Germany’s pre-Lenten round of celebrations got its start Friday evening—at least in some parts of Germany. In generally northern areas, it starts at 11:11 on Nov. 11, coincidentally the same time used for the World War I Armistice.
Called Karneval in those areas, especially the Rhineland, it continues through to the end of Lent, with the biggest celebration and parades on Rose Monday in most cities. In southern German and in Austria, the celebration is usually called Fasching, and waits until January 6, Epiphany, to start…and it ends on Carnival Sunday.
There’s a third word, as well, Fastnacht, which appears in southwest Germany, Switzerland, and oddly, the northern city of Mainz. If you’re curious about the history and locations, click HERE for an explanation from GermanWay.com
For more pictures and the hijinks of the opening days from TheLocal.de, click HERE
