The Cologne Carnival: Germany's Grandest Street Festival

The Cologne Carnival is an annual festival held in Cologne, Germany. It is one of the largest and most exciting festivals in Europe, attracting millions of visitors each year. The carnival has a long history, with celebrations dating back to the Middle Ages, and is known for its extravagant costumes, lively parades, and festive atmosphere. The carnival is a time when the city lets loose, with people dressing up, singing, dancing, and drinking. The official motto of the carnival is Kölle Alaaf, which translates to Cologne above all. The festival features countless parties, street celebrations, and a world-famous parade, making it one of the most anticipated events in the city's cultural calendar.

The origins of the Cologne Carnival

When regions along the Rhine became Christianised, the heathen festival was integrated into the church calendar, developing into what is now known as Carnival. The celebrations take place six weeks before Easter, just before the fasting period of Lent begins. The original name, still used in German-speaking parts, is "Fastnacht" (night before the fast), revealing these early Christian origins.

Carnival was institutionalised in the early 19th century when the Prussians governed the Rhine regions. During Carnival, people dressed up in Prussian uniforms as a form of protest and satire against the rulers. This tradition has been passed down to contemporary Carnival clubs, many of which have their own "regiments" and military banners.

The Carnival in its current form has been celebrated for about 190 years and is nearly as old as the city of Cologne itself. The Carnival is declared open at 11 minutes past 11 on the 11th of November, and the festivities are temporarily suspended during Advent and Christmas. The street Carnival, also called "the crazy days", takes place between Fat Thursday and Ash Wednesday, with Rose Monday being the highlight of the celebrations.

The meaning of 'crazy days'

The Meaning of the "Crazy Days"

The "crazy days" refer to the five to six days of the Cologne Carnival, which is an annual festival held in Cologne, Germany. These days are characterised by non-stop partying, merrymaking, and a suspension of normal life in the city. The "crazy days" are marked by countless celebrations and festivities that take place in the streets, squares, pubs, and bars throughout Cologne.

The "crazy days" officially begin on Weiberfastnacht, also known as Women's Carnival Day or Shrove Thursday, and end on Ash Wednesday. During this time, the whole city of Cologne is transformed into a festive frenzy, with people dressing up in extravagant costumes, singing, dancing, and drinking. The usual closing times for bars and pubs are suspended, allowing for continuous celebrations.

The "crazy days" are a time when the normal rules and boundaries are relaxed, and people are free to act without consequences. It is a time when the world turns upside down, and people from all walks of life come together to celebrate. The festivities include parades, balls, street parties, and masked balls. One of the highlights of the "crazy days" is the Rose Monday parade, which attracts over a million people and is considered the largest parade in Germany.

The "crazy days" have a long history, dating back to the Middle Ages, when people in Cologne would celebrate to expel winter and ring in the Easter fasting period. The name "Carnival" itself comes from the Latin expression "carne vale", meaning "meat farewell". While the specific form of the celebrations has evolved over the years, the essential spirit of joy, excess, and transgression remains.

The role of the Dreigestirn

The Dreigestirn, or triumvirate, are three people granted the titles of Jungfrau (maiden), Prinz (prince), and Bauer (peasant) during the Cologne Carnival. The trio has existed since 1883, though the individual characters entered the carnival in the 1820s. The three figures embody the spirit of the carnival and are considered the mascots or leaders of the festivities. They pay a large sum of money for the privileges of their titles.

The carnival prince, deemed the most important personage of the carnival, leads the main parades throughout the week. His float is the final one in the large parade on Shrove Monday. The prince is also known as "Seine Tollität" (His Madness), and his attributes include a crown with a peacock tail, a golden chain, a girdle with glitzy stones, white undershorts, and a purple jacket. He carries a sceptre in his right hand and a slapstick in his left, the latter being a symbol of his reign over the foolhardy people during the carnival.

The peasant, titled "Seine Deftigkeit" (His Heftyness), represents the boldness and influence of the old privileged imperial city of Cologne. He carries a sword and a flail, symbolizing his loyalty to the empire and his truthfulness. As the keeper of the city, he also holds the city keys at his girdle.

The maiden, known as "Ihre Lieblichkeit" (Her Loveliness), is traditionally played by a man dressed as a woman. She symbolizes the patronizing mother Colonia and the impregnability of the city. The maiden wears a mural crown, and her Roman dress is a reminder of the Roman empress Agrippina, who was born in Cologne in AD 15.

The Dreigestirn attend events throughout the carnival season and are prominently featured in the parades and concerts. It is considered a great honour to be selected as one of the three, and people will wait for years on a waiting list for their chance.

The importance of Rose Monday

The Cologne Carnival is a yearly celebration that takes place in Cologne, Germany. It is one of the oldest, largest, and most exciting festivals in Europe, with millions of people attending every year. The carnival season, known as "the fifth season", officially begins on November 11 at 11:11 AM and ends on Ash Wednesday. The main events, known as the "crazy days", start on Weiberfastnacht, the Thursday before Shrove Tuesday.

Rose Monday, or Rosenmontag, is the highlight of the carnival. It is the climax of the festivities, with more than a million people visiting Cologne just for the Rosenmontag parade. This parade has been a tradition since 1823 and features floats, foot groups, dance groups, and music bands. It passes through the city centre and covers a distance of around 8 kilometres. The parade is led by the "Blaue Funken", a traditional Cologne group.

The typical materials thrown from the floats during the Rose Monday parade include "Strüßjer" (bunches of flowers) and "Kamelle" (sweets). Chocolate boxes and bars, bottles of Eau de Cologne, and countless other small gifts are also tossed to the crowd. The parade is a colourful spectacle with thousands of people in fancy dress. It is a time when the whole city comes together to celebrate, with businesses closing for the day and people of all ages taking to the streets in extravagant costumes.

The Rose Monday parade is also significant because it marks the arrival of the carnival prince, or "D'r Prinz kütt" in the local language. The prince is the most important personage of the carnival and leads the main parades throughout the week. His float is always the final one in the large parade on Shrove Monday. The prince is joined by two other important figures, the peasant and the maiden, who together form the Dreigestirn or triumvirate.

The burning of the Nubbel

The Nubbel, also called Zacheies in the Cologne area, is traditionally hung above the doors of pubs during the carnival season. The exact sequence of the Nubbel burning tradition varies from city to city and from pub to pub. On Weiberfastnacht, the start of the street carnival, the Nubbel is placed on the facade of the pubs near the door. In a short parade around the block, the Nubbel is then carried by torchlight or candlelight to its grave on Shrove Tuesday at midnight.

Before the burning, the Nubbel is put on trial. A carnivalist dressed as a clergyman or cleric reads the indictment, accusing the Nubbel of all the misdemeanours committed during the carnival. At first, the crowd defends the Nubbel, but eventually, they are convinced of his guilt and demand revenge. The crowd responds to the speaker with phrases like "It was the Nubbel!" or "The Nubbel is to blame, let him burn!". Once the Nubbel's guilt has been established, the straw figure is burned.

After the burning, the group returns to the pub and continues the carnival music until Ash Wednesday morning, when the carnival season officially ends. The burning of the Nubbel is a symbolic act that absolves the revellers of their carnival sins and restores them to a state of innocent forgetfulness.

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