of toys or hens with nests and many more. Handmade steel crochet hooks of many sizes were used for tiny stitches. Some hooks were made of wood or bone. Each was very unique and from one to six inches in size, a fun piece to collect ,decorate or play with.

HOUSE BLESSINGS

Many House Blessings (Haussegen) were displayed in Amana homes above a table or dresser often quoting scripture or reinforcing religious ideas. Some house blessings, done on perforated papers or linen, were original designs while others were patterns ordered from Germany and Chicago. They were embroidered or cross stitched with a fine needle, using wool or silk, and ornaments such as pressed flowers, hair, or celluloid angels were glued to the surface.The perforated paper work was also called "Berlin Woolwork". This was then mounted on foil covered boards to give it strength and an iridescent look. It was eventually mounted on a newly wed couple's wall.  One might read," Ein Frohliche Herz, ein Friedlich Haus das macht das Gluck des Lebens aus"--What a wonderful way to praise God. 

COOKIE CUTTERS

The holidays were a special time in communal Amana when cooks could be creative with their cookie making . The local tinsmith would also g

et creative by shaping many different kinds of cookie cutters. And he made many! There were open shapes of animals, geometries, and people but most had a tin backing with a well formed handle. These special tin pieces were strong enough to last generations for the Easter and Christmas holiday cut out, sugar cookies as the "running rabbit" and star shapes. Some were even designed to cut out shapes in a shape as with the man and women cutters with extra tinwork in the centers. Many were used in the community kitchens and later in the homes as the communal system ended in 1932. I so enjoy these cookie cutters possibly as much as the cookies that will and have been made from these little pieces of folk art!

THE SYMBOLIC EGG

The cherished Easter traditions, including the Easter Bunny, the Egg, and Easter Parades are not found in the Bible but have been around for centuries. The Easter Bunny, the most secular symbol of the Christian holiday, supposedly was introduced to America by the German immigrants who also had stroies of an egg-laying rabbit.  The egg decorating tradition can date back to at least the 13th century.One explanation for this custom is that eggs were formerly a forbidden food during the season of Lent, so people would decorate them to mask the end of penance and fasting, then eat them on Easter as a celebration. The egg is a symbol of new life as brought on in spring and said to represent emergence and resurrection in Christian beliefs. The parade has old roots but the Easter candy treats are among the modern additions to this beloved springtime holiday.

EASTER BASKETS, EGGS, COOKIES..

Easter was a special time of the year in communal Amana, a long- awaited spring day after a long winter.  Hand woven natural willow baskets, made by the village basket weaver, were given each child for the at the traditional egg hunt held near the community kitchens where the kitchen ladies and helpers colored the eggs. Each basket was filled with two Easter rabbit cookies and  six colored eggs. The hot, dry eggs were mottled in the palm of the hand after they are rolled in cups of jellied dyes made of furniture glue and woolen mill dyes. The glue sealed the egg, it dries out, and it could be stored for years with same brightness a the day it was made. The cookies were usually six-ten inch running, leaping, or sitting rabbits (Oster Hasse). They were topped with powdered sugar frosting and sprinkled with shredded coconut. Raisins marked the bunnies' eyes. The cookie cutter was made of heavy tin by the local tinsmith. All the wonderful handmade items, love, and care that went into these Easter baskets made for a happy time at the annual egg hunt for the children of communal days. Today these egg hunts and egg-dyeing traditions(dyes and sites anew), remain a part of Amana today.

CROCHETED RABBITS

The tradition in old Amana was to make something in your spare time for the children or home. In this case it is the lovely work of Mrs. L. Rettig who made small crocheted animals, including rabbits. They were anywhere from an inch to 8"tall and used to decorate mostly at Easter. When only religious decorations were allowed in the homes, these brought some brightness to the home and cheer to the children and families in the communal era before 1932. There were also baskets of eggs, dogs, lambs, chickens, turkeys and such, some mounted on cardboard bases  The needlework of the Amana women showed their creativity, skill, and originality as many animals were made without patterns and few materials. The art of these animals was as real as the simplicity and thriftiness of the people in communal Amana. A delight to collect and show today.