Cologne - Carnival

Carnival has a long tradition not only in Cologne, where it is known and often got suppressed since medieval times. The French did not like it, but allowed carnival in 1804, from then on, carneval societies were founded often making fun of (French and later Prussian) militarism.

The "fifth season" (carnival season) is declared open at 11 minutes past 11 on the 11th of the 11th month November. That is the time of balls and sessions. The carneval hits the streets on Fat Thursday (Weiberfastnacht) with a declaration at the Alter Markt square at 11.11h. on the Thursday before the beginning of Lent.

Shops are closed, pubs are open, Cologne folks are masqueraded, sing, drink and dance. There are dozens of different carnival parades in Cologne. The largest, longest and best known is the "Rosenmontagszug" ("Rose Monday parade"). About 12000 participants form the Rosenmontagszug and distribute about 300 tons of "Kamelle" (sweets) and more than 300.000 "strüßjer" (flowers) to the hundreds of thousands of spectators, that line the streets.

The way smaller "Veedelszüg" are held in every "veedel" (quarter) of Cologne.

About a week ago I had visited the Schulze-Delitzsch-Strasse to take photos. I had learned, that here would be "d'r kleinste Zoch vun Kölle" - "The smallest parade of Cologne". I had decided to pay this neighbourhood event a visit and so I was back. The street is only 320 metres long. The "zoch" walked the distance twice. First from right to left - then after a break to have a Kölsch-beer - from right to left.