The fifth season: Carnival, Carnival, Carnival
Exuberant mood, happy faces and colorful costumes on one side, musty faces, crossed arms and shaking heads on the other side. Hardly any other festival polarises more than the German carnival. But what exactly is it, what the carnival muffle so deters?
background
Formerly Carnival, also called carnival, carnival or the fifth season was celebrated mainly in Catholic regions. People celebrated the time until Ash Wednesday.
For on Ash Wednesday, the head was sprinkled with ashes to do penance. Lent was also initiated (time of reflection, preparation for Easter).
Since Lent was not the subject of the Protestant church, the carnival in these regions was for a long time following the motto: "Who does not fast does not need to celebrate too?" Left to rest.
The word? Carnival? comes from the Middle High German "vaschang" and means barrel. This is probably related to the serving of fast drink. The word? Carnival? We mainly find in the southern German Völkermund and in Austria.
The word "carnival"? is derived from the Latin. So "caro" means picking up meat and "elevare". This is the upcoming meat waiver? Lent? pointed.
The word "carnival"? comes from Middle High German. Carnival meant for a long time only the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. Over the years, however, the carnival period has been extended. Today the carnival officially starts on 11.11. at 11:11 (fool day). The actual carnival time, however, begins in most parts of Germany on the Three Kings Day (06. January).
Important days: Dirty Thursday, Tulips Sunday, Rose Monday, Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday.
Customs and traditions
Costumes and masks were originally a project: They wanted to drive away the evil winter, which was blamed for a bad harvest. At the same time, they wanted to wake up the good spring spirits. In Bavaria, the whole project was confirmed by bells and rattles.
The carnival season is often initiated by the widespread custom of carnival awakening: For this purpose, a straw doll is either pulled from a well or taken from a grave (dig carnage). The ritual is usually accompanied by a carnival speech.
The Rose Monday parade originally comes from Cologne. Every year, a new motto is considered in Cologne. Following this motto, the Kölner Festwagen then adorns itself. On board are Prince, farmer and maiden, who form the Cologne free star. Also an integral part of the Cologne carnival are the Büttenreden (appearance of the pastor or the court servant). The word Bütt means something like "barrel", which was formerly used as a pulpit for the speakers.
A traditional part of the Swabian-Alemannic carnival is the "Guggenmusik"? (Wind music).
Probably the most well-known customs for the dirty Thursday (Old Women's Carnival): The town hall is stormed and the men are cut off the ties.
On the night of Ash Wednesday, the carnival time becomes? Ade? said. For this purpose, the straw doll is burned in many regions around midnight. The carnival is symbolically adopted in the next year.
Strongholds:
Carnival stronghold in Germany forms the trio of Cologne, Mainz and Dusseldorf. But also in other cities in Germany such. in Würzburg the carnival is celebrated extensively.
Fools cries
?Helau? and ?alaaf? are probably the most famous battle cries. But where is something called?
? Helau? call the Mainzers, "Alaaf? however, the Cologne and?Ho Narro? is the call originating from Swabia.
Traditional food:
- Fastnachtsküchle or carnival fritters (pastry fried from yeast dough)
- lard biscuits
- Herring salad
So much for the facts and backgrounds around the topic carnival. What exactly is it that the one to the celebration church and the others to party muffled?
