Fasching Faces: Masks can’t hide the spirit

By Peter Jaeger

Stars and Stripes

Published: February 19, 2008

It’s Mardi Gras in New Orleans; carnival in France and Brazil; carnevale in Italy; Fasnacht, Fasching or Karneval in Germany; and fun everywhere.

This season is a hilarious brew of drinking, singing, dancing and watching pretty girls kick up their legs. It means colorful costumes, marvelous masks, confetti showers and infectious music. It means endless fun at public parades, private parties and official balls, with revelers arriving at work still in costume and with bleary eyes. It means lots of beer, wine and schnapps and tremendous hangovers on Ash Wednesday. Foolishness is everywhere!

Although the silly season in Germany starts at 11-11-11 — at 11 a.m. on the 11th day of the 11th month — things really get rolling in January and February. The high point will be during the next few days, with Monday — Rose Monday or Rosemontag — being the highlight. It all ends at midnight on Shrove Tuesday. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a 40-day period of fasting — and recovery.

On Monday, hundreds of thousands will watch Rosemontag parades, cheering the costumed marching bands and clubs and laughing over decorated floats that poke fun at local and national politicians. The main centers of German craziness are the Rhineland cities of Cologne, Düsseldorf — each drawing 1 million or more spectators — and Mainz, but Fasching fun will sweep many places in Europe in a massive, joyous celebration.

Here is a look at some of the merrymakers last year at the Sunday parade in Wiesbaden and at the Rosemontag parade in Mainz on the other side of the Rhine River. The people behind the masks are what make the festivities fun.

Helau!

Carnival Events

Compiled by Marcus Klöckner and Jayne Traendly, Stars and Stripes

Here is a sampling of carnival events throughout Europe. Times are included when available. Contact local tourist boards or their Web sites to confirm details or to get more information.

Austria

Salzburg: Feb. 22, carnival parade.

Belgium

Aalst, Feb. 22, parade in town center.
Amay (Liège Province), Feb. 20-28, carnival procession with 1,000 participants.
Andennes, March 22, Carnival of the Bears parade.
Arlon, March 12-15, carnival and parade.
Binche, Feb. 22-24, Belgium’s most famous carnival.
Charleroi, Feb. 24.
Eupen, Feb. 19-24.
Malmedy, Feb. 21-24.
Marche-en-Famenne, Feb. 21-24, Carnival of the Grosse Biesse; parade Feb. 21.
Stavelot, March 21-23, Carnival of the Blancs Moussis.

Croatia

Dubrovnik, Feb. 21-24, featuring masks and satirical plays.
Rijeka, through Feb. 25, with carnival parade Feb. 22.
Split, through Feb. 28, carnival events including parades.

France

Colmar, Feb. 22, carnival parade.
Dunkirk, through March 14, carnival events.
Granville (Normandy), Feb. 20-24, carnival events.
Nice, through March 5, carnival with parades.
Menton, through March 5, Lemon Festival and carnival.
Mulhouse, Feb. 28-March 11, carnival events.
Paris, Feb. 22, carnival parade.
Pau, through Feb. 24, Carnival Biarnés.
Sarreguemines, Through Feb. 25, largest carnival in Lorraine, masked balls and procession.

Germany

Aachen, Feb. 22, carnival parade.
Bad Dürkheim, Feb. 24, carnival parade.
Bad Kreuznach, (parade Sat., Feb. 21, 1:33 p.m.);
Bamberg, Feb. 24, parade in city center starting at 1:30 p.m.
Berlin, carnival events through Feb. 22 with parade at 12:11 p.m. Feb. 22.
Bingen, Feb. 19, costume party at the Neffplatz.
Bonn, Feb. 23, carnival parade.
Büttelborn, Feb. 21, carnival parade starting at 2:11 p.m.
Cologne, Feb. 19-23 events at various sites, with carnival parade Feb. 23.
Düsseldorf, Feb. 19-23, with carnival parade on Feb. 23.
Dahn, Feb. 22, carnival parade.
Endingen, Feb. 19-24 carnival with parade Feb. 23.
Elzach, Feb. 22, Grand Schutting fools parade.
Freiburg, Feb. 23, carnival parade.
Frankfurt, Feb. 19, women’s carnival; Feb. 21, carnival parade in city center.
Frankenthal, Feb. 21, carnival parade.
Germersheim, Feb. 22, carnival parade.
Heidelberg, Feb. 21 Vampire ball, masked ball in Stadthalle.
Koblenz, (parade Mon., Feb. 23, 12:11 p.m.);
Ludwigshafen, Feb. 22, carnival parade.
Mainz, Feb. 19-23, throughout city, with parade at 11:11 a.m. Feb. 23.
Mannheim, Feb. 22, carnival parade.
Munich, through Feb. 24, including "Mad Munich" on Feb. 22 and Dance of the Market Women at the Viktualienmarkt at 11 am Feb. 24.
Nettersheim (Eifel), Feb. 23, carnival parade starting at 1:11 p.m.
Rottweil, Feb. 23 and 24, "Fools Jump" parade.
Ramstein-Miesenbach, Feb. 24, carnival parade in city center starting at 2 p.m.
Schramberg, Feb. 23, float down the town creek in makeshift crafts.
Schweinfurt, Feb. 24, carnival parade in city center.
Stuttgart, Feb. 24, carnival parade, city center.
Triberg (Black Forest), Feb. 19, torchlight run.
Trier, through Feb. 24, with parades Feb. 22 and 23.
Villingen-Schwenningen, Feb. 24, "Jump of Fools" parade.
Wiesbaden, Feb. 22 carnival parade starting at 1:11 p.m.
Worms, Feb. 21 and Feb. 22, parades starting at 2:11 p.m.

Hungary

Kesythely, Feb. 21, carnival.

Italy

Foiano, Feb. 22, parades and more.
Ivrea, Feb. 21-24, carnival plus orange fights.
Oristano, Feb. 22-24, carnival and medieval tournament.
Putignano, through March 1, with carnival parades Feb. 15, 22 and 24.
Venice, through Feb. 24, more than 40 events.
Viareggio, through March 1, Sunday parades.

Luxembourg

Diekirch, Feb. 22, carnival parade.

The Netherlands

Maastricht, Feb. 20-25, parade Feb. 22.

Spain

Cadiz, Feb. 19-March 1, street party featuring food and satirical songs.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Feb. 18 through March 1 with March 1 parade ending with Burial of the Sardine.

Switzerland

Basel, March 2-4, Morgenstraich pipers parade at 4 a.m.
Bern, Feb. 26-28, Feb. 28 carnival parade.
Lucerne, Feb. 19-24, city and surrounding areas, one of Switzerland’s biggest carnivals.
St. Moritz, Feb. 19-24, carnival events.
Zurich, Feb. 27-March 1, carnival events.