Fasching is also fun in small towns deep in the Black Forest
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In past years, my husband and I have thrilled to the excitement of the Fasching parades in the big German cities of Frankfurt and Mainz.
Last year, we decided to try some smaller celebrations and get to know the customs and traditions of the people living in the Schwarzwald, the Black Forest of Germany.
Elzach
On the Sunday before Rosenmontag (Rose Monday), we drove to the Black Forest south of Baden-Baden. At Offenburg, we left the autobahn and were soon on a back road heading toward the village of Elzach.
We felt like we were deep in the Black Forest as we drove past sprawling farms and huge houses with connecting barns and roofs that almost reached down to the ground.
We found a parking place on the outskirts of the village and walked toward the town square where we began to see people gathering along the road to wait for the parade. Some adults and children were in costume.
The store windows were decorated, and there were banners, flags and wurst stands to add to the festive atmosphere.
As we approached the parade street, we purchased our “admission pass” charm that we wore on our jackets. We did not hear anyone else speaking English. We were definitely immersed in the local German culture.
This area of the Black Forest is steeped in old customs and legends. The entire Elzach parade consisted of hundreds of folks dressed in red costumes with carved wooden masks. Their hats were covered with snail shells. A smaller number wore white costumes decorated with black dots, moons, stars and owl pictures.
We were surprised to see that they all carried inflated pig bladders on sticks and pounded them on the ground or on the head of a spectator. Yes, we were pounded a few times — it felt like a big balloon. They were driving out the evil spirits of winter.
The participants literally ran through the parade route, so the entire parade was over quickly. But afterward, they wandered through the streets, pounding their pig bladders and posing for pictures in their intricately carved masks.
This year, the Elzach parade will begin at noon on March 2.
Triberg
After our adventures in Elzach, we drove along some winding roads to the famous cuckoo clock town of Triberg.
As we drove into town, we saw bands in uniform assembling in the area above the main street. Triberg had a much longer parade with marching bands and numerous groups in outrageous, colorful costumes and masks.
Costumes ranged from Black Forest traditional dress to scarecrows and Mexican ponchos. One group’s costumes resembled colorful patchwork quilts with their various small pieces of fabric sewn together.
Some of the parade participants interacted with the spectators, either trying to scare people, or simply handing out candy to the children. On the scary side were witches and bright red devils with large bells and fur trim.
This year, the Triberg parade will begin at 2 p.m. on March 2.
Schramberg
Later that Sunday afternoon, we drove on to Schramberg to become familiar with the town, as we planned to return for its Monday celebrations.
We were amazed to walk into an interesting street party where numerous folks were in costumes with huge bells attached. They had their own unique carved masks and carried big sticks with pretzels piled high.
We soon discovered there was a dance and song ritual that the people played with those in costume in order to win a pretzel. “Horrig, Horrig …” Everyone seemed to know the song. It was so fun to watch. The young and the old were all involved. Bells on the costumes jingled as they all danced.Schramberg’s main event is held Monday afternoon. The Schramberg residents traditionally float down the small town river in washtubs. However, over the years, the washtubs have become more elaborately decorated and now resemble floats in a typical street parade.
There were 40 entries and each one was decorated with a different theme. Two people in costumes rode in each tub. They were real “floats.” The parade route along the river was crowded with spectators. It looked as if an early arrival would have been necessary for a good viewing spot.
We were able to see the entries where they waited in the staging area before the parade, then found a place where we could watch the activity from a distance. Some of the floats made it all the way through the river parade route, but others broke up along the way.
Schramberg had a parade through its streets later in the afternoon. It was a good parade with many bands and floats. We saw the costumes from the pretzel dance as well as the traditional washtub costume from the old legends of floating down the river. Many participants with ugly, carved masks were dressed in witch costumes. They did somersaults and other antics along the parade route to entertain the spectators.
This year, the street party and pretzel dance will be held the afternoon of March 2, the washtub parade will take place at 1 p.m. March 3, and the street parade will start at 2:30 p.m. March 3.
If you attend a Fasching celebration in the Black Forest, you’ll find the culture, colors, sounds and happy people combine to make an unforgettable German experience.
Joyce Montag is a traveler and amateur photographer living in Heidelberg, Germany. E-mail her at: joycekeith@t-online.de.
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