Carnival: Karneval, Fasching, Fastnacht… As so often in Germany there are different names for one and the same thing depending on the region. In Germany it is often described as this: controlled excess!

terms

Mainly these 3 names are used:
(Der) Karneval -> that comes from the Latin, either “carne levare” (take away meat) or “carne vale” (meat, farewell!)
(Die) Fastnacht -> “die Fastenzeit naht” (Lent is approaching) oder “die (letzte) Nacht vor dem Fasten” (the (last) night before Lent)
(Der) Fasching -> from the medieval “Fastenschank” (serving of drinks), the last serving of alcoholic drinks before Lent

For me personally it is Fasching! But I will use “Karneval” here because it is used nationally in Germany and is also close to the English “carnival”.

elements:

Regionality: How significant the carnival is depends very much on the region. Most are predominantly Catholic regions where a strong carnival culture has developed and maintained. It is particularly popular in the Rhineland (Cologne, Dusseldorf, Aachen, Bonn, Mainz and others). But it is celebrated everywhere, although there is not the same intensity everywhere.

“meeting carnival”, “street carnival” and “party carnival”:
Classically you can distinguish between meeting carnival and street carnival. The meetings (“Karnevals-Sitzung”) are special indoor events organized by carnival societies. The street carnival takes place outside and in bars. However, there are also organized events such as the carnival parades or the “town hall storming” (Rathaussturm), in which the fools symbolically take power in the city. Then there are also carnival parties in various forms, be it in bars, clubs, in schools or private.

Carnival Societies (Karnevalsgesellschaften): These are associations whose members are passionate about celebrating carnivals and, above all, organizing events.

Carnival meeting (Karnevals-Sitzungen):: They are organized by carnival societies. You have a large, decorated hall full of mostly costumed guests. There are several artists, comedians and dance groups, that perform on a stage. This “Sitzung” is chaired by a session president and the Elferrat. Everything is hilarious, yet there is an ironic serious facade in the process reminiscent of a member meeting of a serious organization. As so often, it is a parody of otherwise serious gatherings. At carnival time, many meetings of the big and well-known clubs are televised. But if you really want to experience it, you have to be there in person. The humor on such sessions is usually not very intellectual, but it’s just about the fun.

Street carnival (Straßenkarneval ): celebrations on the street and in adjacent bars. It is laughed, drunk and celebrated especially exuberantly. Here are things that are otherwise not possible: For example, alcohol in harsh amounts, public, by day and night. Sentences that would be sexist on normal days are not worth mentioning in the street carnival. Of course it is not always that extreme. But you should be prepared to have fun when you are in the middle of the crowd.

Carnival parades (Karnevals-Umzüge): They are the highlight of the street carnival. Costumed people are walking through the city on foot or on decorated vehicles. It is also a parade of carnival societies. On the vehicles is celebrated or even current topics recorded critically and humorously. Mostly the “powerful” are mocked. The biggest is the Rose Monday parade in Cologne. But there are also small, cozy parades in many small towns.

Carnival cries (Karnevals-Rufe): At the height of the Carnival season, there is a special greeting. With him you can also show that you join in the whole bustle. They are also regionally different. The best known are “Helau” and “Alaaf”. One says for example in Cologne “Alaaf” and in Duesseldorf “Helau”. Because a kind of “enmity” exists between these two cities, one should use the correct greeting 😉S

Schwäbisch-Alemannische Fasnet: Independent, original carnival in southwestern Germany. The elements of the “modern”, Rhineland carnival are not here consciously.

As I mentioned before, the street carnival is sometimes rough. Here is a quote from an opinion article by Dagmar Rosenfeld, editor-in-chief of WELT:

Carnival will answer the question of how far we go if we let ourselves go. Precisely because on the great days some principles are overruled, they reveal how stable and equal our society is. And that it is so stable, that it preserves decency even in indecency.

Dagmar Rosenfeld
https://www.welt.de/debatte/kommentare/article189539633/Genderdebatte-An-Karneval-hat-MeToo-Ferien.html

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historical meaning

Carnival is the time before the Christian Lent until Easter. The basic forms of the festival in Germany go back to the Middle Ages. Previously, when Lent was still strictly for everyone, all supplies of animal food and alcoholic beverages had to be “used up” until Lent. So it was celebrated a really dissolute party, before fasting was 40 days. In addition, there were still very ancient times customs that should scare away the winter. These are temporally collapsed. As a result, a hilarious party with masks, fairings, etc. has developed. It was also a time when in a few days the “world conditions” were reversed. The servants became masters and vice versa. The “fools” (“Narren”) took power. That is also the reason why there are symbolic “carnival-storms” of the town halls in Germany. Many elements are also from the 19th century. The soldiers were parodied with their uniforms, with their step and discipline. It started with hidden mockery of the Napoleonic occupation troops in the Rhineland. Then to the Prussians, who after the war of liberation against the French in many countries now had the shots. That’s why the traditional stage dances, uniforms, etc. look like military: it’s a parody of the military!

Schedule

11.11. (November 11th): Beginning of the carnival season. Historically, because there was a Lent before Christmas in early Christian times. Here the town halls are stormed.

February / March: Events and splendid meetings of the clubs take place here.

Closer carnival days: The right Carnival days take place just before Lent, so at a fixed distance from Easter. Because Easter depends on the lunar calendar, which does not quite agree with the solar calendar (365 days), Easter and therefore Carnival fall each year to different dates in the months of February and March.

• Weiberfastnacht/Weiberfasching: Thursday before Ash Wednesday (Aschermittwoch). This is where the street carnival begins.
• “Carnival Friday”, “Carnival Saturday” and “Carnival Sunday” -> the weekend before, many parties are celebrated
• Rose Monday (Rosenmontag) -> The “highlight” of the carnival. Here the famous Rosenmontagszug takes place in Cologne
• Shrove Tuesday (Faschingsdienstag)
• Ash Wednesday (Aschermittwoch) -> Here only the ashes remain of the whole festival and it is over). It is interesting that traditionally the parties organize a “political Ash Wednesday”. It’s about talking to your own people and criticizing the political opponent particularly hard.

Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Christian Lent, which runs until Holy Thursday / Easter. Lent takes 40 days but Sundays are excluded. Lent is traditionally about giving up meat. But in the present day many believing Christians are above all concerned with the symbol. For example, alcohol, sweets etc. are not used. According to a representative survey in 2017, 11% of the population in Germany fast in Christian Lent. This origin is not that significant anymore.

No carnival day is a public holiday. Rose Monday and Shrove Tuesday are in some areas but days on which the companies release their employees.

small glossary:

• “fünfte Jahreszeit” (“fifth season”) -> this is another name of the carnival (the time from November 11th to Ash Wednesday)
• “Karnevalshochburg” (“Carnival stronghold”) -> where the carnival is particularly strongly rooted
• “Jeck” / “Narr” / “Narren” (“Fool” / “Fools”) -> Expressions for people celebrating Carnival. You can also use “jeck” as adjective: you can describe it as cheerful, witty, in party mood.

conclusion:

In Germany, it’s usually pretty neat. The carnival, however, is a “state of emergency” and “organized loss of control”. There are people who hate it and others who love it.

If you want to join in a tip: you should know if you are in the area where you say “Karneval” or “Fasching”, or something else. And what the regional exclamation is: For example, “Helau” or “Alaaf”. You do not have to dress up consuming, something colorful is enough. Otherwise, only: good mood!

After writing about the Christmas season in another post, I would like to write about the festival itself. About what is closely related to time, Christmas Eve, the Christmas holidays and the time after Christmas.

Nativity scenes and nativity plays: Of course part of Christmas is the biblical Christmas story . Mainly in the churches “cribs” are set up. These are a model representation of the stable scene in the Christmas story. In addition in some places a play is practiced and performed by the children of the parishes.

The Christmas season is also time of stories and classic films. On television, many fairy tales are shown. There are classics that have been shown again and again for many years: For example, “3 Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel” (3 hazelnuts for Cinderella), the Swedish “Michel from Lönneberga” stories of Astrid Lindgren or “Der kleine Lord” (Little Lord Fauntleroy).

At Christmas time you can often see oranges / tangerines, apples and nuts. Background: In the past, these things were not available year round. Apples mature in the fall and are therefore abundant at this time. Nuts are also easy to store and provide plenty of energy in the cold winter. Oranges and tangerines are ready for Christmas (in Southern Europe), so they will be given away for Christmas.

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Christmas Eve (Heiligabend), as well as the first and second Christmas Day is designed differently depending on the family tradition. December 24 is not a public holiday. The shops are usually open only until noon. Many people use this as a last resort for shopping. That’s why you should organize the things you need for the festival in advance. During the day the last preparations are made. Traditionally, the Christmas tree is also set up and decorated on this day. The food is prepared and relatives travel to their visits. Believers attend the services. For many people it is one of the few church visits in the year. The evening is usually designed as a quiet celebration in the family. In some families, singing songs or playing instruments is customary. But for those who don*t do it theirself there are concerts, shows, fairy tales etc in TV. Board and card games are also popular. There is definitely delicious food. On Christmas Eve, however, there is the custom of eating sausages with potato salad. This is a simple meal, as a contrast to the elaborate dishes in the next two days.
The gifts will be distributed at the “Bescherung”. If there are children in the family, then a Santa Claus is engaged, who presents the gifts. But that’s not easy! Be prepared to recite a poem or sing a song to get the gift. Depending on the region the “Christkind” (Christ Child) brings the presents. This is of course not to be seen, so the children can be surprised by the fact that the gifts are suddenly there. Even if no special Santa Claus comes, then usually someone who will distribute the gifts – including fun factor. Big or small gifts, bought or homemade. Everything is possible what you can imagine. The most important thing is that you spend a nice evening in the family.

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Appearance of Santa Claus: Has developed from “Nikolaus” (St. Nicholas). The look of Santa Claus was very various until the 30s. There were different ones. often inspired by the bishop-origin. Coca Cola in the US did not invent Santa Claus, but he has made the red-and-white style popular worldwide and unified it! It was used for an advertising campaign, with red and white chosen from their own colors.
The Christ Child: Martin Luther, as a reformer of the church, rejected the worship of saints (Catholicism) and sought a replacement for Nicholas, who was a bishop and was canonized.

The first and second Christmas day will also be used for visits. And of course, to try the gifts 🙂 In these days meals are very well. Very typical are goose or duck with red cabbage and dumplings. Often one uses the time for visits with relatives. Ironically, Christmas is always associated with family quarrels. Especially when meeting relatives who do not really like each other. And of course you can not force harmony and contemplation … When the party is over and you do not see it for a long time, everything is fine again. See you next Christmas …
To find out what the Germans really do on 25 and 26 December, you have to ask them. That is different according to taste. One can of course assume that there are people who do not join in all this bustle. These Christmas muffle are looking for these days occupations that have nothing to do with Christmas. Or they go on vacation at the time!

The time between Christmas and New Year’s Eve is also called the “Zeit zwischen den Jahren” (“time between the years”). Many people take a vacation. Some companies do not work or almost do not work at all., But with New Year’s Eve the quiet time ends . Traditionally, the Christmas tree and all other decorations will be dismantled on January 6th. The decoration will be stored and is waiting for the next Christmas. In Germany, of course, its regulated how the Christmas trees are disposed of! Either there is a special date, at which the city cleaning makes an extra Christmas tree tour to collect everything. Or (usually in smaller places) there is a small cozy party, the “Christmas tree burning”, in which usually the local fire department burns all the Christmas trees of the place in a big fire.

January 6 is the day of the Magi (“Heilige 3 Könige” / holy three kings). This is especially important in Catholic regions. In some states it is also a public holiday. There is the tradition of the “Sternsinger” (“star singers”). Thereby children draw as holy 3 kings dressed in the houses, sing and collect donations for the poor, etc. In large places you have to order them. As a conclusion you get a blessing at the front door. It is the last part of all Christmas dates. This will be the end of the year.

Christmas is a Christian festival enriched by geography and history. Winter solstice is the highlight of the cold, dark winter and the end of the year. Germany is Christian in its history, and Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ at this time. This festival has become an integral part of the culture. The religious aspect is still noticeable, but is now only one part. Most of the things I’ve described here are beautiful traditions and customs even without the religious occasion. Regardless of origin, people without faith or other religions also more or less commit to traditions. It is the time of light in the dark, the review of the old year and a look into the new year. It’s holidays for the family, contemplation, peace … So it’s something that is important to all people.