April 8
We have arrived in Bad Dürrheim near Villingen to visit the southern German non-Roman version of Mardi Gras called Fastnacht. Fastnacht is only celebrated in the Allamannic area. | |
Here are a few random examples of the wide variety of costumes (Häs) of various twons throughout the Black Forest area | |
Handmade wooden masks and a lot of noise makers to drive out the spirits of winter and wake up the spirits of spring | |
Getting hit with the pig bladder (Saubloder) used to mean fertility. Today itmeans good fortune. | |
In a lot of costumes, the closeness to nature is visible. | |
Witches, costumes only worn by men, are very common. | |
The masks are often eerie looking to scare the evil ghosts and spirits. | |
The Horberger Devils and Brunnenhansele | |
Another intersting Devil mask | |
Or trunk-like noses such as these masks from the Radolfzell area |