It is a new year and there is a debate over a general fireworks ban or more penalties for usage of illegal fireworks - again.1 It’s like a sad tradition where people get injured by fireworks2 or get attacked and injured3, buildings get damaged, wildlife is disturbed4 and, as sprincle on top, toxic residue and particulate matter is all over the place5. All this for a short distraction?

I was wondering what exactly changed in dealing with fireworks and discovered an exhibition in the Kulturforum about that topic. So i visited the “DURCHGEknallt und ABgeBRANNT” exhibition today and wanted more information but i left with mixed feelings.

The exhibits were roughly ordered for the differents aspects they depicting: fireworks as representation of power6; books about fireworks which were deeply rooted in military technologies such as artillery7; royal weddings8; Versailles and the baroque festive culture9, fireworks and theater10 as well as firework architecture11.

'Le Soleil Au Signe du Lyon', 1623, Public Domain. The scene was described as a festive celebration along the Saone River, where torches illuminate the windows on both sides. A spectacular lion adorned with fireworks emerges from under the bridge, with flames erupting from its mouth and back, alongside three fiery fleurs-de-lis. The sky is alive with various types of fireworks: some create starry displays, others produce thunderous sounds, while some form serpentine shapes or shower down golden sparks, evoking a dazzling and festive atmosphere.

It was fascinating to see the wide variety of methods artists have used to capture something so volatile like fireworks. There were enormously detailed copperplate engravings and books with elaborate illustrations that have been produced with great technical and artistic precision. I really liked the different beautiful details and differences: Some depictions looked familiar, in other cases it looked like they only knew fireworks from hearsay (until i remembered that these fireworks were different in comparison of todays pyrotechniques)12.

'Entry of Maximilian II into Nuremberg, June 7, 1570', Jost Amman, 1570, Public Domain. In June 1570, Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II was celebrated in Nuremberg with a grand entry featuring a triumphal arch, pageantry, gifts, and fireworks. A realistic depiction of the event shows spectators, dogs, and horses outside the city walls, with rockets exploding above the castle. Notably, two temporary Islamic structures are seen burning, symbolizing Maximilian's military efforts against the Turks.
Coronation of Alexander II, Moscow, September 17, 1856: Fireworks Display before the Cadets' Building, Public Domain. The grand coronation of Tsar Alexander II in 1856 was described as a spectacular event marked by opulence and elaborate pageantry, taking place in Moscow before public criticism of such extravagance became common. A highlight of the celebration was a massive fireworks display accompanied by a large chorus and orchestra.

However, it really annoyed me that there was no context whatsoever (except the meta- and reference data) about the exhibits themselves. I would have liked at least some short texts about the historical context that is depicted in the engravings. There wre some engravings that were kinda unique in depicting the different stages of burning down a firework castle. Unfortunately, there was no further info if this was a unique endeavour (it was…). Is this a current trend, that exhibits no longer have a wider context or short texts, so that i have to research what i’m looking at myself? The ticket price was a bit steep in comparison for just one room and looking up the interesting parts in other media myself.

Royal Women Celebrating Diwali, c. 1760. Northern India, Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow. Gum tempera and gold on paper; image: 20.5 x 24.7 cm (8 1/16 x 9 3/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Andrew R. and Martha Holden Jennings Fund 1971.82. Public Domain

Another example: there was this beautiful painting with women of some royal indian court holding some fireworks but there was no context13. What are these festivities? What are the types of fireworks they holding? Nothing…

The exhibition also wants to be a basis for discussions about the future of fireworks and cooperates with the Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH), which is campaigning for a ban on fireworks for private use14. In front of the entrance was a small station about the #böllerciao campaign from the initiative. I think we will still have this debate for quite some time. Too much money involved, if i look at the statistics:

René Bocksch, Wie viel geben die Deutschen für Feuerwerk aus? (Statista GmbH) (2024)

Nonetheless, it was very interesting to see how the use of fireworks was more of an aristocratic upper class phenomenon that has found its way into the general population over time. I am curious to see how fireworks will change in the future and whether there will be environmentally friendly alternatives as compromise15.

Further readings: https://www.metmuseum.org/met-publications/fireworks-the-metropolitan-museum-of-art-bulletin-v-58-no-1-summer-2000

  1. https://www.rbb24.de/politik/beitrag/2025/01/berlin-silvester-kugelbomben-cdu.html ↩︎

  2. Mostly by illegal / DIY fireworks according to the German pyrotechnics associations: https://taz.de/Todesgefahr-durch-Kugelbomben/!6056619/ ↩︎

  3. https://www.rbb24.de/panorama/beitrag/2025/01/silvester-bilanz-tot-verletzt-boeller-brandenburg-berlin-polizei-festnahmen.html ↩︎

  4. https://www.mpg.de/19528005/1121-ornr-fireworks-have-long-lasting-effects-on-wild-birds-987453-x ↩︎

  5. “Toxicity of particles emitted by fireworks”: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32611421/ and “Potential impact of fireworks on respiratory health”: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25378846/ ↩︎

  6. Fireworks displays were a great way for representational claims of the Catholic Church and the royal courts as an effective means of overwhelming the public. The reach of representation achieved by fireworks was greatly increased by the distribution of detailed copperplate engravings like seen in the exhibition, in which the choreography of the fireworks and the illuminations as the climax of a festive evening was captured in highly condensed form. The distribution of knowledge about the fireworks lead to increasingly extravagant festivities at various courts in a competitive frenzy during the Baroque period, particularly in the realm of fireworks artistry. ↩︎

  7. The covers of pyrotechnical manual often depict cannons, fortresses and flames as well as the thought that fireworks displays needs some kind of staged battle. ↩︎

  8. Royal weddings inspired grand firework displays, celebrating the couple while weaving together contemporary and historical political narratives. Additionally, other romantic relationships also led to lavish celebrations, particularly at Versailles, highlighted by extravagant fireworks. ↩︎

  9. Versailles set standards: theatrical personifications of celestial concepts like the four seasons (that were set on fire), ballet, theater, unimaginably lavishly prepared food, illuminations and fireworks. ↩︎

  10. The firework displays were more like stage performances with allegorical stories or symbolic scene. There was a dramatic conflict, like a celestial battle between good and evil. ↩︎

  11. It was astounding to see whole buildings (towers and castles) build only for the purpose of burning down. Even more the crazy looking apparitions for the spectacle like dragons or lions. See https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/341764 or https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/338408 ↩︎

  12. Interestingly there are some depictions of fireworks displays and illuminations in color but most of them were black and white. The color variants often show lack of vivid and multi-colored fireworks which only came up in the 19th and 20th century. ↩︎

  13. It is a typical Mughal painting (https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/mugh_2/hd_mugh_2.htm) from the mid-1700s, were domestic life among women of the court is usually shown - in this case, a Diwali festival. They have candles, butter lamps and sparklers. The festival celebrates the victory of light over darkness, of good over evil and of knowledge over ignorance. It is a time when families come together, exchange gifts, eat together and participate in various festivities. Houses are adorned with colorful decorations, rangoli patterns (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Rangoli) are painted at the entrances and fireworks light up the night sky. I guess it was different and less polluted then today: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/20/delhi-covered-in-toxic-haze-after-night-of-diwali-fireworks ↩︎

  14. https://www.duh.de/mitmachen/boellerfreies-silvester/ ↩︎

  15. There is an interesting study about “green” fireworks: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33655755/. Although there are alternatives with drone and laser shows but it is not the same. I guess that firewworks on New Year’s Eve will come under even more critique and maybe we will see more shifts towards centralized fireworks displays organized by cities (like in other countries like France or Norway). ↩︎