Fifty shades of Czech Easter
21 April 2025
Who has the most bizarre Easter traditions? The Czech "Easter whip" is a strong contender for the top. Even though Czechia is a largely atheist country, its traditional Easter celebration is a mixture of Christian legacy and pagan customs of welcoming spring.
On Easter Monday, men take their "pomlázka" – plaited willow twigs decorated with ribbons – and go carolling. In each household, they whip women with the twigs until they "reward" them with painted eggs and (usually) a shot of hard liquor. And that's precisely where the most problematic part begins. With the rising blood alcohol content, carolers tend to turn more violent, turning the ritual into a painful experience for the women.
Today, only 20% of Czech women enjoy this highly controversial custom. Historically, the whipping was supposed to commemorate Jewish women who found Jesus's grave empty and were punished for spreading the news of his resurrection. Later, the folk tradition reinterpreted it as a promise of "staying healthy and fertile."
 | Eli Volencová Easter, for me, has never had a negative connotation. When I was younger, we always hand-painted eggs with my mum and sister and enjoyed a lot of sweets. On Monday morning, my dad would come with his "pomlázka" and pretend to whip us so we could pour cold water over him as revenge. Our doors always remained closed to strangers on that day. Only later did I learn why we never answered the doorbell. Apparently, not every man was as gentle as my dad. We might not need to abolish the traditions completely, but a critical approach is necessary – and consent is a must. Unfortunately, social pressure makes it hard for many women to set boundaries during this time of year. |
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