Carnival for the initiated.

Northern jeck like the hustle and bustle often clueless face - this is the Cologne trial fairly. In the fifth year he celebrates carnival between kissing and Rosenmontagszug like mad: Visitors need only know where!

 

About two million tourists are Weiberfastnacht between Ash Wednesday and again in the Rhineland, Cologne invade. Most of them are sinking in the Bermuda triangle between the old town, cathedral and town hall. There you will find everything you nationwide with Kölner Karneval links: Koelsch, carnival songs, and atmosphere - not only genuine Cologne.

For there is usually only one variant, the "Fasteleer" right to celebrate: In the "Weetschaft op d'r Eck" in the middle of the "Veedel" and far from the tourist flows. A larger variant of the Eckkneipe, more a guest house, is the "early in tutte" in the Cologne district of Neu-Ehrenfeld. Even before the "Tutte" at around 11:11 Weiberfastnacht clock opens the door, pushing the Jecke waiting on the street. Midst of the 28-year-old Petra Köster, in the third year in a row here is celebrating: "In the Veedel pubs, the mood is just as loose in the city. There is no rioting, and it is also not so stupid angebaggert."

Two hours later, the madness of the inn took possession. Where else after Rhenish Sauerbraten particles and smells, smell it now, after beer, sweat and pure joie de vivre. The temperature - above the door near the freezing point - reached tropical values, condensation running down the panes. And the waiters in the city "Köber referred to, come with the beer supplies as soon afterwards as thirsty throats in geschminkten faces after replenishment demand.

The house opened in 1926 Tutte has the occasion herausgeputzt: The colorful decorative ceiling, a glittering sky of blue and gold, the recreation hall of the Nibelungen podium and the various accessories in the city's red and white are still only a framework for the main actor of the day -- the guests.

Kölsch be connected

And these alongside the carnival celebrate above all - itself, the speed with which the mood is changing, is breathtaking and hard for outsiders to understand: How to "zig Superjeile still loudly mitgegröhlt is to" True Fründe "hands klatschend beat as have also hardened minutes later, tears of melancholy in his eyes, as the group Bläck Fööss "En Veedel our 'cohesion in the neighborhood sings.

Everything lies in the poor, united in the conviction, a part of Germany's greatest city to be - for the real Cologne an equally reliable as the fact that 1 FC Cologne, with Lukas Podolski again in the Champions League players: "Hey Kölle, du ming city on the ring?"

Carnival is always also a living part of local patriotism, which will cut across all generations draws. For Horst Dierkes, the manager of the economy, even the "culture of the man who he is in the Veedel pubs can still afford. What usually only possible for stars, can in any Carnival: occur and can celebrate."

And they all celebrate together: the 20-year old pensioner, the grandmother with grandchildren. Tourists it attracts only rarely here, as a mechanic for the costumed Susanne Bautz a clear advantage: "In the pubs outside the town at least we are not the only ones who can all sing along songs. In addition, the stores are not so crowded, one has still a little room to unfold them. "

Kölsch to be the seemingly connects. Confirmed also Somsur Remzi, 1.FC the owner of the kiosk just around the corner. Nothing of the hated football as much as the term "German Turk," he says smilingly: "First and foremost, I am in Cologne - everything else is secondary." Then he is also already circled, caught between schunkelnden bodies, from which loud "Da Simmer while, dat is prima, Viva Colonia ..." sounds. With the organized Frohsinn some great meetings of the carnival here has little to do - even with a rather short-term psychological Program: In Cologne, the tradition of love of life, despite the banking crisis, economic recession and Jobängsten.

Roman origins and knutschende pirate brides

Supreme guardians of all traditions is the celebration of Cologne Carnival Committee 1823 eV ", an association, among other things, responsible for determining the triumvirate from Prinz, Bauer and Virgin as well as the orientation of the Rosenmontagszugs: a good six-kilometer long dragon, which runs through Cologne Winding roads and every year well over one million visitors.

The carnival, however, beginnings date back to Roman times, in which during the "festival of Saturnalia already masks and costume trains had been organized, where each" on the ridiculous dress "should be masters and their slaves served. There was also a festively decorated carriages on board ship, the "Carrus navalis": This term is then forwarded carnival from the word, not from the Latin "carne vale" (farewell meat), as often presumed. But if still interested in such niceties, if an entire city in the state of emergency is valid?

Even if it is open to admit a little like: The Karnevalskuss - innocent in the variant with closed lips "Bützje" - is to Weiberfastnacht in all the most popular traditions. The association of the lips also works across borders when an Indian from the right bank district of Porz pirates bride from Ehrenfeld kisses.

Why celebrate the conquest of Freibeuterin not actually in his district? "Are bestusst? Since süht me afterwards still ming wife?"