Latest news with #Weiberfastnacht
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Carnival's women revelers take over the Rhineland for a day, dancing, drinking and kissing
COLOGNE, Germany (AP) — At 11:11 a.m. on Thursday, hundreds of thousands of carnival revelers took over the streets of the Rhineland in western Germany, dancing, singing, drinking and showing off their colorful costumes. In many places, women stormed city halls, symbolically taking power for one day — which is why carnival's Fat Thursday in this region is traditionally called Weiberfastnacht, or the carnival of the women. According to another tradition, men get a kiss if they allow women to cut off their ties or shoelaces. On this day, kisses are famously exchanged not just among partners, but strangers as well. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. In cities like Cologne, Düsseldorf, Bonn and Mainz, Karnevalisten — as the revelers are called in German — threw confetti, toasted with beer and swayed together on the streets. In addition to typical German brass band music, the sound of samba was in the air, too. Bakeries sell vast quantities of jelly donuts during carnival — the so-called fifth season of the year — which lasts from Fat Thursday to Ash Wednesday ahead of Lent in the traditionally Roman Catholic Rhineland. Across the region, police increased their presence following a recent series of stabbings and other attacks. State Interior Minister Herbert Reul said that 9,900 police officers were on duty in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia — 2,500 more than on a regular Thursday, German news agency dpa reported. But despite the recent attacks that have scared many in Germany, Cologne Mayor Henriette Reker called on the revelers to celebrate without fear. 'Nobody will succeed in intimidating us in Cologne," she said. "We will not let terrorists or Islamists take away our joy of life.' Reker herself was stabbed and critically wounded by a far-right extremist in Oct. 2015, while campaigning for the office of mayor. She was elected the following day while in an induced coma and took office about a month later.
The Independent
27-02-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Carnival's women revelers take over the Rhineland for a day, dancing, drinking and kissing
At 11:11 a.m. on Thursday, hundreds of thousands of carnival revelers took over the streets of the Rhineland in western Germany, dancing, singing, drinking and showing off their colorful costumes. In many places, women stormed city halls, symbolically taking power for one day — which is why carnival's Fat Thursday in this region is traditionally called Weiberfastnacht, or the carnival of the women. According to another tradition, men get a kiss if they allow women to cut off their ties or shoelaces. On this day, kisses are famously exchanged not just among partners, but strangers as well. In cities like Cologne, Düsseldorf, Bonn and Mainz, Karnevalisten — as the revelers are called in German — threw confetti, toasted with beer and swayed together on the streets. In addition to typical German brass band music, the sound of samba was in the air, too. Bakeries sell vast quantities of jelly donuts during carnival — the so-called fifth season of the year — which lasts from Fat Thursday to Ash Wednesday ahead of Lent in the traditionally Roman Catholic Rhineland. Across the region, police increased their presence following a recent series of stabbings and other attacks. State Interior Minister Herbert Reul said that 9,900 police officers were on duty in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia — 2,500 more than on a regular Thursday, German news agency dpa reported. But despite the recent attacks that have scared many in Germany, Cologne Mayor Henriette Reker called on the revelers to celebrate without fear. 'Nobody will succeed in intimidating us in Cologne," she said. "We will not let terrorists or Islamists take away our joy of life.' Reker herself was stabbed and critically wounded by a far-right extremist in Oct. 2015, while campaigning for the office of mayor. She was elected the following day while in an induced coma and took office about a month later.
Associated Press
27-02-2025
- Associated Press
Carnival's women revelers take over the Rhineland for a day, dancing, drinking and kissing
COLOGNE, Germany (AP) — At 11:11 a.m. on Thursday, hundreds of thousands of carnival revelers took over the streets of the Rhineland in western Germany, dancing, singing, drinking and showing off their colorful costumes. In many places, women stormed city halls, symbolically taking power for one day — which is why carnival's Fat Thursday in this region is traditionally called Weiberfastnacht, or the carnival of the women. According to another tradition, men get a kiss if they allow women to cut off their ties or shoelaces. On this day, kisses are famously exchanged not just among partners, but strangers as well. In cities like Cologne, Düsseldorf, Bonn and Mainz, Karnevalisten — as the revelers are called in German — threw confetti, toasted with beer and swayed together on the streets. In addition to typical German brass band music, the sound of samba was in the air, too. Bakeries sell vast quantities of jelly donuts during carnival — the so-called fifth season of the year — which lasts from Fat Thursday to Ash Wednesday ahead of Lent in the traditionally Roman Catholic Rhineland. Across the region, police increased their presence following a recent series of stabbings and other attacks. State Interior Minister Herbert Reul said that 9,900 police officers were on duty in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia — 2,500 more than on a regular Thursday, German news agency dpa reported. But despite the recent attacks that have scared many in Germany, Cologne Mayor Henriette Reker called on the revelers to celebrate without fear. 'Nobody will succeed in intimidating us in Cologne,' she said. 'We will not let terrorists or Islamists take away our joy of life.'
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Revellers flock to Cologne as Germany's Carnival season cuts loose
Carnival celebrations in Germany kicked off on Thursday as huge costumed crowds began cutting loose amid tightened security, especially in the twin Carnival capitals of Cologne and Dusseldorf. By tradition, women cut neckties off men and symbolically seize control of power in Cologne and across the surrounding Rhineland region in a celebration known as Weiberfastnacht or Altweiber (roughly "old maids' day" or "old hags' day"). The holiday takes place on the Thursday that proceeds Shrove Tuesday, also known as Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday. It marks the start of the high point of Carnival celebrations. The parties and parades will continue through the weekend until Ash Wednesday, which in the Christian calendar marks the beginning of the Lenten season of prayer, fasting and atonement. The Carnival kick-off in Cologne traditionally attracts many 10,000 revelers from out of town. This year, heightened concerns after recent attacks in Munich and elsewhere have prompted added security measures. The party formally kicked off at 11:11 am (1011 GMT) on Thursday, as Dusseldorf's town hall was taken over by "Möhnen" (a word for old women in the local Rhenish dialect). In Cologne, the symbolic trio of a prince, a farmer and a maiden unleashed the Carnvial revellers, known locally as the "Jecken." Further south along the Rhine River in Mainz, the celebrations take place around the city's Carnival fountain. Weiberfastnacht dates back to the Middle Ages, when firmly entrenched gender roles would be upended for a few days during the celebrations. Wives refused to obey their husbands, and took charge instead, for a short time in the topsy-turvy world of Carnival. The custom of cutting off men's ties, on the other hand, emerged only after 1945 and has recently been on the decline, due at least in part to the fact that far fewer men wear ties. 'Propaganda' threats circulate online There have been reported threats circulated on social against the Carnival celebrations, although Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) described those posts as "propaganda publications" and said there is not any specific credible threat. The Cologne police described the security situation to be "more tense than in previous years," and have announced plans to beef up security with an extra 1,500 officers, reinforced by another 300 extra workers from the public order office and 1,200 private security staff. The police also want to set up so-called drive-over barriers to protect against attacks with cars, and carry out knife checks. A spokesman for the Dusseldorf police said that there would also be more police on the streets than in previous years. According to Herbert Reul, the interior minister for the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, which includes both Cologne and Dusseldorf, a total of 9,900 police officers will be on duty across the state on Weiberfastnacht, which is 2,500 more than on a typical Thursday. 'Go out, celebrate Carnival' But numerous officials encouraged people to put aside concerns and join the often raucous party. "Go out, celebrate Carnival and enjoy the festive days," Reul told the Westdeutsche Allgemeine newspaper. Michael Kramp, a member of the Cologne Carnival Committee, said that there is always an abstract risk for Carnival events. However, he stressed that the committee works intensively with the police and other authorities and monitors the security situation very closely. "These are the professionals who can assess actual dangers and would inform us immediately if there were specific reasons to cancel events," said Kramp. Cologne Mayor Henriette Reker hailed the partygoers' determination to keep celebrating in a speech delivered to loud applause from the city's historic town hall: "Nobody will succeed in intimidating us Cologne residents." "We won't let terrorists or Islamists take away our sense of life. We can count ourselves lucky that we have the Fastelovend," she added, using the word in local dialect for Carnival. Cologne Carnival Prince René Klöver told dpa that he had absolute confidence in the police's security plans. "We will not be stopped from celebrating," he said. "We must continue to celebrate, whether it's street festivals, carnivals or Christmas markets. It's part of our freedom, it's part of democracy." Outlandish costumes, good mood Thousands of party seekers crowded into the medieval centre of Cologne on Thursday morning to celebrate Weiberfestnacht, including many dressed in costume. Richard and Anouk, dressed as cavemen, have come to Cologne from the Netherlands for the second time for the carnival. They had been looking forward to it for weeks, said Richard. "Everyone is so friendly," Anouk said. "For example, if you accidentally push someone, the other person apologizes - very politely!" The abstract risk of an attack has not deterred them: "Should we always stay at home?" said Anouk, and Richard added: "We shouldn't live in fear, we should celebrate freedom." Members of a Frankfurt bus tour group who had travelled to the Cologne carnival said that some of the group had cancelled out of fear of attacks. However, Petra said she had changed her mind: "We realized that if we chickened out now, we wouldn't be able to go anywhere." Her travelling companion, Jutta, echoed that sentiment: "If you let it take away your zest for life, then you're in such a prison that you can't have any fun at all."
Local Germany
26-02-2025
- Business
- Local Germany
How warning strikes are affecting Germany's postal service and daycare centres
Deutsche Post parcel centres across the country were closed through the evening and night shifts on Tuesday until Wednesday morning due to the latest warning strike called by the Verdi trade union. Employees in some regions will continue the strike through the day shifts on Wednesday. These strikes are occurring at selected parcel centres in: Freiburg, Pforzheim and Waiblingen in Baden-Württemberg, as well as in Celle and Göttingen in Lower Saxony, and in Bremen. Meanwhile in Cologne, municipal daycare centres are affected today as workers their have also walked out as part of a Verdi warning strike. Deutsche Post and DHL customers can expect that mail and parcels could be slightly delayed everywhere due to the overnight strikes, and could be more seriously delayed in regions where the strikes are continuing. This round of warning strikes comes as the union continues with negotiations for higher pay and more vacation time for postal workers. For postmen, parcel carriers and other DHL logistics employees the union is demanding a wage increase of seven percent and three extra vacation days each year. The postal service company has so far offered a 1.8 percent salary increase for the next 27 month contract, followed by a two percent increase later. It's also offered one additional day of vacation for those workers who have less than 30 per year (about two-thirds of employees). So far three bargaining rounds have not brought agreeable results. The next meeting between the union and employer representatives is set for Monday. Public sector strikes hit Kitas and city services Beside the postal service, Verdi has been organising a series of strikes among different groups of public sector workers. On Wednesday, many parents in Cologne have been affected by strikes by all employees at the city's 212 municipal nursery schools, or Kitas. City administration officials have said that many Kitas can be expected to close, or offer very limited care. According to a report by local news outlet Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger, the timing of this strike has caused outrage among some parents as it comes ehad of Weiberfastnacht, a Carnival celebration in which children were to present long rehearsed performances. This week Cologne city administration workers had also walked out on Monday, as well as workers at a more limited group of Kitas. Also striking on Wednesday are the stages of the city of Cologne, which comprises the opera, dance hall and theatre, the Cologne Jobcenter, the Federal Employment Agency and the Cologne Baths. Similar Kita strikes are taking place in other cities in North Rhine-Westphalia such as Essen, Gelsenkirchen and Eschweiler. In Essen there are also further city administration strikes which may affect the city library, youth welfare and youth vocational assistance programs, and schools. Then on Thursday, numerous Kitas in Stuttgart will be closed, according to a report in the Stuttgarter Nachrichten newspaper. According to the city of Stuttgart, about 80 percent of the facilities will remain closed on strike days - Affected Kitas should inform parents ahead of the strike. Daycare centres in the eastern city of Chemnitz are also to be affected by strikes on Thursday, but the city has said it will not pre-emptively close any facilities as a precaution. Verdi's demands for all of these employees, which belong to collective bargaining agreements for public sector workers, is an eight percent raise or €350 more per month as well as three additional days off. Public sector strikes have also affected air travel this week. Warning strikes at Cologne/Bonn and Düsseldorf airports caused a number of flight cancellations on Monday. A two day strike at Munich airport is also planned to begin Thursday.
