Fasching Festivities, German Style

For the ten years I called Heidelberg, Germany home, I was lucky to have a bird’s-eye view when Fasching festivities took the university town by storm, as I’m sure they did today.

Fasching, Germany’s equivalent to Mardi Gras or Carnaval, includes pre-Lenten activities celebrated between Epiphany and Ash Wednesday. My former apartment, housed on the fifth floor of an 18th-century building, offered the perfect spot to glimpse the crazy characters and floats as they passed by during the city’s annual Fasching parade.

The parades usually took place on days that I had to work. Alas, when I returned to my Altstadt (old town) neighborhood shortly after the parade had plowed through, I found the streets adorned with confetti, streamers, and wrappers that hinted at the goodies that had been tossed from floats. Some years, unable to resist being part of the fun, I took a vacation day and watched as men dressed in medieval garb twirled flags bearing Heidelberg’s crest, and fluffy blue beings powdered the noses of onlookers (yours truly included), and men sported Pippy Longstocking-esque braids. Here’s to more memories…

Where in the World?

About the author

Hi! My name is Tricia Mitchell. I delight in telling stories about my slow travels through more than 65 countries. Some of my highlights have included sharing meals with locals in Armenia, Cambodia, and Tunisia; sipping sparkling wine with French cousins in Alsace; milking goats in a sleepy Bulgarian village; and training with a Japanese mine-clearance team in Laos. My husband, Shawn, and I are based in France’s Loire Valley.

29 responses to “Fasching Festivities, German Style”

elisaruland

February 12, 2013

I really like the design of your blog, and love the header. Is this a new look? It’s very appealing…love it!

Fasching looks like a great time. Wonderful pics!

1. Tricia A. Mitchell
  
  February 13, 2013
  
  Hi Elisa, having devoted a bit of time tinkering with the design, your compliment means a lot. I guess you could call the re-design a premature spring cleaning of sorts, a desire to streamline things a bit, and fun with Photoshop. :)
  
  Fasching was always fun! This year, we celebrated Carnival in Croatia in a town decidedly smaller than Heidelberg, Germany, but nonetheless still with character.
  
  Thanks as always for dropping by.
  
Anita Mac

February 12, 2013

Hillarious and colourful costumes! Love it. I can see why you would take a day off – looks like a lot of fun.

1. Tricia A. Mitchell
  
  February 13, 2013
  
  It is – also a bit reminiscent of Germany during autumnal wine & beer fest season.
  
belocchio

February 13, 2013

Who wouldn’t love a parade like this Tricia~!! I especially love the stripped hosery. V.

1. Tricia A. Mitchell
  
  February 13, 2013
  
  Me too, Virginia. The Germans certainly have fun with their array of colorful and patterned ‘Strumpfhosen.’ :)
  
Andrew Petcher

February 13, 2013

Great! I saw this in the Black Forest two years ago and loved it!

1. Tricia A. Mitchell
  
  February 13, 2013
  
  I never made it to the Black Forest during Fasching season, Andrew, but Cologne certainly offered a lot of fun madness. Where did you visit in the Black Forest? I used to live not far from there…
  
  1. Andrew Petcher
    
    February 13, 2013
    
    We stayed one time in Baden-Baden and then twice in a nice hotel that I found in Rammersweier near Offenburg and we travelled as far south as Freiburg and as far north as Speyer.
  2. Tricia A. Mitchell
    
    February 16, 2013
    
    Many are familiar places to me, Andrew. In fact, my husband and I keep meaning to get back to Baden Baden, as we have a wedding gift certificate that we have yet to use there. I was only there once, but loved strolling the gardens. Such an elegant city!
corneliaweberphotography

February 13, 2013

Love your post, Tricia, similar parades take place in Munich, lots of fun @ Fasching time.Wish you well @ your new destination. Cornelia

1. Tricia A. Mitchell
  
  February 13, 2013
  
  Thank you, Cornelia, or as they say here in Croatia, ‘hvala.’ :) When we do get back to Germany this summer, I look forward to exploring some of the places you’ve recommended – especially Mittenwald.
  
  1. corneliaweberphotography
    
    February 14, 2013
    
    Tricia, most probably I will be in germany too in the summer and of course spending some time in Garmisch to see my 101 years old aunt and my cousins. It will be some time in June, well maybe we cant meet somewhere around there. That would be fun.
  2. Tricia A. Mitchell
    
    February 16, 2013
    
    Cornelia, I would really enjoy that! :) Please keep me posted of your travel plans.
  3. corneliaweberphotography
    
    February 20, 2013
    
    Oh I will keep you posted on my travel plans to germany.
yasmine ft dörr

February 13, 2013

Heard so much about it, never been to one. Normally only the kids celebrated it at school. Now that they are no longer in German school, it sort of passed by unnoticed in our family. Thanks for sharing it…

1. Tricia A. Mitchell
  
  February 13, 2013
  
  Yasmine, hope this post gave you the slight feeling of having been to one now. :) Are your children still at an international school?
  
rigmover

February 13, 2013

Great post Tricia, nothing like a good parade.

1. Tricia A. Mitchell
  
  February 13, 2013
  
  Especially one with scrumptious morsels tossed from floats. One of my favorite floats was shaped like a bread basket, and you guessed it – they threw spectators fresh bread rolls. Delicious.
  
bits and pieces on photo

February 14, 2013

This must have been fun! :)

1. Tricia A. Mitchell
  
  February 16, 2013
  
  Indeed! It was a fun tradition that I miss from not living there now. It’s nice to have the images and the memories.
  
wanderoneday

February 14, 2013

Wow this would be a sight to see! Here in PA, there is still a Fasnacht tradition, though the only evidence I’ve seen of it has been an overabundance of sugary donuts! I think it would be more fun if we had parades :)

According to Wikipedia, the fasnacht donut was meant to empty the pantry of lard, sugar, fat, and butter before Lent begins, but somehow I doubt anyone around here actually follows that part of the tradition!

Also, while you are a well established blogger and probably don’t need the awards, I wanted to let you know I nominated you for the Sisterhood of the World Blogger Award to share your excellent blog with others. In fact, the person who nominated me has an alliterative blog name, so yours was the first blog I thought to nominate!
http://wanderoneday.com/2013/02/14/sisterhood-of-the-world-bloggers-award/

1. Tricia A. Mitchell
  
  February 16, 2013
  
  Jen, I enjoyed reading the details you shared about PA’s Fasnacht tradition. In Bavaria, where we were staying these past months, we had a lot of Krapfen sightings at the bakeries and grocery stores. Those sugary donuts looked so tasty, alas I only eat gluten-free goodies so I had to abstain. I suspect the PA tradition has the same origins?
  
  Finally, I’m very flattered by your very kind nomination and recognition, Jen! I shall look forward to connecting with the other nominees. :)
  
Bashar A.

February 15, 2013

Love the costumes… looks the whole town gets into the spirit :)

1. Tricia A. Mitchell
  
  February 16, 2013
  
  …Crazy! Heidelberg’s a university town, so there’s a lot of young energy there, but revelers of all ages seem to hit the streets.
  
petit4chocolatier

February 16, 2013

Looks like so much fun!!

1. Tricia A. Mitchell
  
  February 16, 2013
  
  Imagine how crazy things get after the parade! :)
  
Rachael

February 23, 2013

What fun! I too like the new look by the way. Cool design.

1. Tricia A. Mitchell
  
  February 25, 2013
  
  Thanks for noticing, Rachael. I’m still tinkering around with it, and learning so much as a result (first foray into CS6)!