Burning of the witches

The ritual of burning the witches is a Czech folk customs, but is also celebrated in many places in Europe. The custom of burning the witches is a remnant of pagan rituals. According to a legend, the last night of April evil forces gain more power than usual and people must protect themselves, their household and livestock against the evil. It was believed that this night the witches are flying in the air to the witch assembly. It was customary to throw a burning broom into the air to scare off the witches. Nowadays, the burning of the witches is intended primarily for entertainment. It is a tradition to build big bonfires all across the country and to burn a witch dummy a witch is made of straw and old rags. The typical place to celebrate this tradition is around Biřička lake in Nový Hradec. [121, s. 25-26]