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The Mainz Carnival (''Mainzer Fastnacht'', ''"Määnzer Fassenacht" or "Meenzer Fassenacht"'') is a months-long citywide
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 ...
celebration in
Mainz Mainz () is the capital and largest city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Mainz is on the left bank of the Rhine, opposite to the place that the Main (river), Main joins the Rhine. Downstream of the confluence, the Rhine flows to the north-we ...
, Germany that traditionally begins on 11 November but culminates in the days before
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 ...
in the spring. It is one of the largest carnival events in Germany and, along with the
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 ...
and Düsseldorfer carnivals, Mainz is one of the three cities prominent in the
rhenish 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 ...
carnival tradition. Aside from the celebrations, parades, and jollity which are typical of carnival traditions in many countries, the Mainz carnival has an unusual emphasis on political and literary humor and commentary.


History


Early beginnings

The tradition of carnival can be traced back to the Christian
moveable feast A moveable feast is an observance in a Christian liturgical calendar which occurs on different dates in different years.John Ayto ''Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms'' 2010 p123 019954378X "a movable feast an event which takes place at no reg ...
s, where
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 ...
is the first day of
Lent Lent ( la, Quadragesima, 'Fortieth') is a solemn religious observance in the liturgical calendar commemorating the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring temptation by Satan, according to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke ...
and occurs forty-six days (forty days not counting Sundays) before
Easter Easter,Traditional names for the feast in English are "Easter Day", as in the '' Book of Common Prayer''; "Easter Sunday", used by James Ussher''The Whole Works of the Most Rev. James Ussher, Volume 4'') and Samuel Pepys''The Diary of Samuel ...
. The first written records of the tradition date from the 13th and 14th century. By that time, regulations against excessive gluttony and
debauchery Debauchery may refer to: * Corruption *Libertinism *Lust * Binge drinking * Currency debasement *Debauchery (band), a German death metal band See also *''Sodom, or the Quintessence of Debauchery'', a 1684 closet drama. *LGBT rights in Kuwait ...
during the days before carnival had been established. The word "Fastnacht" or carnival occurs for the first time during the 13th century. Details about the old Mainz carnival are not thoroughly covered in primary sources. A scripture of the Mainz humanist writer Dietrich Gresemund dated to the end of the 15th century describes carnival as an unorganized
Volksfest A Volksfest ( ; German for "people's festival")Cognate of "folk festival" in English is a large event in German-speaking countries which usually combines a beer festival or wine festival and a travelling funfair. Attractions may include amusement ...
comprising masquerade, meals, drinking and dancing during day and night. He describes the celebrants engaging in crude jokes or, under the protection of their masks, excessive quarrelling. Simultaneously, huge carnival celebrations at the electoral court happened, where the roles at the court were rearranged at random. In 1664 the prince elector drew the role of the electoral cabinetmaker, in 1668 he was cup-bearer and had to serve all guests. This habit was called "Mainzer Königreich" (Mainz kingdom). This roleplaying tradition continued until the last elector,
Friedrich Karl Joseph von Erthal Friedrich Karl Joseph Reichsfreiherr von Erthal (3 January 1719 – 25 July 1802) was prince-elector and archbishop of Mainz from 18 July 1774 to 4 July 1802, shortly before the end of the archbishopric in the ''Reichsdeputationshauptschluss''. F ...
, terminated it in 1775. With the end of the
Ancien Régime ''Ancien'' may refer to * the French word for "ancient, old" ** Société des anciens textes français * the French for "former, senior" ** Virelai ancien ** Ancien Régime ** Ancien Régime in France {{disambig ...
, the "people's carnival" continued, but, according to old records, degenerated into vulgarity. The upper-class at that time celebrated
costume parties A costume party (American English) or fancy dress party (other varieties of English) is a type of party, common in contemporary Western culture, in which many of the guests are dressed in costume, usually depicting a fictional or stock chara ...
, carrying on a tradition which had existed previously. The origins of the contemporary carnival in Mainz lie in the strengthening of the
middle class The middle class refers to a class of people in the middle of a social hierarchy, often defined by occupation, income, education, or social status. The term has historically been associated with modernity, capitalism and political debate. Com ...
after the end of the Ancien Régime at the beginning of the 19th century and stronger economic relations with
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 ...
. In the latter city, reforms were made in the carnival in 1823, which introduced carnevalistic events in great halls, as well as a big parade on
Rosenmontag ( 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-speaking ...
. In addition, the middle-class in Mainz strived for alternate forms of social gatherings and readily accepted the Cologne Reform, with the slight variation of placing a greater emphasis on opposition and competition. After the old carnival was restored in Cologne, the Mainz carnivalists organized a parade named "Krähwinkler Landsturm" in 1837, where the oldest carnival organization in Mainz, later called the Mainzer Ranzengarde, appeared the first time. Like other carnival organizations in the Rhineland at the time, fees for joining were high enough that participation was largely restricted to the upper middle class. It was not until the mid-19th century that a proliferation of clubs and resulting drop in membership fees allowed lower middle class participation. The clubs would meet weekly beginning in January to plan events for final week of carnival. Unlike other rhenish carnival cities, in Mainz, the clubs tended to be slightly more heterogeneous, as members of the clubs were allowed to bring friends, and often did, from outside the burgeoning middle class. The initiative for creating the first organization may be traced back to the merchant Nicolaus Krieger. His primary objective was that the rather disgustingly vulgar people's carnival was transformed by organized activities to an orderly event, generating revenue for the innkeepers and attracting tourists. January 19, 1838 is the date of foundation of the Mainzer Carneval-Verein (Mainz carnival association). This first carnival association of the town took over responsibilities as an umbrella organization and is still organizing the today. The association's first act was to plan a ‘carnival Monday parade’, which took place on February 26, 1838. The main features of the Mainzer Fastnacht have not changed substantially since 1838.


Rise of carnival to a social event

In the beginning, the Mainz carnival was non-political. The activities of the carnivalistic organizations (MCV, Ranzengarde, Rosenmontagszug, sessions) had been watched closely by the grand ducal authorities, but generally allowed to continue. This is indicated by the fact that some carnival associations had been allowed to be founded again and again, but only for one particular season. Each 11 November they were refounded, and this was approved by the authorities. Within the 19th century this process became a tradition. It was eventually given up due to the associated inconveniences. The politicization of the Mainz carnival started when celebrants used the opportunity of the carnival to mock French troops stationed in the city in the early 19th century, and accelerated in the run-up to the
revolutions of 1848 in the German states In political science, a revolution (Latin: ''revolutio'', "a turn around") is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due ...
, when revolutionary leader Franz Heinrich Zitz became president of the Mainz carnival association (MCV) in 1843 and the democrat
Philipp Wittmann Philipp is both a surname and a given name. Notable people with the name include: "Philipp" has also been a shortened version of Philippson, a German surname especially prevalent amongst German Jews and Dutch Jews. Surname * Adolf Philipp (1864 ...
joined the committee. The symbolism of the Jacobin Club turning to the foolish may be traced back to these two men: the interpretation of the foolish cap as extended Phrygian cap, the colours blue, white, red, and yellow derived from the
Tricolour A tricolour () or tricolor () is a type of flag or banner design with a triband design which originated in the 16th century as a symbol of republicanism, liberty, or revolution. The flags of France, Italy, Romania, Mexico, and Ireland were ...
, the committee as a "revolutionary council of the eleven". During the revolutionary year 1848 itself, the carnival was cancelled, and the carnival gazette "Narhalla" turned to a revolutionary flyer. Starting in the 1840s, political commentary and critique had become much more common in carnival events, especially in the weekly club meetings that ostensibly existed to organize celebrations. Speakers would often have to be coy about their meaning, but nonetheless the carnival had become an outlet for political dissent. The ability to speak publicly about politics, however veiled the reference, made the events popular, and the 1840s saw the founding of a second carnival club. This one, founded by a chimney sweep and a paper hanger, had an inexpensive membership fee to allow working class citizens to participate. During the years after the revolution, carnival activities declined briefly. By 1855, however, the tradition began to see a resurgence, leading to a rapid increase in the number of club members and to the foundation of new corporations ( Kleppergarde, 1856). In 1857, events were cancelled due to the explosion of the powder magazine and in 1866 due to the
Austro-Prussian War The Austro-Prussian War, also by many variant names such as Seven Weeks' War, German Civil War, Brothers War or Fraternal War, known in Germany as ("German War"), (; "German war of brothers") and by a variety of other names, was fought in 186 ...
. The Rosenmontagszüge had also to be cancelled in following years due to single events. In 1884 the MCV took the opportunity to give a session in the newly finished guildhall, which they would continue to use for the next 50 years. In later years many new associations arose: the ''
Mombach Mombach, with 13,875 inhabitants (Apr. 2021), is a borough in the northwest corner of Mainz, Germany. Mombach can be reached via Mainz-innenstadt (downtown) or Bundesautobahn 643. Location Mombach is located on the southern (left) bank of the ...
er Carneval Verein'' (1886), the ''Gonsenheimer Carneval Verein'' (1892) and the Carnival association "Eiskalte Brüder" (1893). As Guards, the ''Mainzer Prinzengarde'' (1884), the ''Prinzessgarde'' (1886), renamed in 1933 as ''Guard of the Princess'', the ''Mombacher Prinzengarde'' (1886) and the ''Jocus-Garde'' (1889) were added.


Theme and characters

Traditionally, carnival season in Mainz begins on November 11 at 11:11, and continues through Ash Wednesday. However, the event peaks in February or March in the days leading up to Ash Wednesday. During the 19th century celebrants began using the carnival as an opportunity to mock the military forces occupying the city's fortress. The uniforms of the carnival guards are still reminders of the uniforms of the Austrian, Prussian, and French troops which were present in the town between 1792 and 1866. Others, like the
Landsknecht The (singular: , ), also rendered as Landsknechts or Lansquenets, were Germanic mercenaries used in pike and shot formations during the early modern period. Consisting predominantly of pikemen and supporting foot soldiers, their front lin ...
uniform of the Weisenauer Burggrafengarde trace their lineage as far back as the middle-ages. Uniform parts of the electoral troops are also present. The guards, who spoof military habits and oaths, have a big role in the street carnival, making up large portions of the parades. The
Mainzer Rosenmontagszug Mainzer is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Amy Mainzer (born 1974), American astronomer *Ferdinand Mainzer (1871–1943), German-Jewish gynaecologist and historical author *Klaus Mainzer (born 1947), German scholar and philosop ...
is highly renowned among the parades. It had been recorded since 1910 on film, and is often broadcast live nationwide. It is less formal than many parades, as celebrants can and often do join in to walk the parade route for a brief time. Marchers are often very informal about their roles, sometimes drinking beer as they ride parade floats. Political commentary and caricature have become a notable part of the Mainz carnival, and especially of its parades. For example, floats during one parade in the late 1980s showed
Uncle Sam Uncle Sam (which has the same initials as ''United States'') is a common national personification of the federal government of the United States or the country in general. Since the early 19th century, Uncle Sam has been a popular symbol of ...
and a Russian soldier climbing out of suits of armor, and portrayed Soviet General Secretary
Mikhail Gorbachev Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev (2 March 1931 – 30 August 2022) was a Soviet politician who served as the 8th and final leader of the Soviet Union from 1985 to dissolution of the Soviet Union, the country's dissolution in 1991. He served a ...
in a bathtub. The battle cry of the Mainz carnival, ''Helau'', originates from
Düsseldorf Düsseldorf ( , , ; often in English sources; Low Franconian and Ripuarian: ''Düsseldörp'' ; archaic nl, Dusseldorp ) is the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state of Germany. It is the second-largest city in th ...
and was introduced in 1938 in Mainz.


Sources

* Werner Hanfgarn, Bernd Mühl, Friedrich Schütz: ''Fünfundachtzig Mainzer Jahre. Die Stadt, die Fastnacht, Jakob Wucher in Geschichte und Geschichten'' Verlag Dr. Hanns Krach, Mainz 1983, * Michael Matheus (ed.): ''Fastnacht/Karneval im europäischen Vergleich'' (Mainzer Vorträge 3). Franz Steiner Verlag, Mainz 1999, . * Herbert Schwedt (ed.): ''Analyse eines Stadtfestes. Die Mainzer Fastnacht''. Wiesbaden 1977 (Mainzer Studien zur Sprach- und Volksforschung 1) * Günter Schenk: ''Mainz Helau. Handbuch zur Mainzer Fastnacht.'' Leinpfad Verlag, Ingelheim 2004, * Günter Schenk: ''Mainz, wie es singt und lacht. Fastnacht im Fernsehen - Karneval für Millionen.'' Ingelheim 2004, * Friedrich Schütz: '' Die moderne Mainzer Fastnacht'' in
Franz Dumont Franz Dumont (22 January 1945 – 3 November 2012) was a German historian. Life Born in Waldbröl, Dumont lived in Mainz from 1954 onwards and took his Abitur at the Rabanus-Maurus-Gymnasium in Mainz in 1964. During his school years, he had a ...
(ed.),
Ferdinand Scherf Ferdinand Scherf (born in 1943 in Mayen), is a German professor and historian. From 1970 to 2007 he was a teacher at the Rabanus-Maurus-Gymnasium in Mainz and editor of local historical works. Life After studying history and German language and ...
, Friedrich Schütz: ''Mainz – Die Geschichte der Stadt.'' Verlag Phillip von Zabern, Mainz 1999, *
Carl Zuckmayer Carl Zuckmayer (27 December 1896 – 18 January 1977) was a German writer and playwright. His older brother was the pedagogue, composer, conductor, and pianist Eduard Zuckmayer. Life and career Born in Nackenheim in Rhenish Hesse, he was t ...
: ''Die Fastnachtsbeichte.'' Carnival confession.a vivid description of carnival
Retrieved 2010-02-22
* Ralph Keim: ''Fastnacht in Meenz.'' Sutton-Verlag, Erfurt,


See also

*
Narrhallamarsch The Narrhallamarsch is a traditional German carnival tune, a staple of the Mainz carnival (''Meenzer Fassenacht'') since 1844.mainz.de
- Informations to the Mainzer Fastnacht by the local authorities
mainzer-fastnacht.de


Mainz carnival: invented new yearly! ...on swr.de

in the carnival encyclopedia of the
Südwestrundfunk Südwestrundfunk (SWR; ''Southwest Broadcasting'') is a regional public broadcasting corporation serving the southwest of Germany , specifically the federal states of Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate. The corporation has main offices ...

Historical carnival magazines
on dilibri Rheinland-Pfalz
Historical carnival magazines
of the Libraries of the City of Mainz {{Carnival around the world Carnivals in Germany
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 ...
es:Maguncia#Carnaval