Middle Ages when citizens once a
year were free to express their thoughts about the world around them to the public at large in satirical verse without the threat of
repercussions such as being thrown in the stocks or worse.
Germans call the pre-Lenten Carnival season die naerrische Saison ("the foolish season") or die fuenfte Jahreszeit ("the fifth season"). Except for Munich's Oktoberfest, it is the one time of year when many people loosen up and go a little crazy. Fastnacht or Karneval varies from year to year and depends on the date of Easter.
The carnival session begins each year on Nov. 11 at 11:11 a.m. and finishes on Ash Wednesday. Most festivities happen around Rosenmontag (Rose Monday); this time is also called the Fifth Season. In Germany, the actual carnival week starts on the Thursday ("Altweiberfastnacht") before Ash Wednesday. Also called Fastelabend, Schmutziger Donnerstag or Schmotzige Dunschstig, women play pranks such as cutting off men's ties. German Carnival parades are held on the weekend before and especially on Rosenmontag (Rose Monday), the day before Shrove Tuesday, and sometimes also on Shrove Tuesday ("Faschingsdienstag") in the suburbs of larger carnival cities.
A longstanding tradition, Fasching traces its roots back to Roman celebrations marking the end of a long winter and to the
Middle Ages when citizens once a
year were free to express their thoughts about the world around them to the public at large in satirical verse without the threat of
repercussions such as being thrown in the stocks or worse.
The locals mark the occasion by dressing up in costumes, attending masquerade balls and sit-down affairs where speakers comment on politics and other matters in comic rhymes, and celebrating at parades in cities throughout Germany. Costumed revelers young and old are invited to attend these several mile long parades which feature floats, marching bands, horses and members of various carnival organizations tossing candy and other goodies to spectators along the route.
Although Families are more than welcome to attend these raucous celebrations, those with small children are advised to make sure their young charges stay well away from the horses hooves and float wheels while shouting "Hellau" and reaching for goodies as the parades squeeze through the people-thronged streets of such popular Fasching parades as the ones in Mainz and Cologne.
If interested in attending any of the many costume parties occurring all over the region during Fasching, look for
posters
announcing these events.
| English word | German word | Pronunciation | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ash Wednesday | der Aschermittwoch | dare osh er mitt voke | The day after Fasching ends; the day Lent begins |
| Ball (Dance) | der Faschingsball; der Karnevalball | dare foshings ball; dare carneval ball | |
| Carnival; Mardi Gras | der Fasching; die Fastnacht; der Karneval | dare foshing; dee fost nakt; dare carneval | |
| Costume | das Kostüm (-e); die Verkleidung (en) | dos costume; dee verk lie doong | |
| The fifth season | die fünfte Jahreszeit | dee foo mf yar eh zite | |
| Float (in parade) | der Festwagen | dare fest vagon | |
| Fool; clown | der Narr (-en) | dare narr | |
| Helau | hehl ow | Typical greeting during Fasching parade | |
| Mask | die Maske (-n) | dee mask eh | |
| Parade | der Umzug | dare oom zug | |
| Rose Monday | der Rosenmontag | dare rose en moan tog | |
| Women's carnival/ Thursday | der Fastnachtsdienstag; der Faschingsdienstag | dare fost nakt deens tog; der foshings deens tag |