A nice and popular custom was the Easter "stiepen".  Om Palm Sunday
the boys placed a birch switch in a vessel filled with water so that
the buds would form small leaves by Easter.  Favorite places were
cupboards and tiled ovens to aid the shoots with warmth.

  On the First Easter Day the boys and also the men had the right to
"stiepen" (swat?) the hands and feet of the girls and women.  One got
underway very early in order to scare the the Longsleepers. With alot
of joking and laughing things went ahead.  On the Second Day of Easter,
the girls had the right to "stiepen".  Here, too, one could blow off
some steam and repay doublely the blows (they were) given.

For stieping one recieved sweets, an egg, cake or a Groschen.

[Translated by Joel Streich, New York, 1999
from the book "Der Kreis Wirsitz"]