Enlarge image
Carnivalists celebrate Fastelovend in Cologne: "Everyone has to decide for themselves whether this is the right moment to celebrate"
Photo: Thomas Banneyer / dpa
Overshadowed by the Russian military's invasion of Ukraine, the street carnival in Cologne has begun.
A few hours after Russian troops attacked Ukraine, tens of thousands of costumed revelers celebrated and swayed in the cathedral city on Weiberfastnacht, and long queues formed in front of bars in the morning.
In her own words, Cologne Mayor Henriette Reker (non-party) is aware that the start of the carnival »will give rise to images that will make people shake their heads«.
She personally cannot combine the carnival and the war in Ukraine, but for many others the carnival is important.
"Everyone has to decide for themselves whether this is the right moment to celebrate," said Reker: "I'm not celebrating." At a reception in Cologne City Hall, she held a minute's silence for those who suffered from the Russian attack.
Cancellation »the wrong signal«
From the point of view of the Cologne Carnival Festival Committee, a cancellation would be "the wrong signal" and organizationally not possible at such short notice.
Certainly, the events in the Ukraine do not leave the carnival fans unaffected.
"But we have also learned in the recent past that carnival has an important function for people in times of crisis," said the festival committee.
Allowing a despot to dictate the limits of cheerfulness does not correspond to the spirit of carnival.
And so, as always, the Cologne triumvirate officially opened the street carnival at 11.11 a.m. on the Alter Markt with a countdown and three times »Kölle Alaaf«.
"We don't sway past people's concerns," called Jungfrau Gerdemie (Björn Braun) from the stage.
»But we also don't let people who trample on freedom and peace determine the limits of their happiness.«
In other places, carnival events were canceled because of the war in Ukraine, such as the storming of the town hall in Saarbrücken.
'A war in the middle of Europe.
We feel for the people in Ukraine and cannot be cheerful today," said Saarbrücken Mayor Uwe Conradt (CDU).
The town hall storm in Erfurt was also canceled.
ptz/dpa
