History of Carnival in Cologne

In the Middle Ages, the celebration of carnival, the masquerade, often took on drastic forms, very much to the displeasure of the city council and the church. Bans and ordinances had little effect, and the people continued their wild and spirited revels.

In the 18th century, the boisterous street carnival was extended to include the “redoutes”, elegant masked and fancy-dress balls in the Venetian style, which were initially the preserve of the aristocracy and the wealthy merchant class.

In 1794, Cologne was captured by the French revolutionary troops. But the new rulers allowed the locals “de faire son tour”, or in other words, to hold their carnival parades. The Prussians, who took control a short time later, were stricter, but it did not prevent the natives of Cologne from cultivating their carnival tradition. Carnival was romanticized, became bourgeois and organized! The new idea of the “Carnival Hero” was introduced, the forerunner of today's Prince Carnival.

In 1823, the Festival Committee was founded, and on February 10 that year, the first Rose Monday parade was held with the motto “Inthronization of the Carnival Hero”.

After the foundation of the Festival Committee, there was no stopping the people of Cologne. Many carnival societies were founded, one after the other. The carnival
societies can be roughly divided into two groups according to their origins and aims. The first group consists of the corps societies, whose members wear uniforms and regard themselves more or less as caricatures of the military. The second group is the committee societies, whose members also all wear the same jackets in the society's colours and offer a range of carnival-themed social activities for the whole family.

The form and content of the carnival shows called “Sitzungen” developed, the “Bütt” or speakers' podium was introduced, and the President, or host, held court on the stage in the midst of the ten other members of the “Council of Eleven”.

Starting in 1827, medals were awarded to especially deserving celebrants (this too was initially meant as a caricature of the military).

In 1860 the first “Ghost Parade” was held on the evening of carnival Saturday.

In 1902 the Guard of Honour, which accompanies the Peasant and the Maiden, was formed.

In 1906 Prince Carnival received his own Guard of Honour.

Other societies were established. Willi Ostermann and his songs and the witty Grete Fluss made carnival in Cologne famous beyond the city's borders. The “Sitzungen” with their humorous orators and singers bridged the gap between November 11, and the beginning of the street carnival.

These traditions still continue today, nowadays bands such as Bläck Fööss, Die Höhner and Brings are the trademarks of Cologne's “fifth season”. The “Stippeföttchen-Tanz” of the Rote Funken, a dance that parodies the strict life of soldiers, is world-famous. Today there are approximately 160 carnival societies, local history societies and neighbourhood groups that celebrate their home town's carnival in about 600 shows, balls and parades.