A ''Schlachtfest'' is the German term for the ritual or ceremonial slaughter of an animal, which is often followed by feast. Today, it usually refers to the practice in many parts of Germany, such as

the Palatinate The Palatinate (german: Pfalz; Palatine German: ''Palz'') is a region of Germany. In the Middle Ages it was known as the Rhenish Palatinate (''Rheinpfalz'') and Lower Palatinate (''Unterpfalz''), which strictly speaking designated only the wes ...

, for a celebration or festival involving the ceremonial slaughter of a pig reared or bought by a private household or an inn for that purpose. The menu for such a ''Schlachtfest'' in the Palatinate includes soup ('' Metzelsuppe''), various sausages ('' Pfälzer Leberwurst,

Blutwurst A blood sausage is a sausage filled with blood that is cooked or dried and mixed with a filler until it is thick enough to solidify when cooled. Most commonly, the blood of pigs, sheep, lamb, cow, chicken, or goose is used. In Europe and the A ...

'' and '' Bratwurst''), liver dumplings (''

Leberknödel Leberknödel is a traditional dish of German, Austrian and Czech cuisines. Leberknödel are usually composed of beef liver, though in the German Palatinate region pork is used as an alternative. The meat is ground and mixed with bread, eggs, par ...

''), boiled belly pork (''Wellfleisch'') and '' Sauerkraut''. It was common when a pig was slaughtered at home that ''Metzelsuppe'' was given as a gift to neighbours, often in milk churns. Frequently the neighbours bought some of the fresh sausages so produced. Wine was drunk with the meal. The slaughter of a pig by an inn was called a ''Schlachtfest''. Within the village everyone knew it was happening because a pig's bladder would be hung up outside. Occasionally this is still the case today. The organisation of a ''Schlachtfest'' at home and giving ''Metzelsuppe'' and sausages to family members and neighbours is still fairly common today in the German-speaking world e.g. in

Swabia Swabia ; german: Schwaben , colloquially ''Schwabenland'' or ''Ländle''; archaic English also Suabia or Svebia is a cultural, historic and linguistic region in southwestern Germany. The name is ultimately derived from the medieval Duchy of ...

or Lower Saxony.

External links

Report about the Schlachtfest month of November

{{meat-stub Traditional meat processing German cuisine Eating parties ca:Matança del porc es:Matanza de los Oteros es:Matanza del cerdo fr:Saint Cochon