Fasching Day 2024 is on Monday, March 4, 2024: Why do Germans have fasching?

Monday, March 4, 2024 is Fasching Day 2024. workingberlinmum: Fasching aka Pancake day the German way Fasching is yet another German

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Why do Germans have fasching?

It has pagan roots, obviously. As you might know, the "Fasching" or "Karneval" season starts on the 11th of November and goes through to Ash Wednesday evey year. Thus, it covers the darkest time of year (customarily the spooky season, right, when it's dark so early and cold, and everybody likes to be inside), but it also has the other major reason that customarily, Germany was a farming country, and during that time, not much farming could be done outside. The Harvest was over, the fields waiting for next year, no crop to take care of... so the farmers had time -and energy - for celebrating, courtship, talking, dancing and so on. A traditional part of Fasching and Karneval is also the bashing of politicians and political happenings of the past year.

I can understand why Fasching is a traditional part of the German culture, but I don't like how it is celebrated by most people nowadays. It is as if they have a switch turned over in their heads and are now officially allowed to be happy and do funny things and get drunk. It's like you have to have fun, because it is Fasching, and you have to think the (sometimes really really stupid) jokes funny. People try to be funny at all costs, and the audience laughs out of politeness or drunkenness, and I can gladly do without that for the most part. Besides that, guys think it is their free pass to grab you at every part of the body they find interesting, and if you reply with a well placed hand or knee, you are the one who can't take the joke, are prudish, or a "Faschings-Muffel" (not a fan of Fasching and its goings-on). And mostly, the guy has passed out in drunkenness before the police can fight their way through the masses and doesn't remember anything the next day besides having had a great time. *sighs* thanks a lot! A**

Oh, and one more reason: Because the bars are making an insane amount of money during that time!

What is the history of Fashnaught day?

What is the history of Fashnaught day?

Fashnaught is a variation of the German "Faschnacht" or "Fastnacht" (literally, "fast night;" conceptually, "night before fasting"). For Catholics and some other Christian denominations its a celebration that precedes Lent, which is, of course, traditionally the period of fasting and moderation that precedes Easter. Historically, those who observe Lent have had celebrations to be able to enjoy some of the things they liked one last time before giving them up for 40 days. Shrove Tuesday, Fasching, Faschnachts Day, Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, and Carnival are some examples of essentially the same celebration. The German variant of this celebration has been traced back to at least the 13th century. I've provided you with two links that briefly refer to the Pennsylvania Dutch (German) tradition.

how and when did karneval fastnacht fasching being?

how and when did karneval fastnacht fasching being?

Carnival season is a time of wild fancy-dress parties and costume-balls, which are open to the public. Carnival reaches its climax in big street processions with elaborately decorated floats, usually on Rosenmontag. Karneval is associated with festivals of the Christian church (wild partying before Lent begins). However, it goes back to pagan times, and was a way of driving out the evil spirits of winter and encouraging the coming of spring and good crops. Ugly masks worn for this purpose are still worn in carnival festivals in southern Germany. Karneval can be traced back to pagan Roman festivals, which may explain why Köln and Mainz, two ancient cities with Roman history, have such big carnivals. In the Middle Ages, Karneval gave the people a break from the tightly structured class system, as they were able to hide their social background behind imaginative masks and costumes. Poor people were able to mix with all other levels of society and share fun with them. In those days people would dress up as knights, damsels and even priests, as a way of making fun of them. In a similar way, people these days sometimes wear masks which make fun of well-known politicians or celebrities.

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