Germanic calendar

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The Germanic calendars were the regional agricultural almanacs in use amongst the Germanic peoples, prior to the adoption of the Julian and later the Gregorian calendar.^{[citation needed]}

The months were probably lunar; the Old English "mónaþ", Old Norse "mānaðr, and Old High German "mānōd"[1], as well as the modern English "month", modern Swedish "månad", and the German "Monat"[2], are all cognate with the word "moon".

The Germanic peoples had their own names for the months which varied by region and dialect, which were later replaced with local adaptations of the Roman month names. However, Germanic languages have largely kept the old Germanic names for the days of the week, most of which are named after Germanic gods.

Our main source of reference for Old English month names comes from the Venerable Bede. He recorded the pre-Christian Anglo-Saxon month names in his work known as De Temporum Ratione [3].

Charlemagne modified the established Julian Calendar to use the agricultural Old High German names of the months in areas under his influence. (See Julian Calendar:Month names for other examples.) They were used until the 15th century, and with some modifications until the late 18th century in Germany and in the Netherlands (sensu lato). Some of these more recent German month names are given in the table below.

[edit] Month names

Modern English	Old English	Old Norse	Old High German (and the New High German equivalent)	Poetic German / Carolingian
January	Æftera Géola (After Yule) or Giuli	Morsugr or Jól (Yule) (the first half of the month) and Þorri (Thor) (the latter half)	Hartimānōd (New High German: Härtemonat, English: Month of Severe Frost)	Hartung (Severeness), Eismond (Ice Month), or Schneemond (Snow Month)
February	Solmónaþ (Sun Month) or Fillibrook (Brook-Filling)	Þorri and Gói (Possibly Winter); Kyndilsmessa (candle/kindle-mass)	Hornung (Hornung)	Hornung (Time of Hornets[4])
March	Hréðmónaþ (Month of the Goddess Hréð or Month of Wildness[5])	Gói and Einmánuðr (Single-month)	Lenzinmānōd (Lenzmonat, Spring Month)	Lenzing (Springing) or Lenzmond (Springtime Month)
April	Eosturmónaþ / Eastermónaþ (Month of the Goddess Eostre)	Einmánuðr and ???	Ōstarmānōd (Ostermonat)	Ostermond (Month of the Goddess Eostre)
May	Þrimilcimónaþ (Month of Three Milkings)	???	Drīmilki[6] (no common NHG equivalent), Winnimānōd (Wonnemonat)	Wonnemond (Graze Month [later interpretation: Blissfulness Month])
June	Ærra Líða (Before Midsummer)	??? and Sólmánuðr (Sunmonth)	Brāhmānōd (Brachmonat)	Brachet or Brachmond (Fallow Month)
(None; leap month)	Þrilíða (Third Midsummer)	(none)	(none)	(none)
July	Æftera Líða (After Midsummer)	Sólmánuðr and Heyannir (Haying)	Hewimānōd or Houmānōd (both Heumonat, hay-month)	Heuert or Heumond (Hay Month)
August	Weodmónaþ (Plant month)	Heyannir and Tvímánuðr (Doublemonth)	Aranmānōd (Erntemonat, Month of Harvest)	Ernting or Erntemond (Crop Month / Harvest Month)
September	Háligmónaþ (Holy Month) or Hærfestmónaþ (Harvest Month)	Tvímánuðr and Haustmánuðr (Harvest/autumn month)	Witumānōd (Holzmonat, Month of Wood); or Herbistmānōd (Herbstmonat, Month of Harvest)	Scheiding (Separating) or Herbstmond (Autumn Month)
October	Winterfylleþ (Winterfilled) or Rugern (Rye harvest)	Haustmánuðr and Gormánuðr	Windumemānōd (Weinlesemonat, Month of Vintage)	Gilbhart / Gilbhard (Forest Yellowing) or Weinmond (Wine Month)
November	Blótmónaþ (Blót Month)	Gormánuðr and Frermánuðr (Frost month)	Wintarmānōd (Wintermonat)	Nebelung (Fogging) or Nebelmond (Fog Month) or Wintermond (Winter Month)
December	Ærra Géola (Before Yule) or Giuli (Yule)	Frermánuðr and Morsugr or Jól	(Julmonat)	Julmond (Yule Month) or Heilmond (Holy Month) or Christmond (Christ Month)