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Witches, demons and fools are characteristic of Swabian-Alemannic carnival
Terrifying devils, scary witches and roguish fools come out from all over the place during the Swabian-Alemannic carnival celebrated in south-west Germany. Several thousand mask-wearers shake wildly to the sound of bells and drum beats and parade through towns and villages and often at night. The Swabian-Alemannic carnival is governed by particularly strict rules. Generally speaking, only those who have lived in the city for more than 15 years can take part. The masks and the «Haes» or costume also have to conform to historical precedents – unlike at the carnival celebrations in Cologne or Mainz. Accordingly, every fools’ guild has carnival masks which are handed down from generation to generation. The masks, also known as «larven» or «schemmen», are usually intricately carved from wood. The roots of the Swabian-Alemannic carnival go as far back as the Middle Ages. In the 19th century the carnival tradition as celebrated in the Rhineland region came to dominate. The balls, costumed parades and theatrical performances which went with it gave the celebrations the reputation of being more cultivated. It was only at the start of the 20th century that people in the south-west began reviving their old traditions. In 1924, the Association of Swabian-Alemannic Fools’ Guilds was formed with the aim of reducing the influence of the Rhineland carnival. Today, the association comprises 69 fools' guilds with around 40,000 members.
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