There is a couple of princes, maybe even two, at the Würmesia carnival company based in Neuried, promises President Pia Krock, 23, and that’s pretty much the only thing she can say for sure. The Prinzenpaar or the Prinzenpaar will be presented to the public on Thursday, November 11th at 11.11 a.m. on Munich’s Marienplatz, in the open air and therefore pretty much independent of the Corona rules.
Otherwise, the carnival season 2021/22 is planned with “Plan A to C”, according to Krock. Because how the corona situation and the corresponding rules will develop is still unclear. Whatever they look like: “That won’t stop us!” Promises Krock. “The will to celebrate Mardi Gras again is there.” Especially since it could only be celebrated online last year.
But that didn’t stop the Würmesia members and their fans from maintaining the tradition. For example, there was a “Grand Prix of Costumes” last year. This was advertised by seven Munich carnival societies, including the Würmesia. Costumes were featured online. You could either send in a current photo or one from previous years. The “social media community,” as Krock says, voted. There were seven winners in total. For example, a five-man troop of men who had disguised themselves as gummy bears won.
Whether and how this Grand Prix will take place again in the current season is just as open as anything else. But the Würmesia members are ready for anything. “The three dance groups have practiced diligently and each has a program,” promises Krock. The three groups are the adult and child guards as well as the men’s ballet. Appearances in institutions such as old people’s homes are planned again. It is currently being considered whether you can dance in the parking lots and the residents only look out of the windows. The enthronement of the Prince Couples, which always takes place on January 5th, is also supposed to be held, but where is still unclear. The last appearance in the 2019/20 season took place in the Neuried multi-purpose hall.
The last happy outcry shortly before the start of the pandemic: Party people of the Unterhachinger Gleisenia dressed in green in February 2020 in the middle of Carnival – and Mayor Wolfgang Panzer does not get by.
(Photo: Claus Schunk)
A long list of other possible dates is available. For example, there are usually guard meetings or children’s guard meetings organized by the Association of German Carnival, Upper Bavaria Department. Possible or not? We will see. But the unusual Mardi Gras 2020 also had something good, reports Krock. The carnival societies, which were all in the same boat, so to speak, got together a little more and put together actions, a new cohesion was created. Now it is hoped to expand this this season. With plan A, B or C.
“Many people still cannot imagine celebrating in a carefree crowd,” says Stefan Lex, President of the Unterhachinger Faschingsgesellschaft Gleisenia. Gleisenia wants to be a pioneer and show that it is possible. “After the plague, many people were afraid and the Schäffler dancers made the start,” he says, without, of course, wanting to compare Corona with the plague, as he emphasizes. In any case, it is “a difficult time for Mardi Gras,” says Lex, and all president friends say the same thing. Nevertheless, we are happy to be able to celebrate the 2021/22 season “in presence” again.
On Friday, November 12th, the Gleisenia’s black and white ball will take place in the Hachinga Hall, which is also the enthronement. There the guards who have practiced diligently will demonstrate their skills. Prince couples will also be on display – who exactly, that is of course still a secret that will only be revealed that evening. It has not yet been decided whether the ball will be allowed to take place under 3G-plus or 2G. Even the municipality was unable to provide any information about this, as it is not yet clear whether a ball is defined as a club or something else. “But the ball will definitely take place,” that much is certain, says Lex. There are still places available.
Everyone at the Würmesia carnival company is also looking forward to returning to attendance.
(Photo: Johannes Simon)
How the season continues, depends on the Unterhaching Christmas market, says Lex. Because the conditions there would be something like the carnival on the town hall square on the carnival weekend at the end of February. The Gleisenia is also planning the well-known Almrock Ball with the Cagey Strings in the Hachinga Hall. The date and everything else are still open for known reasons.
“It’s very difficult, everything is completely different than before Corona,” says the President of the Kirchheim Narrenrat (Kirnarra), Kathrin Schmied. “But everyone is so happy that there is Mardi Gras again, and we are in good spirits.” After all, all the active people had only rehearsed online for so long, “they want to show something again”. But they will only do that on January 5th, at the official Mardi Gras start of Kirnarra, presumably in Pliening.
On Saturday, November 13th, the two prince couples (children and adults) will be presented at 11.11 a.m. in the Raeter shopping center in Heimstetten. This is also where the pre-Christmas Kathrein market takes place, where visitors can stock up on food and drink while the prince couples act on the stage. In the afternoon there are also activities for children. In addition, there is a dance group with friends, at 3 p.m. the Wild West Boys and at 5 p.m. the Wild West Girls with Cancan. With guest appearances in old people’s homes, schools and kindergartens, the Kirnarra-Garden also want to dance in the open air as possible from January.
“We are planning,” says the president of the Schleissheim Narrenrat, Christine Hutterer. It remains to be seen whether everything can then take place. In any case, the dance groups train and would be happy to perform at the New Year’s Eve ball, the annual highlight of the Fool’s Council. “Whether 3G-plus or 2G, let’s see,” says Hutterer. In the carnival season itself next year we “hope to be outdoors”. However, there will not be a couple of electors, “because it was too unsafe for us”. You have to offer such a couple “a good carnival”, says Hutterer. Because it has a lot of costs, for example for the costumes. Since there is no such couple this time, there will be no official event on the weekend after November 11th, but only an internal one, at which the dance groups present their skills.
Thomas Schweissgut, first chairman and “master of ceremonies” of the Unterschleißheim-Lohhofer carnival club Weiß-Blau, is especially looking forward to Sunday, February 22nd. Because on this day the carnival parade of the Damischen Knights in Munich is planned again, in which the Unterschleißheim traditionally take part with their car. They are planning their own carnival parade in Unterschleißheim for February 26th. Now, however, the return of the fools after a 626-day break will be celebrated on Friday, November 12th, from 7 p.m. in the Unterschleißheim multi-purpose hall with free entry, the members have counted that exactly, and they are looking forward to “a full house” , of course with the corresponding G-rules.