The Herrnhuter® Star: The shining history of a world-famous Christmas symbol

When the days grow shorter and the first light of the Advent season illuminates the darkness, the Herrnhuter® Star with its 25 points appears in countless windows, churches, and Christmas markets. For many people, its warm glow is inseparably linked with the Christmas season. But what is so special about the Herrnhuter® Star?

The star is far more than just a festive decoration. It is a piece of living tradition, whose history tells of faith, longing, and the magic of Christmas.

The Beginnings in Herrnhut: Faith as a Foundation

The history of the star is inextricably linked with the history of the Moravian Church (Herrnhuter Brüdergemeine). It begins in 1722 in Upper Lusatia, Saxony. On the estate of Count Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf, Protestant refugees from Moravia found a new home. They founded the town of Herrnhut, whose name—”under the Lord’s protection”—became its mission: a community that saw itself united under God’s care.

Missionaries Throughout the World

In 1732, the faithful of the Moravian Church began sending the first missionaries out into the world. Their goal was to bring the Gospel to places no one had yet reached.

A Light in the Distance: The Creation of the First Herrnhuter® Star

And with the story of the missionaries, the story of the star also begins. The missionaries traveled to remote areas and often left their children behind in boarding schools in their homeland for their education.

Especially during the Advent and Christmas season, the children’s longing and homesickness were profound.

From Math Class to a Source of Comfort

In this atmosphere of separation, an educator had a brilliant idea during a math lesson: he crafted stars out of paper with his students to help them understand geometric solids. But the geometric exercise quickly became something more. The communal crafting of the luminous stars became a source of comfort and a symbol that connected the children with their families across continents.

A Tradition is Born

The educational exercise rapidly developed into a cherished tradition. The students enthusiastically adopted this new custom and began to craft the stars every year on the first Sunday of Advent to decorate their rooms. They then carried this custom into their families, spreading the practice and making the star a firm part of the Advent season in the community.

From Craft to Global Success: The Professionalization of Manufacturing

EAt the end of the 19th century, businessman Pieter Hendrik Verbeek recognized the star’s potential. He developed the first stable, assemblable version that could be shipped. In 1925, he finally registered the patent for a bodiless, self-supporting star, the construction principle of which is still used today. This invention enabled mass production and laid the foundation for the star’s worldwide triumph as a Christmas symbol.

In 1925, Verbeek, together with the mission board of the Moravian Church and the company Abraham Dürninger & Co., founded the “Stern-Gesellschaft mbH Herrnhut” (Star Company Ltd. Herrnhut). This created the basis for rapid growth. Worldwide export began as early as 1926. With a monthly production of around 4,000 stars by ten female workers, the star had transformed from a handicraft tradition into an internationally traded product.

Ban During National Socialism and Survival in the GDR

During the Nazi era, production came under increasing pressure. At the end of 1940, the production of the Christian Christmas stars was completely banned.

After the war, Herrnhut found itself in the GDR (East Germany). The Star Company was nationalized in 1950 and continued as the “VEB Oberlausitzer Stern- und Lampenschirmfabrik” (Publicly Owned Upper Lusatian Star and Lampshade Factory). The Herrnhuter® Star became an important source of foreign currency for the socialist state, so the majority of production was exported abroad. For the population in the GDR itself, often only the export surplus remained.

In 1968, a highly unusual event in GDR history occurred: the star production was transferred back to the Moravian Church. The official reason was that the traditional, small-scale manual labor did not fit into the socialist ideal of industrial mass production.

A New Beginning After the Fall of the Wall

The German reunification in 1990 enabled a true fresh start. In 1991, the “Herrnhuter Sterne GmbH” was re-established with the Moravian Church as the sole shareholder, starting with 23 employees.

The company invested specifically in modernizing production and introduced weatherproof plastic stars for outdoor use, which are now just as popular as the classic paper stars. In addition to production, the company embraced tourism and gradually built a modern experience world with a demonstration workshop, gastronomy, a discovery world, and a “craft workshop.” Thus, an experience was created that delights numerous visitors every day.

The Variety of Herrnhuter® Stars: An Overview

From the classic paper star for the living room to the weatherproof garden star—the manufactory today offers the right model for every wish. The following overview shows the most important variants:

Star Type/Model Series	Material	Available Sizes (Diameter)	Typical Colors/Variations	Notes
Paper Star (Indoor)	Paper, Cardboard	13 cm, 40 cm, 60 cm, 70 cm, 80 cm	White, Red, Yellow, White/Red, Yellow/Red, special colors	3 cm star (I1) fully assembled; larger models (I4-I8) as an assembly kit.
Plastic Star (Outdoor)	Plastic	13 cm, 40 cm, 68 cm, 130 cm, bis 190 cm	White, Red, Yellow, White/Red, Yellow/Red, Blue, Green, Opal	Weatherproof and UV-resistant. 13 cm star (A1e) assembled, (A1b) as a kit; larger ones as kits.
Miniature Star	Plastic	approx. 8 cm	White, Red, Yellow, special colors	Fully assembled, often used for candle arches or as limited collector’s editions.
Star Chain	Plastic	10 stars of 13 cm or 8 cm	White, Red, Yellow, multi-colored	Suitable for indoor and outdoor use, completely assembled.
Special Editions	Paper, Plastic	approx. 13 cm	JAnnually changing, exclusive color schemes (e.g., Violet, Green-White, Blue-Yellow).	Limited editions, often sought after as collector’s items. “Star of Literature” made from old books.

A Visit to the Herrnhuter Sterne Manufactory: The Experience of Making It Yourself

Anyone who knows the history of the Herrnhuter® Star inevitably wants to experience its creation up close. A visit to the demonstration workshop of the Herrnhuter Sterne Manufactory in Upper Lusatia is exactly that: a journey to the origin, where you can not only watch but also get creative yourself.

The Secret of the 25 Points: A Look Behind the Scenes

Before you get hands-on, it’s fascinating to understand what makes a genuine Herrnhuter® Star. Behind its shape lies a precise geometric principle: pyramids are placed on a base body composed of square and triangular surfaces. In total, 17 square-based and 8 triangular-based points create the perfect, harmonious shape of the star.

The traditional colors of red and white have a deep symbolic meaning: white stands for purity and red for the blood of Christ. The star itself has always been understood as a symbol of the Star of Bethlehem, which showed the Magi the way to the manger.

Looking Over the Professionals’ Shoulders: Craftsmanship in the Demonstration Workshop

The heart of the manufactory is the demonstration workshop. During my visit, I first looked over the shoulders of the professionals. Various steps in the production process are shown at several workstations.

The Practical Test: Why Practice Makes Perfect

At one station, the blanks for the points are formed. From pre-cut paper, nimble hands, a little glue, and a metal cylinder create a perfect point in seconds. I was allowed to try this step and not only did I take ten times as long, but I also produced a blank with a dent in the tip. Genuine “rejects,” because perfection is in the details. It immediately became clear: what looks so simple requires years of practice and enormous dexterity.

At the next station, the blank becomes a finished point by being glued onto a cardboard frame. A square cardboard frame coated with adhesive is placed on a metal frame, and the paper blank is then inserted tip-first into the opening. The edges are carefully folded over and glued to the cardboard frame. This gives the blank its typical square shape, and one point for the star is finished! Here too, the professional needs only a few seconds to complete a point. I took insignificantly longer, but my point was also square and stable in the end.

But it’s not just the paper stars that are produced by hand in the manufactory. Over the years, a plastic star has also been developed, which is a popular purchase. Here, the points are produced by injection molding machines. The assembly is then done by hand again. In the demonstration workshop, I could watch as small white stars were created with great skill in no time at all. I was thrilled and already getting a bit nervous, because next up for us was crafting!

Be Your Own Star-Maker: How to Create Your Own Herrnhuter® Star

he absolute highlight of a visit is the opportunity to craft your very own Herrnhuter® Star in the craft workshop. It is an unforgettable experience.

Step 1: The Agony of Choice – Which Colors Should It Be?

First, you choose your favorite colors from a large assortment of points. Whether classic monochrome or brightly colored—there are no limits to your own creativity. My personal tip: Be brave and combine different colors! You can buy a single-colored star anytime, but a self-designed, colorful one is one of a kind.

Step 2: Getting to Work with a Delicate Touch

Equipped with the individual parts and glue, you head to the craft table. After a short, clear instruction, the principle is quickly understood: the points are glued onto a pre-made plastic body, which will later be illuminated from within. Thanks to slight indentations, each point finds its exact place.

So you begin by spreading some glue on the edge of the point and then pressing the point into the recess on the sphere. At the beginning, you have a bit more space to hold the sphere firmly. The more points there are, the more carefully you have to hold it. This requires some finesse.

Step 3: The Big Moment – The Light Test and the Proud Result

Once the last of the 25 points is attached, the magical moment follows: the light test. When your own, self-built star shines from within for the first time, it’s a real goosebump moment.

You proudly hold your very own unique piece in your hands—a luminous memory of a wonderful day in the world of Herrnhuter® Stars.

Visitor Information

Address

Oderwitzer Straße 8
02747 Herrnhut

Website Herrnhuter® Sterne

The visit to Herrnhut took place as part of a press trip.