IN PICTURES: The wildest 'Rosenmontag' floats at this year's Carnival in Germany
Costume-clad revellers took to the streets in German cities to mark the end of the famous carnival season on Rosenmontag (Rose Monday).
Rosenmontag, as its known in German speaking countries, is more often called Shrove Monday in English, and takes place ahead of Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent in the Christian tradition.
It marks the most ecstatic celebrations in Germany's carnival season which starts months earlier on the 11th of November.
Many German cities, especially those in the west side of the country, celebrate Rosenmontag with lavish parades.
Düsseldorf and Cologne are both known for hosting bombastic parades filled with immaculately decorated floats.
Here's a look at some of the wildest parade floats seen at the Rosenmontag parades this year:
Revellers surround a float on wokeness during the parade to celebrate Rose Monday (Rosenmontag). Photo: Ina Fassbender / AFP
One notable float this year anticipated the criticism some of the parade floats could be expected to receive: an eyeball labelled "wokeness" stares down a nervous-looking man wearing a hat labelled "satire".
Many of the floats in Düsseldorf's parade depict politicians or recent events with sharp satire.
Among the bigger targets of this year's political humour was US President Donald Trump.
Trump was also joined by billionaire turned political force Elon Musk, who has been savaging US public services with cuts recently.
Musk sparked controversy in Germany this year when he repeatedly weighed into the federal elections in support of the far-right AfD.
Russian President Vladimir Putin was also a leading character this year, and he was seen with Trump in scenes depicting recent developments around Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
A float portraying Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump forming a 'Hitler - Stalin - Pact 2.0' to squash Ukraine and its President Zelensky. Photo: Ina Fassbender / AFP
Pro-Russian politicians in Germany, including Left Party defector Sahra Wagenknecht and AfD leader Alice Weidel, were also satirised in Cologne this year.
The politicians were depicted on a float bearing the words, "From Moscow with love" and seen brandishing sunflowers with Putin's face on them, bursting out of a suitcase full of money.
Of course, there were more than a few less-than-flattering depictions of the AfD to be seen at the carnival parades.
A float portrays AfD co-leader Alice Weidel as the witch from the tale 'Hänsel and Gretel' trying to lure first voters into her house. Photo: Ina Fassbender / AFP
AfD co-leader Alice Weidel was seen as the witch from the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel, trying to lure voters into her house.
Meanwhile, conservative leader and soon-to-be German Chancellor Friedrich Merz was seen as a mule weighed down by a heavy pile of political burdens.
A float portraying Friedrich Merz as donkey trying to pull a cart full of political problems such as 'migration', 'Trump', 'recession', 'debt-brake' and 'AfD'. Photo: Ina Fassbender / AFP
Merz is currently in the process of trying to form a coalition with the centre-right SPD after his centre-right CDU/CSU alliance swept to victory in the federal elections on February 23rd.
In Cologne, the right-wing politician was seen ripping through a red banner with the words "Chancellor Scholz" to turn the word Scholz into "Schmerz" - the German word for pain.
Outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz was also seen on a ship labelled 'Abgesoffen' (sunken), depicting his Social Democrats Party's historically low results in the recent election.
While politics dominated the carnival parades in both Rhineland cities, festival-goers also enjoyed some incisive commentary on wider societal issues.
In a hilarious float that many commuters in Germany will no doubt relate to, the Cologne parade featured a skeleton with flowers and chocolates waiting for a delayed train to Cologne Central Station.
Commentary on the frequency of delayed trains in Germany at Cologne Carnival. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Oliver Berg
The float was capitioned "Liebes Entzug" - or the revocation of love - which plays on the German word 'Zug', meaning train. Deutsche Bahn, Germany's national rail operator, has become notorious for its frequent delays and cancellations in recent years.
Artificial intelligence, which has soared to prominence with tools like ChatGPT in recent years, also made an appearance at Düsseldorf's parade in the form of a robot feasting on a human brain.
A float portraying an Artificial Intelligence robot feeding on a brain. Photo: Ina Fassbender / AFP
According to a report by t-online, around 700,000 were estimated to have attended the parade in Düsseldorf this year.
Seated with a front row view of the procession were local politicians Lord Mayor Stephan Keller (CDU), Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP) and Mona Neubaur (Greens), among others.
In Cologne, meanwhile, around 12,500 people took part in the Rose Monday parades alone, with around a million people travelling to the city to witness the vibrant spectacle.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
DW
41 minutes ago
- DW
US trade tensions hit China's export growth – DW – 06/09/2025
In May, China's exports to the US fell nearly 12% from April. The report of the slowdown comes just hours before another round of trade talks between US and Chinese officials in London. China's export growth slowed to a three-month low in May as shipments to the United States dropped following tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, according to customs data released on Monday. While exports rose 4.8% year-on-year, it was down from 8.1% in April, with shipments to the US falling almost 12% month-on-month. The report of the slowdown comes just hours before another round of trade talks between US and Chinese officials in London. In May, China exported $28.8 billion (€25.23 billion) worth of goods to the US, down from $33 billion in April. Analysts say the strong trade figures in March and April can be attributed to a rush by exporters to ship goods ahead of anticipated tariff hikes. At the same time, imports from the US also fell 7.4% to $10.8 billion. Trump, Xi phone call signals thaw in ties On Thursday, Trump said he had a "very good phone call" with China's President Xi Jinping, which "resulted in a very positive conclusion for both Countries." The call comes amid a 90-day tariff truce that came into effect last month which paused a spiraling trade war between the world's two largest economies. Trump has lowered his 145% tariffs on Chinese goods to 30% for 90 days to allow for talks while China also reduced its taxes on US goods from 125% to 10%. Trade war still hurts US ports despite tariff relief To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Beijing braces for economic fallout The China-US trade talks are happening as US policymakers have voiced frustration at China's stalling on export license approvals for rare earths and other elements needed in the high-tech, defense, and clean energy sectors. China's government data also showed a fall in the producer price index, while consumer prices dipped. Meanwhile, to cushion the economic blow, Beijing introduced new stimulus measures in May, including interest rate cuts. Edited by: Kieran Burke
DW
5 hours ago
- DW
US updates: National Guard reaches Los Angeles after unrest – DW – 06/09/2025
06/09/2025 June 9, 2025 LA mayor says Trump 'provoked' unrest Mayor Bass echoed calls by California's governor for Trump to rescind the order to deploy the National Guard to LA Image: Eric Thayer/AP/dpa/picture alliance Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass has urged protesters to remain peaceful and not "play into [the US President Donald Trump] administration's hands" as she blamed the White House for escalating tensions in the city. Los Angeles police fired stun grenades and tear gas to disperse crowds of protesters who had gathered on a freeway in downtown LA. LAPD confirmed that "a number of people have been arrested" as thousands of protesters continued to demonstrate in the center of the country's second largest city. The unrest began after dozens of people were arrested in multiple raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) federal agents on Friday. Speaking to reporters, mayor Bass said the scenes unfolding in LA were "chaos that is provoked by the [Trump] administration." The White House has deployed the National Guard and threatened to send in Marines if the unrest continues. "When you raid Home Depot and workplaces, when you tear parents and children apart, and when you run armored caravans through our streets, you cause fear and you cause panic, and deploying federalized troops is a dangerous escalation," Bass said. While she appeared to blame the White House for escalating tensions, she said Los Angeles residents had the right to protest "peacefully" but not "to be violent, to create chaos or vandalize property." "I call on all Angelenos to continue expressing your right, your anger, your outrage, but to do it peacefully," Bass said.
Int'l Business Times
15 hours ago
- Int'l Business Times
Trump Deploys 2,000 National Guard Troops to Los Angeles ICE Protests
President Donald Trump has deployed 2,000 National Guard troops to the Los Angeles area following a wave of protests sparked by controversial ICE raids conducted Friday and Saturday. Protests erupted across several L.A. neighborhoods after Immigration and Customs Enforcement carried out a high-profile raid in Paramount on Saturday, KTLA reported. During ongoing demonstrations, a car was set on fire in Compton, and in downtown Los Angeles, protestors lit fireworks in a standoff with federal agents, who responded with pepper balls and rubber bullets. The LAPD declared an "Unlawful Assembly" in downtown by 9 p.m., detaining multiple individuals as federal and local tensions boiled over. A protester waves the Mexican flag beside the wreckage of a burnt car sprayed with graffiti against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as law enforcement clashes with demonstrators during a protest following federal immigration operations, in the Compton neighborhood of Los Angeles, California on June 7, 2025. Earlier, Karen Bass condemned the raids, declaring, "We won't stand for this." California Governor Gavin Newsom was also critical of federal interference. "The federal government is sowing chaos so they can have an excuse to escalate," Newsom wrote. "The federal government is moving to take over the California National Guard and deploying 2,000 soldiers," Newsom announced in an update. "That move is purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions." "This is the wrong mission and will erode public trust," Newsom added. Trump fired back on Truth Social, blaming Governor Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass for failing to maintain order. If they "can't do their jobs," Trump wrote, "the Federal Government will step in and solve the problem, RIOTS & LOOTERS, the way it should be solved!!!" The White House justified the National Guard deployment as necessary to "address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester," pointing to attacks on federal officers during the protests. "The Trump Administration has a zero tolerance policy for criminal behavior and violence," the statement read. U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth added to the mounting rhetoric, warning on X that active duty Marines from Camp Pendleton could be mobilized if violence continues. Governor Newsom urged protestors not to "give" the federal government the "spectacle" he alleged they wanted. "Never use violence. Speak out peacefully." Mayor Bass called for de-escalation and dialogue, emphasizing the city's focus on both public safety and post-wildfire recovery efforts. The LAPD posted a statement at 7:26 p.m., saying that demonstrations remained peaceful and commending "all those who exercised their First Amendment rights responsibly." As federal forces continue to arrive in Los Angeles, local officials and residents brace for potential escalation. Originally published on Latin Times Donald trump Los Angeles California White house
