Nice older Räuchermann, smoking man, dressed as a forester with a little Dackel dog sticking out of his rucksack. Förster used dachshund (literally "badger dog") to hunt badgers and other burrowing animals. This one is early DDR and actually has a maker stamp on the bottom. The brim of his hat has been repaired. He has some general wear and it lightly used. Comes with a small bag of mixed scent incense cones (Weihnachtsduft, etc.)
Räuchermännchen are a very old German knick-knack tradition that dates back to around the mid 1800's. They originated in the Erzgebirge, but have spread throughout Germany and are now a staple of German Christmas markets. These were made in the same region where many WHW items were produced. This region was known for many crafts, mostly made from wood. They are essentially a kitschy incense burner, with the smoke coming out his mouth. Never compete with the Germans for cute doo-dads. All of the energy they save on humor goes into this field.
Christmas markets in Germany are a cultural staple and while these markets date back hundreds of years, their iconic status is largely thanks to the National Socialists in the 1930s. The Christmas markets had been beaten down and largely pushed out of their traditional locations into distant town outskirts during the Weimar era due, in large part, to local business wanting to keep competition far away and due to the early rowdy nature of the markets with alcohol being a major component. I am sure most local businesses contributed to this, but I am also sure you can guess who the NSDAP would blame specifically. In the 30s, these markets were brought back into their original locations and polished up into a German family oriented tradition and a source of pride and national identity. They knew the markets struck a cord with the German people and they played that cord for all it was worth. Similar to how the Olympics were given a completely new identity under the regime, so to with Christmas markets. They even brought order to the markets and coordinated decorations to maximize the impact. The fairy tale like nature they created is now a crucial component. Its not a market, it is an experience.
