Carnival Parades Draw Crowds Across Germany
Large crowds gathered for Carnival celebrations in Catholic regions across Germany. The annual cultural event was marked by numerous parades and public festivities.
- The peak of the Carnival season is "Rosenmontag," or Rose Monday, a name derived from the German dialect word "roose," meaning to frolic. The first organized Rose Monday parade was held in Cologne in 1823, while the Mainz carnival tradition began in 1838, partly as a way to satirize the foreign military forces occupying the city at the time. - The parades are a significant economic driver, generating approximately €2 billion in revenue across Germany. In Cologne alone, the festivities create an economic impact of around €600 million through spending on hospitality, costumes, and transportation. - Political satire is a core tradition, with floats often featuring biting commentary on world leaders. Recent parades have depicted Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump devouring Europe, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy contemplating NATO, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz as a sloth. - The scale of the Cologne parade is immense, with participants throwing about 300 tonnes of sweets (*Kamelle*), 700,000 chocolate bars, and 300,000 bouquets of flowers to the crowds along the nearly five-mile route. - The elaborate satirical floats are designed and built over several months by artists and volunteers. Düsseldorf's famous political floats are designed by the artist Jacques Tilly and are constructed from wire, paste, and paint, often reaching considerable sizes. - The street carnival officially begins on the Thursday before Ash Wednesday, a day known as *Weiberfastnacht* (Women's Carnival), where a tradition involves women cutting off men's ties. - The season officially concludes on the eve of Ash Wednesday with the burning of the *Nubbel*, a life-sized straw doll that serves as a scapegoat for all the sins committed during the carnival period.
