As of: February 26, 2024, 5:50 p.m
By: Johanna Werning
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A Roter Funke was stolen by football fans in Cologne; they stole a helmet and a family heirloom.
Now the “Laberdan” has resurfaced.
Cologne – The Cologne Carnival is hugely important throughout Cologne – but especially among the countless carnivalists in the city.
For them, carnival is much more than a hobby.
Anyone who is a member of a carnival society or even a traditional corps has obligatory events all year round - and at the same time membership costs a lot of money, simply because of the tailor-made uniform.
However, a valuable part of the uniform of a carnivalist from the Red Sparks was stolen.
Football fans steal carnival helmets from the Rote Funken – “heirloom from my grandpa”
On February 7th, Rote Funken member Kai Förster (40) was with other guardsmen in full uniform for a nightcap in a Cologne Old Town bar after a carnival session.
“As usual, we placed our wooden rifles in a corner and hung our helmets over them,” Förster told
Bild
.
However, the guardsman’s helmet – also called “Laberdan” – didn’t stay there for long that evening.
A guardsman's helmet from the Red Sparks - also called "Laberdan" - was stolen at the beginning of February, now it is back (symbolic image) © Political-Moments/Imago
Only a short time later the perpetrators - three young football fans wearing clothes from Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart - are said to have struck.
There is even a surveillance video of the crime, reports
Bild
.
To see: The three fans from Stuttgart, as they initially talk to a Cologne fool and a 1. FC Köln fan.
Then – at 1:33 a.m. – one of them pockets his helmet and disappears with his friends, the story goes.
An absolute nightmare for carnivalists: The 420 euro helmets for the Red Sparks resemble a real sanctuary - the “Laberdan” is of enormous emotional value, especially for foresters.
“The metal cutlery on the helmet is an heirloom from my grandfather Georg, who marched with the Red Sparks in the post-war period,” said Förster to
Bild
.
A similar act happened last year: Back then, the Old Town dancing couple's vehicle was broken into - and the Tanzmarie's barrel was stolen.
Football fans steal carnival helmets – huge Facebook appeal ensures a happy ending
For Förster and the other carnivalists it is clear: the helmet has to go back to the Ulrepforte – the home of the Red Sparks.
People share and comment on Facebook as much as they can.
Everyone wants to help “Laberdan” come back to Kai Förster – with success.
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The valuable item from his uniform was handed in to the police in Stuttgart on Wednesday (February 21st) - around three weeks after the brazen theft.
A police spokeswoman confirmed this to 24RHEIN.
“The sender is known and his personal details have been noted.”
The police do not say whether he is part of the trio of thieves or is just a secret hero who happened to get the Cologne carnival helmet.
But: “The helmet will now – sooner or later – be brought to Cologne.” The police spokeswoman said the thieves are still being investigated in the carnival metropolis.
For Kai Förster, however, the joy is already huge: “This is amazing and definitely my carnival highlight!” Förster told Bild
.
To ensure that the whole thing doesn't happen again, special technology will help in the future.
“I’ll install a tracker for the next session, it’s already ordered.”
(jw)