A carnival society (also known as a carnival club or community) (german: Karnevalsverein, link=no) is a German association of who organize and celebrate events related to

carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival typi ...

. In

Cologne Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 m ...

, a distinction is made between committee and corps societies as well as the "Veedelsvereine" (carnival clubs of the city's districts). The carnival associations are organizers of the . They also organize the , the local street carnival, ''Altweiberkarneval'' (the old women's carnival) and joint visits to foreign carnival events. The season starts on November 11 at 11:11 am, and the clubs celebrate with music in public places, in restaurants and halls. Also known as the "Fifth Season", it finishes on

Ash Wednesday Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer and fasting in many Western Christian denominations. It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday and falls on the first day of Lent (the six weeks of penitence before Easter). It is observed by Catholics in the Rom ...

of the following year with the main festivities happening around Rose Monday ().

Background

The aim of the associations is the maintenance of traditional carnival customs, and is recognized as non-profit in Germany. In Rhineland, the committee that organizes the events in each town consists of a president and 10 junior members and is called the "Council of Eleven" or . The number eleven, in German, is significant in Carneval celebrations because it is an acronym for the

French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...

values of . In 1381, Adolf III founded the ''Geselschap van den Gecken'' together with thirty-five knights and noblemen. This is considered as the first carnival society. They elected a king and six councilors from among themselves who took over the foolish regiment during the carnival season. Court was held for seven days up to

Rose Monday ( en, Rose Monday) is the highlight of the German ( carnival), and takes place on the Shrove Monday before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Mardi Gras, though celebrated on Fat Tuesday, is a similar event. is celebrated in German-speaki ...

and the service was attended together on

Shrove Tuesday Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent), observed in many Christian countries through participating in confession and absolution, the ritual burning of the previous year's Holy Week palms, finalizing one's Lenten s ...

. Members were required to wear a badge depicting a fool throughout the year – the first carnival order. Those who forgot to do so had to pay a fine, which was donated to those in need. The carnival society of the Cologne Fools' Guild still refers to Count Adolf to this day. Carnival clubs are found primarily in the

Rhineland The Rhineland (german: Rheinland; french: Rhénanie; nl, Rijnland; ksh, Rhingland; Latinised name: ''Rhenania'') is a loosely defined area of Western Germany along the Rhine, chiefly its middle section. Term Historically, the Rhinelands ...

and

Westphalia Westphalia (; german: Westfalen ; nds, Westfalen ) is a region of northwestern Germany and one of the three historic parts of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It has an area of and 7.9 million inhabitants. The territory of the regio ...

, but also in other regions and even abroad. There are umbrella organizations of carnival clubs (e.g. in Saarland), Thuringia and Baden. The oldest of the Cologne corps companies is the , which is said to have been founded in 1823 in the ''Weinwirtschaft Im Häuschen''. Allegedly, the Cologne city soldiers who dressed in red and white, served as a model. They served between 1660 and 1794, and were considered the worst soldiers of all time. Subsequently, they were disbanded by Napoleon.

References

External links

Samewèrkende Limburgse Vastelaovesvereniginge
{{Authority control Carnivals Clubs and societies Carnivals in Germany

Background

See also

References

External links