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Mardi Gras in Germany. The food, the fun, the Fasching! Helau and Alaaf!

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In Germany, Mardi Gras or Carnival (Karneval) goes by a lot of different names: Fasching, Fastnacht, and Fassenacht. But it all means one thing… fun! Germans consider this time “the fifth season” of the year and it starts on November 11, or specifically, on 11.11 at 11:11 am. The festivity will reach its peak this year with a six-day celebration that ends before Ash Wednesday (February 10). That’s right, it’s the last days of eating, drinking, and merriment before the start of lent.

The carnival season has its strongholds in Germany’s Rhineland, Rhenish Hesse, North Rhine Westphalia, Franconia, Lusatia and Baden Württemberg, but is celebrated in other regions, as well.

During the event, a prince or a princely couple (Prinzenpaar) governs Karneval with the support of the Elferrnat - an eleven-member council of the kingdom of fools, and includes their royal retinue.

The Fasching ritual starts on Fat Thursday (fetter oder schmotziger Donnerstag). This is not to be confused with Fat Tuesday in the states. The fat Thursday is an unofficial holiday that celebrates the Weiberfastnacht—the celebration of women. The fun starts at 11:11 am, when the ladies take over town hall and the mayor symbolically hands over the key to the city. From here on out, the women rule. So men, be careful out there. A lovely lady has the right to cut off your tie. In return, you may get a kiss—or two, if you’re lucky.

The party continues on Sooty Friday (Ruβiger Freitag). In the evening, the main TV stations broadcast the carnival proceedings under the direction of the Elferrat. This four-hour show is filled with dances, sketches, and speeches from a soap box. In front of this platform, you’ll find usually the traditional Till Eulenspiegel—a character that’s your typical joker.

Throughout the evening, the performances are very professional and includes children who, at a very young age, already mastered the sophisticated dance moves and impressive leg kicks.

[Click pictures to enlarge.]

Schmaltzy Saturday (Schmalziger Samstag or Nelken Samstag) is the quiet before the storm. It starts with little parades throughout smaller cities on Sunday (Kappes or Tulpen Sonntag) —leading to larger parades on Rosenmontag in much bigger cities like Mainz, Duesseldorf, and Cologne. On Shrove Monday (Rosenmontag), TV stations broadcast the parades that are full of revelry, marching, satirical floats, and all-around amusement. Spectators leave extra early to secure places in the front rows to catch all the action.

[Click pictures to enlarge.]

In the crowd, spectators are prepared with bags to collect goodies tossed to them by the parade participants. When the head of the parade arrives, everybody knows to throw their arms up to greet the groups with a loud and clear “HELAU!” or “ALAAF!” These enthusiastic greetings differ depending on the region. The parades are very diverse with a variety of cultural backgrounds represented. It is truly a unified festival for all to enjoy.

[Click pictures to enlarge.]

The height of Mardi Gras is on Shrove Tuesday (fetter Dienstag or Veilchendienstag—Fat Tuesday in America). Traditionally, the day ends with masquerade ball (Lumpenball). At midnight, the people attending the dance remove their masks and reveal their true identities. In some regions, they even burn a straw doll which, conveniently, removes any sins committed during the carnival season.

All rituals and festivities are accompanied by traditional music that is well-known by every generation. Click on the link below to learn more and have a listen.

The ultimate playlist for Mardis Gras. 44 great carnival songs!

During carnival, Germans typically enjoy two kinds of food: spicy or sweet. Click on the links below to discover my traditional Mardi Gras recipes.

Helau and Alaaf! Yours, Oma

(Special thank you to photographer Mattias Kehrein for sharing with me his wonderful Mardi Gras celebration photos. All rights reserved.)

Oma’s traditional German Recipes for Mardi Gras:

Goulash soup with venison or beef - Gulaschsuppe mit Wild

German Meatloaf (False Hare)—German Hackbraten (Falscher Hase)

Potato Soup - Kartoffelsuppe

Skewered Curry Meatballs (Curry Hackfleischbällchen Igel)

Confetti dip - Konfetti Dip

Waldorf salad - Waldorfsalat

Apple and Onion Pork-Lard Spread (Schweineschmalz mit Äpfeln und Zwiebeln)

German Donuts (Fastnachtskrapfen, Fasnachtsküchle, Kreppel, Kräppel, Berliner)

Red-Wine cupcakes - Rotweincupcakes

Black and white cookies with M&M’s - Amerikaner

The ultimate playlist for Mardi Gras. 44 German carnival songs to get you moving.

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Can you hear it? That joyous, upbeat sound. It’s called carnival music (karnivalsmusik) and it’s essential for any Mardi Gras celebration. In Germany, we call this time Fasching or Fassenacht, and the peak starts the Thursday before Ash Wednesday (February 4) and lasts until Fat Tuesday (February 9) at midnight. Whether you’re at work, at home, or in the car, the loud and infectious music is inescapable. In the streets, people lineup on the sidewalks to watch the hour-long parades that come through town. Young and old clap enthusiastically to the rhythm of the typical marches—smiling and waving back at the parade participants. It’s truly a fun time for all.

Whether you call it Mardi Gras, Fasching or Fassnacht, carnival or karnival, music plays such an important part in bringing people together. They gather to sing, dance, and sway to the new hits and the traditional favorites. Some are considered folk music (Volksmusik), others are called marches. One thing they all have in common is the ability to get you in the right mood. It’s happy music, so give it a listen. And let’s party!

Below you’ll find a great collection of German carnival music for your Mardi Gras (Fasching) celebration. It’s a 44-song playlist that spans generations and offers a variety of styles. Simply click the titles to listen to samples, and if you wish, purchase.

Enjoy, Oma

OMA’S ULTIMATE CARNIVAL MUSIC PLAYLIST:

 

# Song Artist Album
1 Mainzer Narhalla Marsch Das grosse Original Karnevalsorchester Die Prachtvollsten Maersche (5)
2 Am Rosenmontag bin ich geboren Renata Rondin Karneval Party Hits
3 Mir Schenke der Ahl e Paar Bloemcher Lotti Krekel Mir schenke der Ahl e paar
4 Da steht ein Pferd auf dem Flur Klaus & Klaus 25 Jahre Klaus & Klaus
5 Gib Acht auf den Jahrgang Das Orchester Rheingold mit seinem Chor Zu Rüdesheim in der Drosselgass
6 Ententanz Frank Zander Die Hamsterparty
7 Es gibt kein Bier auf Hawai Paul Kuhn Schlager und Stars
8 Ui-ui-ui, Au-au-au Weiltaler Hessenland
9 Ich hab den Vater Rhein in seinem Bett gesehn Rheinlandchor Am Rhein Beim Wein
10 Ich kauf mir lieber einen Tiroler Hut Billy Mo Deutsche Schlager
11 Herbert Gottlieb Wendehals Gassenhauer: Stimmungskiste Folge 1
12 Schnaps das war sein letztes Wort Willy Millowitsch Schnaps das war sein letztes
13 Denn wenn et Troemmelche jeht Die Räuber Wenn et Troemmelche jeht
14 Rut sin de Ruse De Boore Rut sin de Ruse
15 Ne Besuch Em Zoo Lotti Krekel & Willy Millowitsch Ne Besuch im Zoo
16 Der Eiermann Klaus & Klaus Stimmung Volume 1
17 Der treue Husar Willy Millowitsch Das Koelner Dreigestirn
18 Wir kommen alle, alle in den Himmel Jupp Schmitz J. Schmitz: Karneval wie
19 Geb’ dem Kind sein Nuddelche Ernst Neger Die grossen Erfolge
20 Polonaese Blankenese Gottlieb Wendehals Polonaese Blankenese
21 Wer Soll Das Bezahlen? Jupp Schmitz J. Schmitz: Karneval wie Anno
22 Heile, heile Gaensje Ernst Neger & Die Hofkapelle des M.C.V. Mainzer Narhalla-Marsch/Heile,Heile….
23 Du, du liegst mir im Herzen Lustige Musikanten & Die Bavarian Singers Oktoberfest - The German Beer
24 So ein Tag, so wunderschön wie heute Die Mainzer Hofsänger Mega 50 - Die 60er Jahre
25 Marmor, Stein und Eisen bricht Drafi Deutscher Marmor, Stein und Eisen bricht
26 Der schönste Platz ist immer an der Theke Steingass-Terzett Karneval Anno Dazumal:
27 Skandal im Sperrbezirk Spider Murphy Gang 30 Jahre Rock’N’Roll
28 Et Spanien-Leed Blaeck Fooss Bei uns Doheim
29 Wahnsinn (Hoelle, Hoelle, Hoelle) Lollies Hoelle, Hoelle, Hoelle - Das
30 Wir Sind Alle Kleine Suenderlein Willy Millowitsch Wir Sind Alle Kleine
31 Jetzt Trink’ Ma Noch A Flasche Wein Karl Moik Bei uns daheim
32 Rucki Zucki Ernst Neger Die grossen Erfolge
33 Es Ist Noch Suppe Da Jupp Schmitz Karneval Party Hits CD1
34 Wir machen durch bis morgen früh De Koelsche Jecke Karneval am Rhein
35 Kornblumenblau Willy Schneider Die schoensten Schlager
36 He Amigo Spell Koelsche Adler Wir sind wieder da
37 Pizza Wundaba Hoehner Fuer Dich/Guck’Mal
38 Humpta Taetaerae Ernst Neger Die grosse Stimmungsparade
39 Trink mer noch e Troeppche Die Frankfurter Schoppe Blaeser Das Frankfurter Herz
40 An der Nordseeküste Klaus & Klaus 25 Jahre Klaus & Klaus
41 Trink, Trink Bruederlein Trink Die Monacos Als der Schlager laufen
42 Schnaps das war sein letztes Wort Matty Valentino Ballermann Stars - Die
43 Es wird Nacht, Seniorita Udo Jürgens Die grossen Erfolge
44 Am Aschermittwoch ist alles vorbei Karneval Karneval Megaparty 2010

Food. Fun. And tradition. The spirit of Halloween is alive and well at Oma’s.

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Halloween. “What is it?” This is a question I had 26 years ago, when I first experienced this nightly celebration in the States. Of all the answers I received, the one I could identify with the most was the comparison to the peak of the German carnival season called Fasching (Mardi Gras). But that’s where the similarities ended.

Halloween is celebrated on October 31. Fasching starts on the 11th day of November at exactly 11minutes after 11am and ends at the stroke of midnight on Shroud Tuesday—often called Fat Tuesday (the day before Ash Wednesday in February).

During Halloween, kids go from house to house and say, “trick or treat.” During Fasching, the children go around the neighborhood and sing to get their goodies.

Carving pumpkins is a Halloween tradition. Fodder beets? That’s a Fasching tradition!

Scroll down to find the Halloween recipes

Once I understood all the differences, I was totally onboard. Especially when I also realized that the evening of October 31st was also All Saints Eve—the same religious holiday in Germany that honors the souls of the departed.

Great. Got it. Time to make the costumes for the kids. I used felt by the yard and soaked some old white bed sheets in dye to have them in the colors my children liked. I got the old pattern out, which I still had from Germany. I could start to cut and sew the costumes to turn my children into “trick or treaters“.

In our first year in the U.S., my four children went trick or treating together. A year later, they invited some of their new friends to trek the “Halloween Mile” with them. Two years after that, my home started filling with a few costumed guests. By the third Halloween, my kids had ALL their friends over at the house. They started dressing up and adding makeup right after school. Parents of those little devils would join later in the evening.

Click on the links to get to the recipes

While the dads took their little ones around the neighborhood, the moms stayed behind and helped me disperse candy at the door. We called our group “H-TOT,” which stood for Halloween Trick or Treaters. We loved seeing all the costumes and we loved to eat. This called for my famous split pea soup—which became a yearly tradition—along with my All Saints Braid for dessert.

Throughout the evening, adults would enjoy their meal with a few “spirits” while the kids had juice. The teenagers were fully caffeinated and congregated in the basement for their annual LAN Party full of big computer equipment and gaming fun.

Those were all great memories, but the image that I treasure most is a packed family room with children of all ages (some 11 years apart) sorting through their goodies. There was so much candy spread across the floor that you couldn’t even see the carpet. They traded, negotiated, divided, and shared until everyone got exactly what they wanted. It was impressive, to say the least.

Looking back, we created a fun and memorable tradition that lasted 14 years. And now, my grandchildren have a lot of sweet things to look forward to themselves. Starting with my Halloween Cupcakes.

What’s your favorite Halloween story or tradition?