Rosenmontag is perhaps one the most lively days of celebration in Germany. The name “Rosenmontag”, when interpreted from its original meaning, has nothing to do with roses. Rather, “rosen” is a derivation of the word “rasen”, which is German for “to rave and act up”. In earlier times, the term for this day was “Rasen Montag”, meaning “Raving Monday”. Quite literally, Rosenmontag is the Monday before Ash Wednesday, “Aschermittwoch”, when everyone goes out to party and be rowdy. |
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Rosenmontag features the biggest parades in Europe. The parades wind their ways through the streets in all of the cities along the Rhine River. Huge floats are a big part of the parades. They represent various events that have happened over the past year with the use of burlesque and satire. The center of the parade is where the “Karneval Prinz” and his court reside, a popular float because tons of candy are thrown from the float to spectators along the route. Ajoining the floats, decorated vehicles, bands, and masked fools dance along the parade route. Spectators join in the parade, dancing and socializing in the streets. |
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Rosenmontag is just one of the many days that make up a festival that is celebrated all over Germany. In the North, the festival is referred to as Karneval, and in the South, it is called Fasching. The difference between the two is that in the Karneval, the fools make commotion because they want to be merry and enjoy the last few days before the onset of Lent, while in Fasching, the fools want to scare away the evil spirits of winter. |
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The number eleven is often associated with the festival. The season of the festival officially starts on the eleventh second of the eleventh minute of the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of each year. The Prince’s Council, der Elver-Rat, consists of eleven members which meet to discuss and decided on various issues regarding the festival. |
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Though the season starts in mid-November, the most active part of it is the last week of the festival, beginning with the Thursday before Ash Wednesday. This Thursday, called “Weiberfastnacht”, meaning woman’s carnival, is a time when the women can do as they please. Two popular activities that they engage themselves in are cutting off men’s ties and kissing costumed people as they roam through town. |
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As the week progresses, street parties pop up everywhere along with street stages, which serve as a revival of medieval puppet theaters. On Sunday, there are smaller parades that foreshadow the oncoming of the grand parade on Rosenmontag. On the final day, Fat Tuesday, called “Faschingdienstag”, the celebration continues right up to midnight. |
