Fasnacht and other celebrations

When we lived in Germany, my ex, who was a trumpet player with the 7^th Army Band, a public relations group, playing Fashings night after night for the season beginning 11 minutes past the eleventh hour on the 11th of November and ending at Rosenmontag (Rose Monday) on the Monday before Ash Wednesday.

As wives, we were expected to go along to show Americans were normal people.

Rosenmontag was an all day, all night fest with parades, costumes, music that engulfed all of Stuttgart and other Southern German cities.

Fasnacht is the Swiss equivalent and Basel’s version has gone back forever although some of the traditions moderated after the Reformation. Its current form in Protestant Basel begins the Monday after Ash Wednesday. At 4 a.m. all the city lights go out and participants walk the streets wearing:

• ·         Big nosed masks
• ·         Bands play (photo shows Fasnacht figurines)
• ·         Floats

We were ahead of the Fest this year, but already mini celebrations have been held and confetti could be found everywhere.