Way of life

Women’s carnival – now only right!

The day has many names: women’s carnival, Altweiber, Dirty Thursday, Wieverfastelovend. In the Rhenish carnival, it belongs solely to the women. You take the Power. Only right after the new year’s eve in Cologne.

In the Rhineland is my gallery an unofficial holiday. 11am 11 is, in many places, the pen is dropped. Then left out on the streets and celebrated in the pubs. Close physical contact with complete strangers belong to the carnival like the music and the beer: You hooks and rocks, it is “gebützt” (kissed); the so-called “Stippeföttche” is a traditional dance in which the dancers, his buttocks rubbing against each other. Now have such a naughty-erotic allusions for many women a funny aftertaste.

Is a “Bützjer” still a harmless Karnevalstechtelmechtel?

The Attacks in the new year’s eve have the exuberant party mood put a damper offset. And of all places in Cologne, in the epicenter of the Rhenish carnival. Here, everything is supposed to be safer than ever before. The city of Cologne on Monday, the security concept is presented, after this year, more than twice as many police officers in the service than in previous years. The police want to be tough on – this is especially true for harassment and for men, the no a woman does not accept. Also in Düsseldorf and Bonn, the police presence is stepped up significantly. Together with Karnevalsvertretern inform the cities of the surrounding Flüchtlingsunterkünfte about the traditions in Rhenish carnival. Everywhere there are flyers with information in seven languages. Because of the Karnevalsbrauch to my gallery is goes back for centuries.

The day where even nuns liquor drinking were allowed

In the middle ages were the ladies of the better stand to this day really misbehave. The “loving wives Sauftag” was feasted and celebrated. 18. Century, it was also in some monasteries, such Ausnahmetag. The nuns were allowed not only to properly eat and drink, even gambling was allowed, and dance until the Morning. In the 19th century. Century finally put a few washerwomen in Beuel near Bonn, the Foundation for today’s Weiberfastnachtsbräuchen.

So looking at the Beueler Damenkomitee to 1900 from

These women had to daily up to 16 hours of work – not only for the high men from the circle – they also had the dirty Laundry of their own men by washing them in clean shirts to celebrate. In the neighbouring Cologne because there was this new Karnevalsfest, the men like to have visited, during their women next to the Laundry facilities also care for children had to.

Schnippschnapp, tie!

In the year 1824 was an end. The women let this Thursday for their work to rest, and met in a tavern, in order to properly about their men to grumble. That not only coffee and tea was drunk, is clear. The “Beueler Damenkomitee” was established, under the chairmanship of the “Obermöhn”, the smartest woman in the Clübchens. The custom was strengthened and Beuel became a Rhenish Karnevalshochburg. The washerwomen are a permanent Institution in Bonn-Beueler carnival has become. With the storming of the town hall, tearing the women to women’s carnival Power.

The Beueler idea had become fast in the Rhineland made the rounds. So did many women’s groups, the Beueler washerwomen and stormed the town halls in many cities and towns.

Who is a carnival of expensive silk ties, is it to blame

Until today, the custom is preserved, men in their ties as a Symbol of male Power – a rogue who because worse thinks to cut off. The ties are as scalps collected – for the men, but there is a consideration: A “Bützchen”. Despite the events in the new year’s eve want to make the most of the women on it this year too, not dispense.

“We let the fun take”

We have the “Old Beueler Damenkomitee of 1824,” in demand. The women agree: “We want the fun and the joy of carnival is not to take”, so Nina Probst from the Committee, “In more than 190 years Karnevalsgeschichte in Beuel, there were always times in which the women have learned to deal with hard situations.”

“Your loveliness, the Wäscherprinzessin” is in the German carnival is unique

So all rely on the work of the security forces and focus on the big day, which this year is particularly important, because the Beueler Damenkomitee is 2016 the Wäscherprinzessin Tessa I. What almost with a Karnevalsprinzen equated. Nina Probst: “For us the carnival for a cheerful, colorful Together! We therefore call on everyone to each other to pay attention, so that together we peacefully Fastelovend can celebrate.”

A Cologne Mädchengymnasium are the security forces and the Optmismus the Karnevalistinnen too little. The school, which is near the Central station, remains on Thursday. You want the students to walk to school through the tumult of trouble. The girls themselves are happy. you can already in the morning to celebrate.