German Marylanders

What is Carnival/Fasching?

You may know it as Carnival, Fasching, Fastnacht or Fasnacht. So it should be apparent that the name changes depending on where you are in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. It also varies from region to region within the countries. The one steady is that it occurs in the German speaking countries prior to the season of Lent (a solemn religious observance beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending six weeks later, before Easter Sunday). They are moveable dates and depend on the date of Easter.

Fasching is the older of the terms, dating back to the 13th century. In old times, Lent was strictly observed and the people did not drink alcohol, eat meat, milk products or eggs. Fasching is celebrated mostly in southern Germany and Austria.

Carnival is a newer term (around the 17th century). It means or signifies the same, however, that the time is spent without meat. The Carnival in Venice is one of the oldest recorded and many things celebrated then such as the parades, costumes, masks, etc., are still used today. Carnival is used in northwest German, except Mainz, which celebrates Fastnacht.

Fastnacht also spelled Fasnacht, is celebrated predominantly in the Swabian area of Germany, western Austria, Luxembourg (Fuesend) and Switzerland. It is also found in Baden-Württemberg, Franconia in Bavaria, and Hesse. Unlike what it seems, it does not mean fasting night or ‘eve of Lent’, but instead means night of being wild and foolish’ for the German word ‘fasen (to be foolish, silly or wild).

The Carnival season is also known as the ‘fifth season’, which begins on 11 November at 11:11 am, but the real activities and events begin the day after Dreikönigstag (Three Kings Day), January 6th and ends on Ash Wednesday. Many of the older traditions of Fasching have led the way for the Carnival traditions including their parades. The Carnival has quite a historical path leading from that Venice event to the celebrated Mardi Gras in the United States.

Fat Thursday (Weiberfastnach), also known as Schmutziger Donnerstag the last Thursday before Lent. Lent is traditionally a time of fasting so those celebrating will not feast until the Easter table. Fat Thursday is a day to ‘pig out’ especially on cakes, sweets, and meals not traditionally eaten during Lent. A special treat in Germany (and one I had for the first time a few years ago, while in Bad Krueznach) is a Berliner, which is a large donut (no hole) filled with rose marmalade and cream and covered in powdered sugar…delightful! The majority of the workplaces in Germany close on this unofficial holiday a half day, actually 11:11 am. There are no parades, but people do wear costumes and celebrate. Another tradition, which was believed to have begun in Bonn in 1824 is Women’s Weiberfastnacht. This is when women first formed their own carnival committee and when they stormed the town hall. In many cities it is a ritual ‘takeover’ of the town halls by the women. It is also the day when women cut off the ties of men…the tie of which is seen as a symbol of the male status. They wear their tie stumps all day and in return get a little kiss or ‘Bützchen’.

Rose Monday- Rosenmontag also called Shrove Monday is the Monday before Ash Wednesday each year. As the Monday before Ash Wednesday, it is part of Carnival celebrations which take place in many parts of the Christian world, from Greece, to Germany, to the Mardi Gras in Louisiana.

Carnival Parades: Parades are usually held on Rose Monday, however, many places hold the big Fasching parades the day before on Carnival Sunday. One of the largest parades in all of Germany is in the city of Braunschweig, which is held on Carnival Sunday. The name given that day is ‘Schoduvel’, which means ‘scaring away the devil’. This parade and celebration dates back to 1293.

In Cologne “Der Zoch kütt” literally means “the carnival procession is coming!” The Cologne Zoch, which is their procession or parade is one of the best known and often more than five miles long, with people coming from all over the country to take part.

Shrove Tuesday, Fastnachtsdienstag, Faschingsdienstag, or Karnevalsdienstag- (also called ‘Fat Tuesday’ and in some countries Pancake Tuesday) is the day immediately preceding Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent). It is a day of ‘fat eating’ or ‘gorging’ before the fasting period of Lent. In Christianity this date allows Christians a ‘self-examination’ of what wrongs they need to repent and what areas in their lives they may improve upon.

Fasching’s ‘Fools Calls’ Helau and Alaaf

Alaaf originated in Cologne, Germany and today is used in Cologne, Bonn and Aachen. It literally comes from Cöllen al aff’, which means Cologne on everything. It was first used in 1635 in a petition and in the 18th century ‘Kollen Alaaf’ was the praise and toast meaning ‘Cologne Alone-the old city at the front’.

Helau was a call first heard in 1935 by a delegation of the Mainz Prince Guard from Düsseldorf. It spread throughout Germany and is therefore the most famous among the Call of Fools. The origin has many opinions and possibilities: ‘Helau’ was once a Hirtenruf or ‘Shepherds Call’, another is that it came from Alleluia (hallelujah, some say it came from ‘to hell’ or ‘to help’, also note ‘hel’ was the Teutonic goddess of the underworld), still another suggestion is that is from the word ‘Halbblau’ referring to the color blue, meaning half blue or drunk). It was a common belief that the evil spirits came at this time when ‘hell’ was opened, to distribute chaos all over the earth.

Whatever the origin, if in Germany during Fasching, be careful not to use Helau in Cologne, nor Alaaf in Mainz.

Some Fasching Foods

Berliners-Well it is 'time to make the donuts' or in this case, the Berliners.......a big part of the Karneval season and definitely one of my favorites. They go by many different names including the Berliner, Krapfen, Kreppel, Pfannkuchen.., but there is only one way to describe them. Fluffy, fried until crisp on the outside, drenched in powdered sugar and filled with jam or cream. The first one I tried was many years ago in a little town called Bad Kreuznach. It was filled with rosemary jam and my husband had one filled with cream. There are several recipes available on the internet.

Starkbier (stout). This is a very potent beer brewed by the monks at this time for use during Lent when they were not allowed to eat. They made up for the calories by drinking this darker, richer beer. Why monks - of all people - were allowed to drink such strong beer during their fasts. Story goes, they originally transported the beer over the Alps to distant Rome in order to convince the "Holy Father" of its suitability for fasting. When they eventually reached the Pope, however, it had turned sour and was undrinkable. The Pope had no qualms, therefore, about permitting the monks to use the beer as liquid sustenance during Lent.

Burning of the Nubbel- Ok, so what do you do when Carnival is over and you have had your share of drink, food and foolishness? There are also towns that will have their burial or burning of the Nubbel (a lifesize doll made of straw symbolizes and holds all of the sins committed during carnival season). It is burned or buried on Tuesday evening before the last celebration before Ash Wedenesday. The Nubbel is the scapegoat for all the sins and wrongs you did during carnival. The Nubbel gets a mock trial / funeral procession and is then burned as punishment. And with him burned, all the sins and wrongs you projected onto him are cleared and forgotten, as they burn with the Nubbel.