Germany’s crazy Fasching season is here
Join the fun in Baumholder
BAUMHOLDER, Germany - The big Fasching bash is just around the corner. The week before Ash Wednesday is when carnival balls are held, “royals” preside at numerous events, parades fill the streets and Fasching meetings are conducted throughout Germany. This year’s Fasching week is Feb. 16-22.
It is the time of the year when many normally sober and reserved Germans loosen up and go a little crazy. Baumholder’s Fasching Club (Baumholder-Karnevals-Gesellschaft) leads the craziness in the local area.
Fasching officially begins on the 11th month, on the 11th hour, at 11 minutes past the hour.
At that time the Fasching club introduced the new Baumholder Fasching royals and the theme for this year’s “fifth season of the year.” The prince is Frank II and the princess is Katja I. Together they will represent the local Fasching club at various events throughout Fasching week. The theme for this year’s Fasching festivities is an open theme, “2012 — a colorful mix.”
Traditionally, Fasching royals and their party descend upon the local city hall and symbolically take over the reins of government. The Baumholder royals not only take over city hall but will also march to Lager Aulenbach Feb. 16 where they take over command of the German training area and the U.S. Army Garrison Baumholder from their respective commanders, symbolically of course. This all makes for much merriment and commits both commanders to participate in Fasching activities throughout the week.
The highlight of Fasching comes Feb. 18 and 19 when the Fasching club conducts variety shows that involve, dancing, singing, “roasting” of local officials and general good humored rib poking.
Known as Prunksitzung, these pomp sessions feature amateur comedians who conduct humorous presentations in their local dialect.
Fasching club members also sing and dance at these sessions. A committee known as the Elferrat, consisting of a president and 11 counselors presides over the festivities from seats in the back of the stage. The Baumholder sessions start at 7:31 p.m. and last at least five hours. Both shows are very popular and always sell out in advance.
For more about local Fasching activities or to obtain tickets for the Feb. 18 and 19 sessions call Bernd Mai at mil 485-1600 or civ (06783) 6-1600.
WIESBADEN, Germany - We are now in the middle of the German Fasching season. That means a lot of fun when you attend those famous meetings and assemblies of the German Fasching clubs, and not to forget the balls, where you can dance the night away.
The Fasching season will reach its peak during what are known as the “Crazy Days” from Feb. 18–22. They include: Saturday, Sunday, Rose Monday and Fasching Tuesday. It all starts on Saturday with the “Children’s Parade” which has a more family-style atmosphere.
The real event, however, is the parade on “Rose-Monday,” which is often more than six kilometers long.
You should take advantage of the opportunity of being here in this area during that time and attend and enjoy some of the Fasching events. In the Mainz area, Fasching is at least as important as Christmas. Not only that, but the Fasching parade on Rose Monday is one of the most famous ones in Germany. An average of 500,000 people will watch this parade as it makes its way through the inner city of Mainz. Keep your children under close supervision if you don’t want them to get lost in the crowd.
Have fun, but remember to be aware of the potential hazards of Fasching. First, if you are standing in the street to watch the parade, there is a lot of pushing and shoving since the people on the floats are throwing sweets, pretzels and plastic toys into the crowd. Everybody wants to grab these items. If you are standing too close to the curbstone you might get pushed into the way of the trailer and run over. One of the horses participating in the parade might get excited by all the shouting, noise and loud music. Several years ago three people were seriously injured by a horse that got out of control.
Also, always watch where the above mentioned items are thrown so they don’t hit you by surprise. Those little sweets really can do some damage to your eye when they hit.
Alcohol is the biggest danger you will encounter. You will see a lot of people carrying a bottle of wine or beer, and some of them might offer you a sip.
But always remember the 0.5 per mil. limit if you want to keep your driver’s license.
If you really plan a visit to Mainz on Rose Monday it is better anyway to take the bus.
First of all, the streets are blocked for the Fasching parade and it is almost impossible to find a parking space.
In addition, however, the buses run frequently, and you will not have any trouble with the police if you drink a little more than you intended.
The German police have no tolerance when it comes to drinking and driving. There is really no need for you to find that out the hard way.