Carnival celebrations in Germany kicked off on Thursday as huge costumed crowds began cutting loose amid tightened security, especially in the twin Carnival capitals of Cologne and Dusseldorf.
By tradition, women cut neckties off men and symbolically seize control of power in Cologne and across the surrounding Rhineland region in a celebration known as Weiberfastnacht or Altweiber (roughly “old maids’ day” or “old hags’ day”).
The holiday takes place on the Thursday that proceeds Shrove Tuesday, also known as Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday. It marks the start of the high point of Carnival celebrations.
The parties and parades will continue through the weekend until Ash Wednesday, which in the Christian calendar marks the beginning of the Lenten season of prayer, fasting and atonement.
The Carnival kick-off in Cologne traditionally attracts many 10,000 revelers from out of town.
This year, heightened concerns after recent attacks in Munich and elsewhere have prompted added security measures.
The party formally kicked off at 11:11 am (1011 GMT) on Thursday, as Dusseldorf’s town hall was taken over by “Möhnen” (a word for old women in the local Rhenish dialect).
In Cologne, the symbolic trio of a prince, a farmer and a maiden unleashed the Carnvial revellers, known locally as the “Jecken.”
Further south along the Rhine River in Mainz, the celebrations take place around the city’s Carnival fountain.
Weiberfastnacht dates back to the Middle Ages, when firmly entrenched gender roles would be upended for a few days during the celebrations.
Wives refused to obey their husbands, and took charge instead, for a short time in the topsy-turvy world of Carnival.
The custom of cutting off men’s ties, on the other hand, emerged only after 1945 and has recently been on the decline, due at least in part to the fact that far fewer men wear ties.
‘Propaganda’ threats circulate online
There have been reported threats circulated on social against the Carnival celebrations, although Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) described those posts as “propaganda publications” and said there is not any specific credible threat.
The Cologne police described the security situation to be “more tense than in previous years,” and have announced plans to beef up security with an extra 1,500 officers, reinforced by another 300 extra workers from the public order office and 1,200 private security staff.
The police also want to set up so-called drive-over barriers to protect against attacks with cars, and carry out knife checks.
A spokesman for the Dusseldorf police said that there would also be more police on the streets than in previous years.
According to Herbert Reul, the interior minister for the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, which includes both Cologne and Dusseldorf, a total of 9,900 police officers will be on duty across the state on Weiberfastnacht, which is 2,500 more than on a typical Thursday.
‘Go out, celebrate Carnival’
But numerous officials encouraged people to put aside concerns and join the often raucous party.
“Go out, celebrate Carnival and enjoy the festive days,” Reul told the Westdeutsche Allgemeine newspaper.
Michael Kramp, a member of the Cologne Carnival Committee, said that there is always an abstract risk for Carnival events.
However, he stressed that the committee works intensively with the police and other authorities and monitors the security situation very closely.
“These are the professionals who can assess actual dangers and would inform us immediately if there were specific reasons to cancel events,” said Kramp.
Cologne Mayor Henriette Reker hailed the partygoers’ determination to keep celebrating in a speech delivered to loud applause from the city’s historic town hall: “Nobody will succeed in intimidating us Cologne residents.”
“We won’t let terrorists or Islamists take away our sense of life. We can count ourselves lucky that we have the Fastelovend,” she added, using the word in local dialect for Carnival.
Cologne Carnival Prince René Klöver told dpa that he had absolute confidence in the police’s security plans.
“We will not be stopped from celebrating,” he said. “We must continue to celebrate, whether it’s street festivals, carnivals or Christmas markets. It’s part of our freedom, it’s part of democracy.”
Outlandish costumes, good mood
Thousands of party seekers crowded into the medieval centre of Cologne on Thursday morning to celebrate Weiberfestnacht, including many dressed in costume.
Richard and Anouk, dressed as cavemen, have come to Cologne from the Netherlands for the second time for the carnival. They had been looking forward to it for weeks, said Richard.
“Everyone is so friendly,” Anouk said. “For example, if you accidentally push someone, the other person apologizes – very politely!”
The abstract risk of an attack has not deterred them: “Should we always stay at home?” said Anouk, and Richard added: “We shouldn’t live in fear, we should celebrate freedom.”
Members of a Frankfurt bus tour group who had travelled to the Cologne carnival said that some of the group had cancelled out of fear of attacks.
However, Petra said she had changed her mind: “We realized that if we chickened out now, we wouldn’t be able to go anywhere.”
Her travelling companion, Jutta, echoed that sentiment: “If you let it take away your zest for life, then you’re in such a prison that you can’t have any fun at all.”
