OT: Devils, Witches and Jesters – Tradition in Southwest- Germany, the “Fasnet”
Udo
Posts: 984 ✭✭
In these days we celebrate the Swabian-Alemannic Fasnet (Shrovetide), here where I live. Our “Fasnet” differs from the Rhenish Carnival, but only could establish from the first quarter of the 20th. century again. While the carnival developed into a new form of “Fasnet” (also called Fastnacht) in the 18th. century and the Swabian-Alemannic pivoted in the same direction, but at the beginning of the 20th. century the people in Southwest-Germany and the Northern Switzerland bethought on their old medieval traditions.
You may think: “What the heck is he talking about?”
So let me tell ya:
The Birth of the "Fasnet” in the Middle Ages
The Swabian-Alemannic Fasnet as well as the Rhenish Carnival had its origin in festivals which were held in order to eat all the perishable food up before the Lent began. Such events are proved for complete Central Europe since the 13th. century.
Of course those events were regional highly different and not comparable to our present Fasnet.
In addition to the excessive food consumtion, different traditions such as dances, processions or Fasnet-spectacles became common practice from the 14th. century on. The mummery of the partipicants with masks was characteristical, in the Swabian-Alemannic area it also was usual not to change the costum, actually they were inherited from one generation to the other.
The opposite between the amusement during the Shrovetide and the following privations during the Lent was theologically interpreted. In conjunction with the augustinic doctrine of the model of two states, the Fasnet soon was equated with the devil’s state (civitas diaboli, City of Man), however the Lent was equated with the state of God (civitas Dei, City of God).
The Fasnet-characters of devils and demons probably developed from this way of thinking.
The Jester or fool is another central Character, he is the personification of caducity, atheism and death.
Woodcut 16th century
While the research supposed the origin of the Fasnet in non-catholic rites for a long time, in these days it is agreed that the existence of the church was a essential requirement for the development of the Fasnet.
It is also proved that the Fasnet season was used to critisize authorities and church, what often led to prohibition of the Fasnet.
With the Reformation and Protestantism the Lent escaped in wide areas of Central Europe and thus the Fasnet only remained in areas with predominant catholic population. Till then the image of the Fasnet was shaped by relatively common costumes, but the appearance of the baroque era led a considerable refinement and upvaluation of the costumes in the 17th century. Especially the masks, formerly made of paper or clay were replaced with masks graved of wood, additional the Italian Commedia dell’ Arte took a distinct influence.
The Carnival and the turning away
Despite the baroque refinement the reputation of the Fasnet tattered during the Age of Enlightenment, it was deemed to be a antiquated tradition. According to this view the festivals were given up or even forbidden.
This changed due to the romanticism and the (Rhenish) Carnival was developed. Starting from Cologne (in 1823), where the Fastnacht now was arranged by the middle-class intellectuals instead of the craftsmen, the Carnival established in Central-Europe very quick, also in Southwest-Germany.
Only at the end of the 19th century the old traditions arose few and far between. Especially the ordinary people of the lower middle class and countrified circles in the Swabian-Alemannic area felt to be domineered over through the Carnival of the middle-class intellectuals, so they went back to their old traditions. In the aftermath many Fasnet-guilds were rearranged.
In Swabia the Fasnet starts on the 6th of January but the really hot time bigins at the Thursday before Ash Wednesday. It is called “Schmotziger Donnerstag” that means “greasy Thursday.”
Greasy, because of all the eggs and fat that had to be eaten up so sweet pastrys were baked in fat, they were called Fasnetküchle and were often given from the lordship and the church to the people.
This is such a Fasnetküchle:
We had a meeting of different Fasnet-guilds in our town a while ago and I took some pics, here they are:
These are the fools of my hometown Haigerloch (Hohenzollern), they're called "Grumbiradrucker". The origin of the name is not known any longer, they do appear in this shape since the 18th century. They wear the typically asexual mask of the late baroque era.
Bats!
However their costumes were upgraded at some point. The Fasnet was man's business in the good ole days, but the women got fed up with staying alone at home and not knowing what their husbands were doing at the Fasnet! So to investigate their husbands, in the 19th century they finally decided to mask themselves. They just added a big fichu to the usual black dress they wore, which displayed the wings. And a white curtain was tied with colored tapes to the shape of two ears.
Vixens!
This is the Pestmännle (pest-manikin) from Hechingen (Hohenzollern)
The legend said that there once was a wizard who banned the pest in a hole and sealed it with a cork, but then this bad guy came and removed the cork. The black dressed guys are called "Butzen", their job was to catch the pest-manikin and bring him to the court, where of cours he will be fated to die through the sword.
The devil of Wilflingen does allegorize the dark powers, the magically ominous, but at the same time the uprise of the own subliminal powers.
The bell-fool of Wilflingen stands for the summer. He's an exotic in the Swabian-Alemannic Fasnet because of his strange way to carry the bells around the waist.
A so called "Fransennarr" from Schömberg, they are very nice, but are also considered to be conceited.
These are from Endingen, they're called Jokili.
Again some typical jesters!
Oh boy, I don't know what this witch has had in that old iron, but the smoke stank beastly!
Some more witches of Pfullendorf in action
This is the devil of Hornberg. He dates back to the dark ages, when two brothers who lived in the Hornberg castle masked themselves as devils and then attacked the harmless traders on their way through Hornberg all the time. Those silly robber-knights!
This is a "White jester" from Bad Waldsee, he's called "Faselhannes" probably because he only talks nonsense.
And last but not least another "bell-fool" from Wellendingen. His costume is based on what the lords Freyberg wore in their castle, at least they said so.
Hope you enjoyed this strange things a bit, it's all over at Ash Wednesday!
You may think: “What the heck is he talking about?”
So let me tell ya:
The Birth of the "Fasnet” in the Middle Ages
The Swabian-Alemannic Fasnet as well as the Rhenish Carnival had its origin in festivals which were held in order to eat all the perishable food up before the Lent began. Such events are proved for complete Central Europe since the 13th. century.
Of course those events were regional highly different and not comparable to our present Fasnet.
In addition to the excessive food consumtion, different traditions such as dances, processions or Fasnet-spectacles became common practice from the 14th. century on. The mummery of the partipicants with masks was characteristical, in the Swabian-Alemannic area it also was usual not to change the costum, actually they were inherited from one generation to the other.
The opposite between the amusement during the Shrovetide and the following privations during the Lent was theologically interpreted. In conjunction with the augustinic doctrine of the model of two states, the Fasnet soon was equated with the devil’s state (civitas diaboli, City of Man), however the Lent was equated with the state of God (civitas Dei, City of God).
The Fasnet-characters of devils and demons probably developed from this way of thinking.
The Jester or fool is another central Character, he is the personification of caducity, atheism and death.
Woodcut 16th century
While the research supposed the origin of the Fasnet in non-catholic rites for a long time, in these days it is agreed that the existence of the church was a essential requirement for the development of the Fasnet.
It is also proved that the Fasnet season was used to critisize authorities and church, what often led to prohibition of the Fasnet.
With the Reformation and Protestantism the Lent escaped in wide areas of Central Europe and thus the Fasnet only remained in areas with predominant catholic population. Till then the image of the Fasnet was shaped by relatively common costumes, but the appearance of the baroque era led a considerable refinement and upvaluation of the costumes in the 17th century. Especially the masks, formerly made of paper or clay were replaced with masks graved of wood, additional the Italian Commedia dell’ Arte took a distinct influence.
The Carnival and the turning away
Despite the baroque refinement the reputation of the Fasnet tattered during the Age of Enlightenment, it was deemed to be a antiquated tradition. According to this view the festivals were given up or even forbidden.
This changed due to the romanticism and the (Rhenish) Carnival was developed. Starting from Cologne (in 1823), where the Fastnacht now was arranged by the middle-class intellectuals instead of the craftsmen, the Carnival established in Central-Europe very quick, also in Southwest-Germany.
Only at the end of the 19th century the old traditions arose few and far between. Especially the ordinary people of the lower middle class and countrified circles in the Swabian-Alemannic area felt to be domineered over through the Carnival of the middle-class intellectuals, so they went back to their old traditions. In the aftermath many Fasnet-guilds were rearranged.
In Swabia the Fasnet starts on the 6th of January but the really hot time bigins at the Thursday before Ash Wednesday. It is called “Schmotziger Donnerstag” that means “greasy Thursday.”
Greasy, because of all the eggs and fat that had to be eaten up so sweet pastrys were baked in fat, they were called Fasnetküchle and were often given from the lordship and the church to the people.
This is such a Fasnetküchle:
We had a meeting of different Fasnet-guilds in our town a while ago and I took some pics, here they are:
These are the fools of my hometown Haigerloch (Hohenzollern), they're called "Grumbiradrucker". The origin of the name is not known any longer, they do appear in this shape since the 18th century. They wear the typically asexual mask of the late baroque era.
Bats!
However their costumes were upgraded at some point. The Fasnet was man's business in the good ole days, but the women got fed up with staying alone at home and not knowing what their husbands were doing at the Fasnet! So to investigate their husbands, in the 19th century they finally decided to mask themselves. They just added a big fichu to the usual black dress they wore, which displayed the wings. And a white curtain was tied with colored tapes to the shape of two ears.
Vixens!
This is the Pestmännle (pest-manikin) from Hechingen (Hohenzollern)
The legend said that there once was a wizard who banned the pest in a hole and sealed it with a cork, but then this bad guy came and removed the cork. The black dressed guys are called "Butzen", their job was to catch the pest-manikin and bring him to the court, where of cours he will be fated to die through the sword.
The devil of Wilflingen does allegorize the dark powers, the magically ominous, but at the same time the uprise of the own subliminal powers.
The bell-fool of Wilflingen stands for the summer. He's an exotic in the Swabian-Alemannic Fasnet because of his strange way to carry the bells around the waist.
A so called "Fransennarr" from Schömberg, they are very nice, but are also considered to be conceited.
These are from Endingen, they're called Jokili.
Again some typical jesters!
Oh boy, I don't know what this witch has had in that old iron, but the smoke stank beastly!
Some more witches of Pfullendorf in action
This is the devil of Hornberg. He dates back to the dark ages, when two brothers who lived in the Hornberg castle masked themselves as devils and then attacked the harmless traders on their way through Hornberg all the time. Those silly robber-knights!
This is a "White jester" from Bad Waldsee, he's called "Faselhannes" probably because he only talks nonsense.
And last but not least another "bell-fool" from Wellendingen. His costume is based on what the lords Freyberg wore in their castle, at least they said so.
Hope you enjoyed this strange things a bit, it's all over at Ash Wednesday!
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I see the people are not following the mandatory "detour" sign!! Das is echt gegen Ordnung!!
Wow! A picture of my family reunion!!!
"These are the fools of my hometown Haigerloch (Hohenzollern), they're called "Grumbiradrucker". The origin of the name is not known any longer..."
I'm intriqued by this. I still haven't looked up on a map to see where you live, but in a southwestern German language known as "Pfaelzisch" (from Rhineland-Palatinate), a grombeer (berry from the ground) is a potato, as you probably know. I don't know what the significance of these jesters could be (potato-crushers? potato-pressers?).
Also, you mentioned the "robber-barons"; I've seen many of their castles. Fascinating history.
"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." -Luke 11:9
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." -Deut. 6:4-5
"For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; He will save us." -Isaiah 33:22
Virtus Collection - Renaissance and Baroque Medals
<< <i>This is such a Fasnetküchle: >>
Yummy. I'm gonna have to pick some of those up at the bakery this weekend.
DPOTD-3
'Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery'
CU #3245 B.N.A. #428
Don
<< <i>I see the people are not following the mandatory "detour" sign!! Das is echt gegen Ordnung!!
Jester:
That's not that unusual, the fools never follow the rules!
<< <i>Wow! A picture of my family reunion!!! >>
I forgot to mention that these are from Waldkirch, now where are you in the pic?
<< <i>"These are the fools of my hometown Haigerloch (Hohenzollern), they're called "Grumbiradrucker". The origin of the name is not known any longer..."
I'm intriqued by this. I still haven't looked up on a map to see where you live, but in a southwestern German language known as "Pfaelzisch" (from Rhineland-Palatinate), a grombeer (berry from the ground) is a potato, as you probably know. I don't know what the significance of these jesters could be (potato-crushers? potato-pressers?). >>
That's right.
A possible explanation could be, that several hundred years ago when those costumes were created at first, they could have used potatoes to bring these rhombig patterns on the cloth.
We did that as childs, we graved a pattern out of the potatoes (like a die), dipped them in colors and printed the patterns on cloth or paper. We called it Kartoffeldruck.
But however, it's not proved.
<< <i>By the way, does anybody else know these "Fasnetkuechle" except Ajaan?
I think these are real low cal
<< <i>By the way, does anybody else know these "Fasnetkuechle" except Ajaan?
Yes.
By the way, your suspicion about the derivation of the term Grumbieradrucker seems exceedingly sound.
"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." -Luke 11:9
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." -Deut. 6:4-5
"For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; He will save us." -Isaiah 33:22
<< <i>By the way, does anybody else know these "Fasnetkuechle" except Ajaan? >>
Good question Udo. Can anyone else buy them at their local bakery in the US?
DPOTD-3
'Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery'
CU #3245 B.N.A. #428
Don
"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." -Luke 11:9
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." -Deut. 6:4-5
"For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; He will save us." -Isaiah 33:22
<< <i>local bakery in the US? >>
DPOTD-3
'Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery'
CU #3245 B.N.A. #428
Don
"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." -Luke 11:9
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." -Deut. 6:4-5
"For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; He will save us." -Isaiah 33:22
having left Germany as an 11 year old, I was a city boy(West Berlin), I enjoy you sharing stories such as you did.
<<By the way, does anybody else know these "Fasnetkuechle" except Ajaan? >>
My stepfather was a baker both in Germany and in the states after his arrival here,
to sample a variety of baked delights, including the one pictured.........yumm!
Herb
BTW...........to keep it coin related, the pic sux, will need to reshoot this one.
PS: Ibiz, that's a cool copper disc you have there!
"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." -Luke 11:9
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." -Deut. 6:4-5
"For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; He will save us." -Isaiah 33:22
I use that excuse to post coins all the time....................................though around here we really don't need an excuse, do we??
Herb