The big carnival ABC
A like Aloha
Except "Alaaf" in Cologne and "Helau" in Dusseldorf, there are still many more fool calls. Here is a small selection: Gays are recognized by the "Aloha". "Pott hei!" call the Hildesheimer, "Narri-Narro" is the call of the Alemanni, in the Westphalian Beckum it is called "Rumskedi!" and in the capital "Berlin, Hajo! Carnival on the Spree, ole, ole, ole!".
B like Bützchen
Those who are not keen on getting hooked by strangers should not walk through the streets of Cologne during Carnival. Bützchen is called there kisses on the cheek - and of these almost as many are distributed as> Kamellen.
C like Carne vale!
Why is the foolish activity in the Rhineland actually called "carnival"? No one knows exactly, but the word probably comes from the Latin: carne = meat, levare = omit. Freely translated means "Carne vale" thus: "meat, farewell!" - an indication of Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday.
D like triumvirate
The Cologne triumvirate, consisting of farmer, prince and maiden, is re-elected every year. And here, for once, the Jecken pay close attention to the order: There is a precise list of when which carnival club has the honor to represent the highest representatives. Typical Cologne: In the virgin costume is of course a man.
e like elf
A fiendish number, made for the carnival chaos. In the Christian mystery of numbers, it stands for excess, for the breaking of the Ten Commandments, and indeed for sin. And a schnapps number she is still to.
F like carnival border
Carnival, Carnival, Fasnet - let's see through it. Fortunately, there is a simple rule of thumb: south of the line Bonn-Erfurt, it's all about Carnival and carnival. North of it (except in Saxony and Brandenburg) is called the carnival.
G like equality
All people are the same - at least in carnival, this fundamental right is also lived. Origin, status and account play no role these days, everyone celebrates with everyone, from the boss to the lowest employee. Unfortunately, the fun is a temporary game - so do not be sad if the supervisor after Ash Wednesday suddenly no dirty jokes more tells.
H like strongholds
In Germany in the Rhineland, Rheinhessen, South Hesse, Münsterland, in the Lusatia, Franconia and Baden-Wuerttemberg (Swabian-Alemannic carnival) the biggest growl.
I like insignia
As soon as the Cologne triumvirate holds the insignia in its hands, it has the power over the fool's people. The prince gets a bunk (goes back to the fertility rod of the Teutons), the farmer carries the keys to the city and the maiden gets a mirror in which "your loveliness" can look at itself.
J like season, the fifth
The so-called "Fifth Season" is a very flowery one: Carnation Saturday, Tulips Sunday, Rose Monday (high point) and Violet Tuesday are also called the Foolish Days.
K like camels
"Kamelle, Kamelle", call the people of Cologne. Hardly it sweets from the moving van, the umbrellas are opened to catch. If nothing falls, they scold loudly about the stinginess of the car driver: "Knieskopp, Knieskopp!".
L like songs
If you venture into one of the> strongholds at carnival time, you should at least be able to sing along with the chorus. Do not worry, it usually contains very few syllables and can be used even in a drunken state. Here you will find the refrains of some popular carnival hits
M like Morgestraich
The "Basel Morgestraich", with which the Basel carnival is initiated, is world-famous for its goose bumps. This move does not start on the Monday of the Rose, but on Monday after Ash Wednesday: At 4 o'clock in the morning all lights go out in Basel. The spectators are waiting eagerly for the command "Eight! Morstraich! Forward, march!" - only then does the train lit by lanterns set in motion and a bell-like flute concert begins ... A great and very popular experience - so book early!
N like Nubbel
A straw doll that usually hangs over pub entrances in Cologne. On the Nubbel are all sins and missteps that were committed in the fool's time, passed. "Who is to blame for ditching all our money, who is to blame for having gone astray?" A speaker asks. The hooting crowd answers: "Dat wor the Nubbel!", "The Nubbel is to blame! He should burn!". In the last carnival night, he finally has to believe it and is burned.
O like opening hours
Do not count on open shops and offices in carnival strongholds. There is a state of emergency. Finishes must be postponed.
Sch like rocking
Safe form of dancing.To the sounds of chapels and carnival hits, jeckles hook their arms and sit to the left and right. To avoid seasickness and bruising, only one thing helps: rocketing.
S like session session
At the session in Cologne cabaret politicians, the Bundeswehr or the Catholic Church mercilessly pull through the cocoa. That can sometimes end in a fight. After the Pope and the Cologne Cardinal had been portrayed in bed as a gay "Ratze und Meise" in the 2006 session, the criminal complaint of a private individual triggered a preliminary investigation. A few weeks later, she was hired again. It will be interesting to see what they think up for the Pope this year ...
T like Tuntenlauf
A Düsseldorf event: On Carnival Saturday in the early evening, men disguised as women walk on high heels across the Kö. Those who buck up the highest heels, throw in the shrillest costume and deliver the best show wins.
V like disguises
Dressing is an absolute must in the> strongholds. The more creative, the better. But beware! If you disguise yourself as a nurse or a kitten, you should not be surprised when you dress up. Men in pilot or police uniform are the worst rascal hunters, according to experience. Anyone who goes as a sailor also risks being dredged - by other men.
W like women's carnival
Do not forget scissors! On Thursday before Ash Wednesday it's the men's collar. As a symbol of disempowerment, the wild women cut any tie that crosses their path.
Y like Y-carriage
The Y-coach forms the "cheap seats" at the Rosenmontagszug. On the two-man runner lands, who donated too little to the carnival society. If someone was generous, he sits in a four-in-hand car.
Z like Zoch
Who has the longest? In Cologne, more than 1 million visitors follow the more than six kilometers long carnival procession. They hope to catch some of the 140 tons of sweets, rag dolls and other throwing material. It happens that the train is longer than the distance and the first car arrives at the destination before the last one leaves. It takes about four hours until all 11,000 participants have passed and walked by. The Cologne Zoch gets competition from northern Germany of all places: the "Schoduvel" in Braunschweig is also more than six kilometers long.
