These Easter eggs have been decorated by the Sorbian community for thousands of years

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Members of Germany’s Sorbian community carry on the tradition of decorating Easter eggs. It’s part of the culture of the Slavic-speaking Sorbian ethnic minority. Modern-day Sorbs are descended from Slavic tribes in Central and Eastern Europe who settled in Germany some 1,500 years ago.

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Janine Massnick, a woman of Germany’s Slavic-speaking Sorbian ethnic minority, shows a traditional decorated Easter Egg at a Easter Market in Schleife, Germany, Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

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Traditional decorated Easter Eggs lay on a table prior to the opening of an Easter Market of Germany’s Slavic-speaking Sorbian ethnic minority, in Schleife, Germany, Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

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Traditional decorated Easter Eggs present in baskets on a table, prior to the opening of an Easter Market of Germany’s Slavic-speaking Sorbian ethnic minority, in Schleife, Germany, Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

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A woman of Germany’s Slavic-speaking Sorbian ethnic minority, decorates a traditional Sorbian Easter Egg at a Easter Market in Schleife, Germany, Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

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A woman of Germany’s Slavic-speaking Sorbian ethnic minority, decorates a traditional Sorbian Easter Egg at a Easter Market in Schleife, Germany, Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

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Customers listen to a woman of Germany’s Slavic-speaking Sorbian ethnic minority, selling traditional Sorbian Easter eggs at an Easter market in Schleife, Germany, Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

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Petra Nakoinz, a woman of Germany’s Slavic-speaking Sorbian ethnic minority, decorates an ostrich egg at an Easter Market in Schleife, Germany, Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

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Janine Massnick, a woman of Germany’s Slavic-speaking Sorbian ethnic minority, decorates a traditional Sorbian Easter Egg at a Easter Market in Schleife, Germany, Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

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Two women of Germany’s Slavic-speaking Sorbian ethnic minority, sits behind their desk to sell traditional Sorbian Easter Egg at a Easter Market in Schleife, Germany, Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

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A woman of Germany’s Slavic-speaking Sorbian ethnic minority, dressed in a traditional folk costume, sells Sorbian Easter Egg at a Easter Market in Schleife, Germany, Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

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Traditional decorated Easter Eggs present in a basket on a table, prior to the opening of an Easter Market of Germany’s Slavic-speaking Sorbian ethnic minority, in Schleife, Germany, Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

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Primary school pupils of Germany’s Slavic-speaking Sorbian ethnic minority, dressed traditional folk costume, await their performance at a Sorbian Easter Market in Schleife, Germany, Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

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Primary school pupils of Germany’s Slavic-speaking Sorbian ethnic minority, dressed traditional folk costume, look through a curtain at a Sorbian Easter Market in Schleife, Germany, Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

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Traditional decorated Easter eggs lay on a table prior to the opening of an Easter Market of Germany’s Slavic-speaking Sorbian ethnic minority, in Schleife, Germany, Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

By STEFANIE DAZIO, FANNY BRODERSEN and MARKUS SCHREIBER

SCHLEIFE, Germany (AP) — Anke Hanusch dips her tool into dark blue wax and dots it precisely on a yellow-dyed Easter egg in her hand. Back and forth, wax to egg, egg to wax, as the honeycomb pattern grows.

The intricate motif means the egg will ultimately be a gift from a godparent to their godchild, to bestow diligence and a good work ethic upon the youngster.

The tradition of decorating Easter eggs is part of the culture of the Slavic-speaking Sorbian ethnic minority in Germany. Modern-day Sorbs are descended from Slavic tribes in Central and Eastern Europe who settled in Germany some 1,500 years ago.

About 60,000 Sorbs currently live in Germany, split between the federal states of Saxony and Brandenburg.

Easter is the biggest holiday of the year

Stephanie Bierholdt, an employee at the Sorbian Cultural Center in Schleife, a town just 16 kilometers (10 miles) from the Polish border, said Easter is the biggest holiday of the year for Sorbs and people travel home to celebrate with their loved ones.

“The best thing is that this tradition is still alive in families,” she said.

Bierholdt, Hanusch and other members of Schleife’s Sorbian community gathered at the cultural center on April 6, two weeks ahead of the holiday, to celebrate their heritage through Easter eggs and traditional folk costumes, songs and dances. Sorbian egg decorating dates back to the Middle Ages.

From chicken eggs to emu eggs

Hanusch wore the red folk costume and bonnet of an unmarried woman; married women wore green. She was among more than 30 artisans selling their Easter eggs at the cultural center. Her prices ranged from the cheapest decorated chicken egg for 7 euros ($7.72) up to 90 euros ($99.28) for a painted emu egg.

The decorating can take between 90 minutes and six hours, depending on the techniques used, the motif and size of the egg. The artisans use a needle or the tip of a goose feather quill, cut in different ways, to draw the designs.

The egg artisans said the worldwide bird flu outbreak, and subsequent egg shortage and price hikes, have not yet affected their craft — though they added that it’s always best to get eggs directly from a farmer rather than a supermarket.

Hanusch, who is Sorbian on her father’s side, is learning to speak the Slavic language. She said she and other Sorbian children start decorating Easter eggs as young as two, from when they can first hold a pencil. Many only do it during the Easter season throughout childhood, but Hanusch continued with the skill and became a teacher to others, including her niece.

“I think it’s a valuable cultural asset that needs to be preserved,” she said. “It would be a shame if it were to become extinct.”