Pa. German Cookie Cutter c. 1941

Adele Brooks made this drawing of a Pennsylvania German cookie cutter sometime in the 20th century with graphite and colored pencil on paper. It shows a square wooden block divided into sixteen smaller squares, each containing a different carved image, including animals, plants, and human figures. Cookie cutters like this one were used to make Springerle cookies, a traditional German treat often associated with holidays and celebrations. But they also reflect the social and cultural history of the Pennsylvania Germans, also known as the Pennsylvania Dutch. The Pennsylvania Dutch were a community with distinct religious beliefs, agricultural practices, and decorative folk art traditions. These cookie cutters were often made by skilled artisans, and passed down through families. Each symbol carries cultural and historical meanings, reflecting the rural life, religious beliefs, and folk traditions of the Pennsylvania Germans. Folklorists, historians, and anthropologists have all studied these kinds of objects for years.