3rd Quarter Newsletter 2025

for the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum

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CAN THE GERMAN NUTCRACKERS REALLY CRACK NUTS?

The wooden toy soldier nutcracker from Germany was indeed created to crack nuts. Records show that in 1735 there was mention of a “nut-biter” with a human look, and by the beginning of the 19th century nutcrackers from the Erzgebirge were being sold at the Dresden street-markets by peddlers carrying their wares on their backs.

The makers of these nutcrackers were miners who spent the winters working with wood in their homes when the mines were closed. Wood was plentiful and mountain streams powered the lathes that turned the rounded leg, arm and body parts. The first nutcrackers were figures of kings, soldiers, policemen, and other figures of authority that represented oppression and hardships to the common people. They took great delight in having their rulers now working for them, cracking the hard nuts of life. They also considered nutcrackers to be symbols of good luck and placed them in windows to guard their homes. For baring their teeth in their intimidating smile, the nutcrackers were believed to scare away evil spirits. However, it must be explained that the real reason for the “toothy” look was because the nutcracker had to have a level chomping action.

Wilhelm Fuechtner was crowned “Father of the Nutcracker” in 1872 and the design he used is indeed quite clever. The body part of his nutcracker includes the head and has a time-consuming cut-out to accommodate the handle which holds those fierce-looking teeth. It is because the body and head are made in one piece that Feuchter nutcrackers do not break with continued use. Although Erzgebirge makers followed the Fuechtner slender body style, most makers saved time and work by cutting the head separately, then connecting it to the body with screws. This works satisfactorily if strong wood and long, quality screws are used; otherwise, breakage occurs.



The Fuechtner method, with the body and head of one piece is still used today by the sixth generation of the Fuechtner family, just as they have been made for over 150 years.

This picture shows the Ulbricht body on Left and Fuechtner body on Right with head and body cut in one piece and hole cut out for the handle and teeth. The Fuechtner and Junghänel bodies traditionally shaped and never adorned with fabric, whereas the Ulbricht Premier designs always have a cloth costume.

Hanno Junghänel also turns the full body and head for his military designs in one piece then inserts the lever with teeth in a cavity he has cut out. Pictures show finished Ulbricht, Fuechtner, and Junghänel nutcrackers. The clerks at the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum gift shop do suggest these makers when customers ask for a toy soldier nutcracker that will crack nut without breaking. Yes, they are expensive, but you will be assured of quality nutcracker that will give hours of cracking fun.


     

Although you can crack nuts with most other German makers, it is suggested that you use only those smaller nuts with softer shells. Do not try to crack black walnuts or Brazil nuts. Be aware of the size of the mouth opening, Nutcrackers 10-12 inches in height and a mouth opening of 7/8 inches can only accommodate a small hazelnut. A nutcracker of 12-14 inches will have an opening of about 1 1/4 inches and the opening of those over 14 inches is usually about 1 3/8 inches. These will accommodate hazel nuts, pecans and small walnuts. Guests question the small mouth of the antique nutcrackers, but they were used with the small wild hazel nut called ‘cobnut’. Genetic engineering has increased the size of the hazel nut over the years.


Beware of those nutcrackers that come from Asian countries. Rather than buy a cheaply made wooden toy soldier nutcracker for cracking nuts, it is better to use those for decoration only and invest in an inexpensive mechanical metal type if the better-quality German nutcrackers are beyond your means. You can find interesting and fun designs that will open the hard shells so you can enjoy those delicious and healthy morsels. On Nutcracker Day at the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum, children delight in opening nuts with older style metal nutcrackers their grandmothers used. And on that special day judging will be made of those nutcrackers the children themselves have created that will indeed crack a hazelnut. Nutcracker Day is always on the last Saturday in June, the same day as Leavenworth’s popular Accordion Festival.

Arlene Wagner, The Nutcracker Lady

Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum
Email: curator@nutcrackermuseum.com