Red noses? Princesses? At Odeonsplatz everything is as if it wasn’t carnival at all. Munich residents and tourists rub the golden, glittering noses of the bronze lions in front of the residence, drink a coffee somewhere, and stroll. You only hear it at the Viktualienmarkt. “If a knight had catarrh – the resources were rare back then. He defied the cold, he hawked, blew his nose and groaned…” The old knight’s song booms from the speakers of the “Damic Knights” carnival float. So another crazy Sunday after all.
The only major carnival parade is taking place in Munich for the 17th time. As always organized by the knights of the “Social Association of Kestrels”. 39 groups and 1,800 participants march from Frauenstrasse and Blumenstrasse past the Schrannenhalle to Marienplatz. Less than usual.
“We decided together with the district administration department that we would limit ourselves to a maximum of 40 groups of participants,” says Dennis Gleber, who organized the parade for the second time with other “Damic Knights”. You simply need enough space so that the cars can line up along Thomas-Wimmer-Ring, explains the 29-year-old. A bit of shunting is part of it, but the trains in the past were “too long”. Some spectators also lost interest in staying at Marienplatz for so long.
And then the cars stop. Be good and wait. “Setting up has never worked so well,” says the former festival director of the Damische Ritter, Simon Pöpperl.
Duke Casimir on the Damische Ritter float.
(Photo: Stephan Rumpf)
Time for a visit to Duke Kasimir on the “Damisch” float. Amidst boxes full of sweets, popcorn bags and small chocolate wafers, musical cabaret artist André Hartmann inspects his unnamed horse. “It would be nice if we had one,” he says, tapping on gray papier-mâché. Hartmann will be there as Kasimir for the 14th time. A crack can be seen in his horse’s left leg. “Well,” laughs the 47-year-old, “it has to hold up a kilo more each time.” Says it and swings into the saddle. Immediately waving graciously to the crowd.
The mood on the floats is good. And dance along with everyone who takes part in the parade. On the sidewalks it still leaves a bit to be desired. Despite loud beats, despite Helene Fischer’s “Atemlos”. Somehow it seems like people are more serious than in previous years. A Viking with a black beard and a wild mane of hair – by the way, she calls herself “Steilwandzenzerl” – believes so too. “People aren’t having fun anymore,” she says. Laugh less.
You’re seeing fewer unusual costumes this year than before.
(Photo: Stephan Rumpf)
But dogs are also dressed appropriately for the occasion.
(Photo: Stephan Rumpf)
Less fancy dress, less original costumes. A couple goes as beer bottles. A pineapple is spotted and of course many angels and devils. Dinosaur and horse costumes with blowers are currently popular.
But then an eye-catcher that makes you melt. The smallest master Eder is Jakob. Two and a half years old with a ruler and a pencil in his work pants. On his head is a black flat cap with white, glued-on sideburns. Dad is Pumuckl. Because the red wig tickled the little one so much, they simply swapped roles, he says.
The SPD is happy on its carnival float that Mayor Dieter Reiter wants to stay in office longer.
(Photo: Stephan Rumpf)
In any case, the two could easily climb onto the SPD wagon. Many goblins with red hair are dancing there and Mayor Dieter Reiter (SPD) smiles down from the poster as Master Eder. With the slogan “Hurray, hurrah, Dieter is staying there longer” – an allusion to the fact that Reiter would like to run for the office of mayor again. Mayor Verena Dietl is not on the car. She joined the Damian Knights as a damsel in a red velvet dress.
Carnival parade of the Damian Knights at the Viktualienmarkt, colorful carnival floats from various carnival guards and parties (SPD, CSU,…), February 4th, 2024, Copyright: Photo:
(Photo: Stephan Rumpf)
The CSU drives the bankrupt vulture for a walk on a poster. And of course the traffic light government gets its fat. Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), based on the children’s book “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” by Roald Dahl, promotes the sweet with the statement: “Chocolate doesn’t solve any problems. But I don’t either.” The “Lauterbach Boys’ Club” lets Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley pass by the spectators on their float. With Gringotts, Ollivander’s wand shop. And a shop behind walls called Lauterbach.
Then the train turns onto Marienplatz. And it’s full. But from the knights, the princes and the princesses you are quickly back in non-carnival Munich. Just a few streets away you can no longer hear knightly songs. Here a saxophonist plays jazz.