When temperatures rise, the sun comes out more frequently, and music fills the streets again… we know Carnival isn’t far away.
As a German, this colorful festival has always filled me with excitement. In Germany, Carnival is celebrated most intensely in Cologne (“Köln”) and the neighboring city of Düsseldorf, which sparks an annual rivalry over who truly has the better Carnival celebration. Constant debates about what to call the typical Carnival pastry (is it a Krapfen or a Berliner?) or what to chant during the parades (is it Alaaf or Helau?) make this competition even more entertaining.
But no matter where you celebrate Carnival in Germany, certain things always stay the same. People flood the streets in the most unusual costumes imaginable. From princesses to crocodile onesies, you’ll see just about everything. Because during Carnival, everyday norms simply don’t apply.
The party starts in the morning and lasts all day until late at night—only to begin again the next day. Carnival is an opportunity to talk to anyone you meet. Just about everyone is up for a chat, a picture, and a drink.
On Monday, the so-called Rosenmontag is celebrated. This is when families usually enjoy the grand parades, where trucks get decorated in different themes, and people throw candy from the floats for children to catch. I remember going with my grandpa as a child and returning home with bags filled to the top with sweets.
But Carnival doesn’t just unite people in Germany through fun costumes and lively parades. It has been part of our culture for many centuries and is now celebrated in more than 50 countries around the world. It’s difficult to pinpoint its exact origins, as countless traditions and cultures have shaped the festival over time.
Some believe Carnival began as a celebration marking the end of winter and the beginning of spring. Others trace it back to the Latin expression carne levare– “remove meat”- suggesting it was a final celebration before the fasting period of Lent.
In the Middle Ages, Carnival served as a norm-breaking opportunity, allowing people to temporarily become someone else. The poor dressed as the rich, genders were swapped, and identities were hidden behind masks and costumes.
Today, cities like Venice and Rio de Janeiro attract millions of tourists from around the world to experience these festivities.
Here in Croatia, Carnival is also an important part of cultural history.
As you are reading this article, I will probably be in Rijeka, appreciating the colorful parades I have heard so many people rave about.
For whatever reason you may be celebrating Carnival this year or in the years to come, I hope its intention – to spread joy and openness toward others – remains the same. This loud and colorful event gives people the chance to talk and laugh in the strangest outfits and under the most random circumstances. It allows us to escape the norms and expectations of our stressful everyday lives and simply let loose for a bit of fun.
Amy, ESC volunteer
