Visually Telling Carnival’s History and Traditions

Visually Telling Carnival Traditions
Through Search-and-Find Pictures

Author: Kimberley Hoffman
Reading Time: About 7 Minuten

Caramels, Costumes, and Carnival Culture

Soon, Germany will once again be bustling with color and joy. Carnival clubs are up to their old tricks with colorful costumes and caramels flying through the air from the parade floats to eagerly waiting hands.

When I was still living in the USA, I dreamed of celebrating Mardi Gras in New Orleans. What a party! You just want to join in the celebrations and get caught up in the excitement.

Unfortunately, I haven’t yet managed to visit New Orleans during carnival season (or ever, for that matter). But I am lucky to live in a region that boasts the “most northern carnival parade in Germany.” Of course, I’m referring to my neighboring city of Braunschweig, which I can reach in about ten minutes by train to join in the festivities. 

This is exactly where my work comes in: explaining the history of carnival in a search-and-find picture means depicting historical carnival costumes, rituals, and characters in such a way that they can be discovered, compared, understood—and enjoyed.

But what is the history behind this German custom, which has so many names? Carnival, Fasching, Fasnet—every region calls this tradition something different. 

The »Sin« of Saturnalia—or Carnival before Christianity

In kindergarten and school, children are taught about »traditions.« And let’s be honest, dressing up in costumes is exciting. For a short time, you can throw off the drudgery of everyday life and transform yourself into another being.

Some people think that German Carnival customs started with the Roman winter harvest festival Saturnalia. But there’s no real proof of that. Numerous ancient cultures held festivals with costumes and masks to honor their gods.

During my research, I discovered something exciting: the original Saturnalia fell into oblivion over time due to Roman military campaigns. But they were revived for one reason: the Roman defeat at the hands of the Carthaginians.

Hannibal

Hannibal’s crossing of the Alps with elephants was not a colorful, bustling carnival parade, but an act of war. Rome suffered heavy defeats, which were understood as divine punishment. The revived Saturnalia were intended to appease the gods.

The connection between Saturnalia and the roots of carnival lies in the role reversal of masters and servants. During the Saturnalia, enslaved people were allowed to speak their minds to their masters, mock them, and even rebuke them.

When wearing a mask, people are quicker to say things they could not or would not say face to face. Humanity has hardly changed in this respect down through the centuries.

»Christian« or »Pagan«? The Many Faces of Carnival Tradition

After the Christian church opposed “pagan” customs during the time of Emperor Constantine, the Saturnalia fell into oblivion once again. However, the customs of masquerading and role reversal most likely continued in other forms.

Carnival Feasts, Fasting, and Celebrations

In the early Middle Ages, there were church-regulated fasting periods. The pre-Easter fasting period was particularly long – 40 days! Because perishable animal products such as meat, eggs, and lard would otherwise spoil, there were feasts with communal eating and drinking.

Wild celebrations with debauchery took place, and in the late Middle Ages, regional customs involving masks and costumes developed. These customs led the church to reevaluate Carnival in order to make sin visible. Lent was considered the “kingdom of God” and Shrove Tuesday the “kingdom of the devil.”

The sins of the carnival season are followed by reconciliation with God, a time of confession and a soul-cleansing new beginning. (Who doesn’t love a fresh start?)

The Carnival Fool

The fool was the symbol of sin. He could be malicious and dangerous, and was often associated with mental limitations or madness. He was not the funny little fellow that we, as modern people, associate with foolishness. He was a representative of the upside-down world and a denier of God. The fool was more like Til Eulenspiegel, a vengeful figure in German literature, than a clown.

The colorfulness and variety of masks and fool costumes were a rebellion against clothing norms, which were often very monotonous for the lower classes. Typical fool representations at carnival were loud and colorful, e.g., a rooster head with bells. The patches on numerous costumes represent the »stained life«—the sins of the fool.

The Devil

The devil is the symbol of evil par excellence, whom everyone fears. But in a time when everything is turned upside down, people are allowed to live out their own dark sides.

As devils, Carnival revelers could express their fears and worries. They could gain a sense of power—power over their own lives, the power to finally speak their minds to those in power. That is liberating. 

I see parallels to social media, where—protected by a screen—we become loud when we feel helpless—just like an eternal carnival.

H4: The witch

The witch is seen as an ally of the devil and a seductress of the world.

But the witch’s strength is wisdom, mystery, and magic. Sliding into this role gives the wearer a secret power in a world that humans can’t control. 

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And What Are the Caramels For?

The first time I watched Carnival in Braunschweig live, caramels flew over my head. I laughed when I saw children scooting about, eagerly collecting these little candies. 

The caramels are a sweet gift—the last sin before the abstinence of Lent. They are also a small consolation that the fifth season is over and are a promise that we can hope for a perfect world.