(I had this post all written and ready to go in February — oops)
Very early on, I knew that moving to North Rhine Westphalia would mean that Carnival (or Karneval as ze Germans say) would be a big deal in my life. However, Carnival remained this murky holiday that I knew was a big deal that I wanted to celebrate, but I really didn’t know what exactly that would mean or what it would entail. I knew that people dressed up and drank a lot, there were parades, and it was at a Carnival party where Katharina Blum met a guy who turned out to be a bank robber or something like that in a Heinrich Boll novel I read for a German lit course once. So, to shine a little more light on Carnival and also share my personal experiences, I will present it to you in a fun, FAQ fashion.
What exactly is Carnival?
Technically, it is a religious holiday which celebrates the beginning of Lent. Think Mardi Gras, but in Germany it lasts a bit longer and might be even crazier (I haven’t experienced Mardi Gras in Louisiana, so I can’t give details). In reality, it is a weekend-long (or longer) street party where people dress up in crazy costumes, sing ridiculous songs celebrating the Devil being out on the loose or simply the joys of their city during Carnival time. There are no longer any rules, and apparently what happens at Carnival, stays at Carnival, never to be spoken of again.
When is it?
Here in NRW, Carnival officially kicks off in November, but no one really celebrates until Weiberfastnacht, which is the Thursday before Lent. The celebration goes until Rosenmontag, the Monday before Ash Wednesday. Although there are parades and events in between, Thursday and Monday are the two biggest days. Weiberfastnacht celebrates LADIES (insert “woo”s here) and reminds us of a time when all the washerwomen were like, “Down with the patriarchy! Men are oppressing us!” and decided to have a good time. On this day, women can kiss whoever they please and if a man is wearing a tie, they can cut it right off. Unfortunately I had to work on this day, so I missed the big cutting ties and kissing part, but we did make it to Dusseldorf for some of the street party that night. Rosenmontag is a big parade day (the one in Cologne lasts 5 hours). In between parades have different themes (one very frightening, relating to the Devil being out and about, and others being about children or gay pride).
Where should I celebrate Carnival?
Cologne and Dusseldorf are the big two, but other cities like Mainz and Munich celebrate as well (although they call it Fasching in some places and the days are different). As the name suggests, my state is divided into the Rhine region and Westphalia. The Westphalians do not really celebrate AT ALL. Most of my students and coworkers scoffed when I asked them about Carnival, saying it was too crazy and those Rhineland people are so emotional and over the top. Which might be true, but trust me, there was not a big Carnival party in Bochum.
What do you do?
Dress up! Dance! Drink! Sing! Party! Watch a parade! Say Alaaf or Hellau (depending on which city you’re in)! Seriously, it’s mostly just going out, well-supplied with beer (this is Germany, so you can buy your own at the supermarket and then bring it into the festivities with you, carrying it around as you walk), and taking in all the costumes and sights and smells. Most people also have parties in their own home or host private parties in bars that they frequent. As we weren’t really in with anybody having one of those, we were relegated to the streets with the rest of the commoners, but it was still fun to run and jump around singing about whatever city we were in. We also celebrated beforehand with champagne brunch (um, yum… and the leftovers made great train sustenance).
What’s the big deal?
Honestly, there are tons and tons of people wandering the streets of these cities, most of them extremely intoxicated and then later they all cram on the train, making things super hot and sweaty and sometimes vomity for you. However, it was such a fun weekend! Most of the teaching assistants from the region stayed around, and my friend Alex (my faithful readers will remember him from my Belgium adventures) came over for the weekend. We all ate, drank, and were merry together. I also got to meet up with my friend Emily, with whom I studied abroad in Holzkirchen and who’s now a teacher in Dusseldorf! It’s really completely unlike anything else I’ve ever seen. The parade was insane; the time and effort put into group costumes and wagons was ridiculous, and really the scale of the people consistently out was amazing. While I don’t think I have the energy that would help me to enjoy it every year, I had a ton of fun and I’m glad I got the Carnival experience in big cities like Cologne and Dusseldorf!
The ETA gang at the Rosenmontag Parade in Cologne
Alex and I in Cologne on Saturday night – please appreciate the awesome Primark onesies
Carnival parade floats are usually themed based around social or political commentary. This one was a critique on how we use social media.
Here’s a politically-themed float. It’s called the “Putinator”.
Prime parade spot. These guys had a party in their apartment, and then watched the parade from their windows.
These cuties were standing across from us during the parade. The bags are for the candy and flowers that get thrown at you during the parade!
Laufen mit Liz 