Latest edition : 01 February 2018
In Germany as elsewhere, there are four seasons. But also, and this is rarer, a fifth, that of the Fastnacht!
While in the high towns of the Rhine carnival, Mainz and Cologne, floats cross the cities for kilometers parodying the politics and the misdeeds of the great of this world, in the Baden region, the carnival parade on foot ! And very special carnival people!
There are witches, devils, madmen, wild men, forest gnomes, devils, mourners, winter sweepers, and so on. Each village has its own carnival characters and companies ensure, throughout the year, respect for traditions but also the behavior of its members. There is no question, for example, of being noticed for drunkenness if you want to keep the right to put on your costume!
In each village, they are hundreds, even thousands to parade, to run, to make acrobatic jumps, to frighten the spectators (especially the girls!), to make a monstrous noise to chase away the winter. Each character has a specific meaning, often related to the history of his village.
Explaining the alemannic Fastnacht (carnival) turns out to be a bit difficult and we won't bore you because, if you don't know the rules, everyone has fun and parties. It's carnival, of course!
It is difficult to choose among the high places of the Alemannic Fastnacht. We therefore took a few days off for a short trip to the Black Forest to immerse ourselves in this very special atmosphere.
Schramberg, a small town with technical museums (model trains, watchmaking, etc.). It is here that the hairy cat (!) reigns over the emblematic figures the "Hansel", the "Brüele" and the "Da-Bach-na-Fahrer" ... And, yes, sometimes the names are a little difficult to pronounce !
Many symbols appear on the costumes of the various characters. The sundial at 11:45 p.m., for example, is a nod to the city's watchmaking past and a reminder: on Ash Wednesday, carnival is buried ...
The most original are the “Da-Bach-na-Fahrer”, dressed in a blue blouse and a ... wooden tub.
In the crowd of smiling "madmen", the mask of the "Brüele" (the weeper) stands out with its wrinkles and tears of sorrow.
All these characters, hidden behind magnificent masks carved in wood, distribute candy to the spectators. But to glean chocolate and other sweets during the parade, you have to learn two ritornelles: “Da Bach na, da Bach na - mit Kummer un mit Sorga; bis am Asch-, bis am Asch, Aschermittwochmorga ”or“ Hori, hori, hori is die katz, und wenn die katz net hori is dann gfallt sie dena maidla nit .... ”. Train yourself !
Fear not, just remember the melody which is simple enough to create an illusion.
After the parade, everyone throngs in front of the town hall to wait for the famous “pretzel blessing”: the town's bakers make 30,000 pretzels distributed to visitors.
Monday morning, the "musician cats" pass through the streets from 6 am with funny musical instruments producing sounds that are sometimes quite discordant! At 11 am, the “Da-Bach-na-Fahrer” arrive before their great descent on the stream in funny tubs ... About forty boats set off.
Should it be pointed out that few of them do not overturn?
While their captains are drying off, a large cavalcade crosses the city ...
The “Schuttig” sows fear. You can hear them long before you see them sweeping through the streets of the small town of Elzach! Armed with pig's bladders, the three-horned devils make them slam like sick ..... 3000 pig's bladders, that makes noise! Be careful not to be targeted! Also armed with large wooden scissors, the "Schuttig" run especially after the young women in the audience!
After the parade, the "Schuttig" regain their strength before the demonic rendez-vous in the evening: the torchlight parade and the devil's dance around the stake. In the light of the flames, the masks can be scary ..... guaranteed thrills! Afterwards, it's party time in the streets and bistros for a good part of the night before a new Mardi Gras parade.
The “Schuttig” is one of the oldest characters of the Alemannic carnival. It is easily recognized by its tricorn adorned with 300 snail shells and three large red pompoms. The rallying cry to know to glean candy? "Tralaho"!
Better to get up early to hope to secure a good seat before this funny "jump". In any case, the night is short, very short in our small hotel: from 5 am, the band of the guard roams the streets. And no later than 6 a.m., your innkeeper walks through the halls with his carnival bells ....
So head for the city center and its black door. At the 8th stroke of the clock, the riders and the municipal fanfare open the way for the madmen who spring by the thousands through the door to pour into the streets in a noise that is sometimes deafening. 6000 mask-wearers parade, jump, do somersaults, tease the girls with cow tails. But they also distribute pretzels, mandarins, candies and mignonnettes of brandy.
It is a mind-boggling spectacle to see thousands of carnival-goers who all look alike at first sight. But on closer inspection, there are a few differences that are all important. Especially in Rottweil where the fastnacht is taken very seriously by the guild, even more than elsewhere: only those who have lived in Rottweil for more than 10 years have the right to put on one of the traditional costumes which must never leave. the city!
For two good hours, this flow continues unabated. The "Federhannes", recognizable by the feathers sewn on their costume, perform jumps using their pole, the "Gschells" jump to ring the heavy bells with which they are clad .... A few funny characters slip into this interminable procession: the “Guller”, a funny rooster, or even the “Rössle”, a poor horse led by pitiless stable boys ....
Here, the Fastnacht is more elegant than elsewhere. This is because the main character, the “Narro”, was born under the reign of Duke Albrecht of Austria who granted the good bourgeois the right to celebrate carnival along their tradition. It was well worth the effort to create a more elegant mask and the “Narro” established himself as the aristocrat of the Alemannic fastnacht. His outfit features symbols of fertility and spring to herald the fight against winter.
The most impressive accessories are the bronze balls which weigh 20 kg. It is by jumping that their carriers make them resonate. A real feat!
Not very convenient to wear either, the outfit of the "Wueschts" whose trousers are so stuffed with straw that they can hardly move forward. And yet, not only do they parade courageously, but in addition, they face another carnival group during the tug-of-war competition!
Watch out for the "Stachi" recognizable by their blue blouse. Armed with a broom or long scissors, they like to grab hats and beanies. They also chase poor "Butzesel" with a coachman's whip.
Very elegant, the “Morbili”, the kind ladies who accompany “Narro” and “Stachi”. They all have in common the mask which represents an old lady and a cap studded with flowers, but their dresses represent the various traditional outfits of Villingen.
The rallying cry to know in Villingen? "Rhabarber ahoi" and "Gizig, gizig, gizig isch de .....". Regulars will be happy to introduce you!
If children glean candies and chocolates, adults prefer to grab (and empty) the brandy mignonettes generously distributed by the madmen.
In the shadow of the Hohenzollern castle (also seat of the government in exile of the Vichy regime), a strange custom is perpetuated for carnival, the “bräuteln”. Even Prince Karl Friedrich von Hohenzollern had followed this tradition a few years ago! According to legend, after the 30 Years War, people were so poor that they no longer thought of getting married.
When a young man took the plunge despite everything, his friends hoisted him up on a pole to carry him in triumph around the fountain to the sounds of fifes and drums.
Since then, every man who has just married in the year, or who has just celebrated a silver, gold or more wedding anniversary, is invited to participate in this feat. On Shrove Tuesday, meet in front of the town hall around the fountain so as not to miss anything of the show - and try to catch the pretzels, sausages, cakes and other sweets distributed generously by the bride and groom balanced on a pole carried by young men, the "groom's companions".
Other emblematic figures of the fastnacht in Sigmaringen accompany them, such as the castle madman and the bats. In the afternoon, a large parade followed by a very lively afternoon in the large party hall. At 7 p.m., the carnival is burned in the market square.
Everywhere in Germany, at midnight, every madman takes off his mask ... tired, the carnival season is over ...
