carnival
Cologne Rose Monday procession started
Sparks run in the Cologne Rose Monday parade. photo
© Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa
Rose Monday is the traditional highlight of the street carnival. Now the biggest carnival procession is on the way – and some celebrities are also speaking out.
This year’s satirical floats show, among others, Chancellor Olaf Scholz as a sloth in a hammock and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock as an elephant in a china shop. On a car, a figure with his trousers down stretches his bare buttocks towards some arms outstretched in a Hitler salute – one arm has the AfD logo emblazoned on it.
“This car actually says it all: They can kiss our asses,” said BAP singer Wolfgang Niedecken on Monday on WDR television. He also recalled the big right-wing demonstration in Cologne at the end of January. “That was touching. When I walked over the Deutzer Bridge, there was a choir, an amateur choir, singing Bläck-Fööss songs, and then families came with strollers, then old people with walkers came – they wanted to be there.” All of these people wanted to communicate the message: “No, you can’t get past us.”
Prime Minister Wüst is also there
The Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, Hendrik Wüst (CDU), also runs in the Cologne Rose Monday procession. “That’s good in a time that isn’t always super easy – just have a little fun,” he said. Carnival is a living diversity, just like all of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Frieda, the maiden of the Cologne triumvirate, was not on the train: she – who is actually a man and is called Friedrich – had to undergo a hip operation on Sunday. This reduced the triumvirate to a duo. “We will enjoy the day for my dad,” said Prince Sascha, who is the virgin’s son in real life.
The street carnival reaches its climax with the Rose Monday parades. While the fools had to contend with constant rain on Weiberfastnacht, the weather forecast for today is at least a little better: large amounts of rain are not expected, the German Weather Service said.
Cologne train conductor: We’re taking a bit of a step back compared to Düsseldorf
According to its conductor Holger Kirsch, the Cologne Rose Monday procession is somewhat more harmless than the one in Düsseldorf. “We actually always deal with the same topics, the only thing that perhaps makes the difference is that we perhaps hold back a bit in the presentation because I see the Cologne Rose Monday procession as a big family celebration,” Kirsch told the German Press Agency . “And I actually don’t want parents to have to explain things along the way if some kind of sexual practice is being shown or someone’s head is being blown off.”
The cars of the Düsseldorf car builder Jacques Tilly are generally considered to be much bolder than those of Cologne. They also receive the most attention internationally. However, Kirsch emphasized that he did not feel any competition with Düsseldorf and had a very good relationship with Tilly. “Last year he sent me a congratulatory text message for having such great cars.”
Incidentally, the Cologne Rose Monday procession is longer and is followed by significantly more people on the side of the road. “I don’t want to be so mean: Maybe more people will be interested in the Cologne Rose Monday procession,” said Kirsch.