It was 1984, Germany was divided into capitalist west and communist east the place Matzke lived, when two letters caught her eye within the mail sorting room. Despatched by kids in East Berlin and Saxony, additionally within the east, they have been addressed to Weihnachtsmann (Father Christmas) in Himmelpfort, which is about 50 miles north of the capital Berlin.
“I couldn’t deliver myself to throw them away,” she recalled, now 64. After asking a colleague if letters to Father Christmas had arrived earlier than, she was informed they have been saved away. Within the hope of spreading some seasonal magic, Matzke replied — on behalf of Father Christmas and he or she grew to become the primary Himmelpfort “angel.”
Phrase unfold and within the subsequent 4 years increasingly letters got here. She and her colleagues would reply round 75 letters each December. When the Berlin Wall got here down and Germany reunified, the trickle grew to become a flood and hundreds of letters started to reach on daily basis within the run as much as Christmas.
By 1995, Deutsche Put up, Germany’s home mail service, employed two helpers. Right now, that quantity has elevated to twenty to cope with greater than 300,000 letters from 60 nations — together with American cities from New York to Philadelphia to San Diego, the place apparently children had given up on the North Pole.
Accompanied by Christmas songs on the radio, 4 angels wearing shiny gold robes sit round a desk within the festive publish workplace, embellished from ground to ceiling. From mid-November, they tirelessly work by means of crate after crate of letters to make sure that each receives a reply by the afternoon of Christmas Eve — when presents are historically delivered in Germany. Their work is interrupted solely by sporadic exclamations at a very inventive or amusing letter.
Gone are the times of handwritten replies however the printed response, created with the assistance of Matzke, at the very least mimics the looping cursive of handwriting (both in German or English). The addresses on the envelopes are handwritten.
The desires over the many years have mirrored the altering instances and developments. From hopes for the newest gadget to longing to see grandparents throughout the pandemic years. Some, nonetheless, by no means exit of vogue. In 2022, the highest needs have been good well being for the household, world peace, a white Christmas, dolls and automobiles.
Within the ultimate push earlier than the massive day, even Father Christmas — wearing his iconic vibrant crimson, floor-length gown — is readily available to lighten the load. A quiet knock prompts him to go away his work and open the window the place Max, 6, has come to ship his letter by hand after a three-hour drive together with his grandparents from the city of Bitterfeld.
Two huge eyes peer out from below a rain sodden jacket and widen on the sight of Father Christmas on the window. With a deep breath, Max bursts right into a rendition of the Christmas tune, “So viel Heimlichkeit in der Weihnachtszeit” (A lot coziness/secrecy at Christmas). His want record is strictly for Father Christmas’s eyes solely.
“In any case these years, that’s reward and motivation sufficient to hold on the magic. Particularly at present when the times are lived so quick,” stated Father Christmas, returning to his desk to a platter of festive treats. “A few of the sweet comes for the children. They know what Father Christmas likes,” he laughs, patting his midriff.
Himmelpfort is one among seven Christmas publish workplaces round Germany and stays the nation’s largest and the one location within the nation’s jap area. Nevertheless it isn’t simply Father Christmas who receives want lists in Germany. Relying on family and native custom, kids may also write to St. Nicholas or the Christ Little one — an angel-like determine in a flowing robe, with blonde, curly hair.
By and enormous, historically Protestant areas within the north and east are visited by Father Christmas, whereas the historically Catholic areas of the west and south obtain a name from the Christ Little one. St. Nick’s work is completed by Dec. 6 on his feast day.
“There’s not any competitors,” Father Christmas chuckles. “It’s simply regional variations. However Father Christmas has remained the massive one.”
After nearly 40 years of answering Christmas want lists, Chief Angel Matzke and her angelic colleagues don’t have any intentions of giving up their work anytime quickly.
“It’s great what this grew to become,” stated Matzke. “Individuals might have given up. However that’s why each baby ought to get a letter again — in any other case we cease believing.”