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What is Fasnacht?
• Carnival is a Christian tradition. It is celebrated with enthusiasm before the six-week period of Lent.
• Carnival is considered the fifth season in many regions.
Where does tradition come from?
• During Carnival, people do everything that is “forbidden” during Lent: they eat meat, fat and eggs, drink alcohol and even have sex.
• This comes from the Middle Ages. Lent was observed much more strictly then than it is today.
• Therefore, people had to consume all their supplies. They also wanted to enjoy the time before fasting to the fullest.
When does the carnival start?
• It became common practice for Carnival to start on November 11th.
• It is linked to Lent before Easter.
• Therefore, it reaches its peak in the week from “Dirty Thursday” to “Ash Wednesday”.
Where does the word carnival come from?
• Fasnacht comes from the Old High German words “Fasta” and “Naht”.
• “Fasta” means Lent and “Naht” means night or eve.
• Originally the name Fasnacht referred only to the day before the beginning of Lent.
Why do we dress up at carnival?
• The church did not like the carnival season with its enthusiastic events.
• Carnival was seen as godless and evil. In their world, the figure of the fool reigned.
• Back then, people dressed up as devils or fools to protest the church.
• Today other figures, such as animals or wild men, also participate in the masquerade.
Where is the biggest carnival celebrated in Switzerland?
• The biggest carnival celebration is held in Basel with “Morgestraich”.
• Begins at 4:00 a.m. on the Monday after “Ash Wednesday.”
• The whole city is dark. The only light comes from the lanterns of the carnival groups.
• Up to 100,000 people celebrate in Basel.
• Basel flour soup is served as a refreshment during “Morgestraich”. This flour, consisting of flour and water, was previously eaten as breakfast by poor families.
• In general: Depending on the canton in Switzerland, celebrations take place at slightly different times.
Source : Blick
I am Dawid Malan, a news reporter for 24 Instant News. I specialize in celebrity and entertainment news, writing stories that capture the attention of readers from all walks of life. My work has been featured in some of the world’s leading publications and I am passionate about delivering quality content to my readers.
