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“Maskenball” (masquerade ball), “Faschingstanz” (Fasching dance), or “Prunksitzung” (pomp session) — these are the events being announced at this time of year on signs around town, posters on store doors, or in newspaper advertisements.
In Germany, this time of year is known as Fasching season, also called “crazy season” or “fifth season.” Depending on the area, the “fifth season” has different names: in the Pfalz it’s called “Fassenacht” or “Fastnacht,” in Bavaria it’s “Fasching” and in the Cologne area it’s “Karneval.”
Fasching officially begins at 11:11 a.m. on the 11th day of the 11th month and ends Ash Wednesday, which this year is March 9.
The crazy season features costume parties, dances, funny speeches and parades. It’s a time for being crazy and wild, cheering up and having fun. But most importantly, it’s the time to disguise.
Visitors of Fasching events are encouraged to dress up in costumes. If they are not in disguise, they have to pay a higher admission fee when entering community halls, culture centers, sports gyms and gasthouses. The best costumes are awarded prizes at some events.
During Fasching, women do not need a male escort when going to a dance or a ball. It’s even up to them to ask the men for a dance — and the men better not say “no.”
A typical Fasching event is the “Prunksitzung,” which literally translated means pomp session. Traditionally, carnival associations sponsor and organize this event.
Amateur comedians hold, in their local dialect, humorous speeches spiced with sarcasm about local happenings, people or politics in general. In between speeches, carnival club members sing and present dances. A committee, consisting of a president and 11 counselors, watch the session from their seats at the back of the stage. After each performance, committee members present medals to the performers. Carnival clubs are represented by a Fastnacht princess or prince. Every year, a new princess or prince is elected and usually gets crowned the night of New Year’s Eve. Traditionally, the mayor hands them the keys to the city and thus the executive power.
Fastnacht has its origin in ancient times, when people realized that with the start of a new year, spring would soon be on its way.
To make it possible for spring to arrive, the demons of winter had to be chased away. Therefore, people put on evil-looking costumes and masks. They danced in the streets looking like devils, demons and witches and used noise-making
devices, bells and drums to scare away the winter ghosts.
Through the centuries, the season developed into a Christian ritual. The literal translation of the word “Fastnacht” means “night of fasting.”
Today, it’s the time of merriment and laughter preceding Lent, the 40-day period before Easter.
The word Karneval also refers to the fasting period. The Latin expression “carne vale” means “farewell, meat” and describes the time of celebrations before Lent when people have to renounce meat, opulent meals and festivities.
The main days of the carnival season are “Altweiberfasching,” or Old Women’s Fasching, on March 3, Rose Monday on March 7 and Fat Tuesday on March 8.
Rose Monday is known for colorful parades with floats, musicians, dancers and walking groups in creative costumes.
Fat Tuesday continues with parades or street Fasching events. That’s also the day when Ramstein-Miesenbach has its town parade and when Kaiserslautern celebrates its street Fasching in front of the city hall.
