Easter, in the Christian religion, is the resurrection of Jesus Christ from his tomb on Earth.  Specifically, in the Catholic religion, Ash Wednesday begins the period of time where one examines themselves and their relationship with God.  This is the start of Lent, also known as the 40 days Christ went into the desert to fast.  Easter week is known as the Tridium and it has Passion Thursday... night of the last supper and betrayal.  Good Friday is the day of Christ's crucifixion, then Holy Saturday, and finally Easter Sunday, the day Christ's body and spirit joined together to walk the Earth again.

In many western European coutries, they have Easter Fires, which are huge bonfires on the hilltops on Easter Eve (Holy Saturday).  However, this practice predates Christianity.  It began as the welcoming of spring and birth.  There are direct correclations to the Goddess of Sprin and the name of this holiday.  The Goddess was known as Eastre, Eostre, or Ostara.  She is the symbol of fertility (the hare) and the egg of creation.  Easter is placed on the first Sunday following the first full moon, the Vernal Equinox

In Germany, the hare (osterhase), also known as the Easter bunny, is a prominent figure and symbol of the birth of spring.  They have celebrations with hand-painted eggs, marzipan, and other German candies.  It is a time to spend with the children and delight in their youth and life.  In German homes, there is "spring cleaning" and then they decorate their home with the first sprouts of spring in a earthen pot.

One tradition found in some villages of Germany is the trading of eggs.  These eggs are hand-painted with elaborate designs that have been passes down through the generations.  Some places observe the custom where young girls give their suitors a red-painted egg.

Links:
Ostern/Easter
Easter around the World
Celebrating Around the World
Oster-Special
Some Easter Stories
Wilkommen auf dem Osterspecial
Ostern

And some fun games in German:
Easter Games