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Carnivalists on the Old Market in Cologne: It's not just raining confetti

Photo: Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa

Weatherproof costumes are probably an advantage in the conditions: in sometimes pouring rain, tens of thousands of people in Cologne, Düsseldorf and Mainz celebrated the start of the Rhenish street carnival.

The hustle and bustle began at exactly 11:11 a.m. In Düsseldorf, the “Möhnen” stormed the town hall. In Cologne, the triumvirate of prince, farmer and maiden let loose the jokes. Cologne carnival president Christoph Kuckelkorn told the dpa news agency that due to the bad weather, the crowds were smaller this time than usual. "Either people come later or they have decided to celebrate at home, which is a nice concept."

In the “Kwartier Latäng”, the Cologne student district around the party hotspot Zülpicher Straße, there was already a crowd even before the official start at 11:11 a.m. This district primarily attracts young revelers.

»Cologne is an area of ​​diversity«

Cologne Mayor Henriette Reker (independent) told the dpa that the Cologne Carnival is always a celebration of diversity, which is also sung about in many songs. »I would like it to be lived like this throughout the year that lies ahead of us.«

And Kuckelkorn also said: “Cologne is colorful. We have all nationalities, all religious affiliations and orientations here. Cologne is an area of ​​diversity. Any current that wants to limit this in any way has no chance at all, and that's what we're fighting for. Carnival always stands firmly on the side of democracy.«

Anniversary in Bonn

This time it was a very special women's carnival in Bonn-Beuel, where the 200th anniversary of the so-called washerwomen's uprising was celebrated. This tradition goes back to an early women's movement: In 1824, the Beuel washerwomen turned against patriarchy and the associated exploitation of women and founded a women's committee.

"The custom of laundresses of discussing their husbands' gross violations of domestic peace and marital fidelity at coffee klatches according to a set set of rules has survived the different political eras to this day," said the city of Bonn. Every year since 1958, the Beuel women have named a representative from their own ranks, the laundry princess.

In Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate, numerous carnival participants gathered according to tradition at the carnival fountain on Schillerplatz.

bbr/dpa/AFP