Things really get going in Basel after Ash Wednesday, the Basler Fasnacht

TRAVEL

Ash Wednesday: The Basler Fasnacht

Von Lizzie Fedi, February 2024

Basler Fasnacht, Morgenstraich 2018 ©Basel Tourismus and Fasnacht Comitee

9 February 2024: Our Alethea Magazine is based in the carnival stronghold of Düsseldorf, where carnival is celebrated very extensively. So it's all the better that the Basel Fassnacht takes place later so that we can both celebrate. In Germany, everything is over on Ash Wednesday and then carnival really gets going in Basel on the Monday after Ash Wednesday.

In Cologne and Düsseldorf and its neighbouring city of Cologne, there is a lot of singing and drinking, while in Basel the costumes, musicians and ancient traditions take centre stage.

History of the Basel carnival

The Basel carnival is the largest in Switzerland and also the most important Protestant carnival in the world. The oldest document on the Basel carnival dates back to 1376 and can be traced back to Celtic and Germanic origins, ancestor worship, winter festivities and fertility rituals, knights' tournaments and the festivities before Lent. When the Reformation began to restrict the festivities, the Basel carnival developed into a resistance movement. From the 19th century, the carnival began to change. The so-called cliques appeared for the first time, the first Schnitzelbank singers appeared, drumming and whistling became established and the themes of the parades became political and took on a satirical character.

In the 16th century, military elements were incorporated, such as the measured marching step to the sound of drums and piccolos. In 1911, the "Blaggedde" was introduced, which can be purchased at the tourist information centre.

The first officially authorised morning prank with stick lanterns was introduced in 1835, as the carrying of open torches was banned. The Fasnacht Committee was founded in 1910 and is responsible for organising the "drey scheenschte Dääg". After the "Fête des Vignerons" winegrowers' festival in Vevey, the Basel carnival was recognised as the second Swiss cultural heritage to be included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

But the carnival costumes also have a long tradition. Some of the Goschdym (costumes) originate from the Italian Commedia dell'arte. At the Basel carnival, it is customary to dress up as a masgge, i.e. a masked figure from head to toe, in complete anonymity.

Morning prank

The Basel carnival begins at 4.00 a.m. on the Monday after Ash Wednesday. When the bells ring out from St Martin's Church, all the lights in the city centre are switched off and the city starts to move at the command "Morgestraich: Forward, march!".

19 February 2024, 4.00 a.m.

The best places: Barfüsserplatz, Marktplatz, Rümelinsplatz, Falknerstrasse. Where there is less going on, but still beautiful: Leonhardskirchplatz, Martinskirchplatz, Nadelberg, Münsterplatz.

Cortège

The big parade, the Cortège, takes place in the afternoon on Carnival Monday and Wednesday

19 and 21 February 2024, 13.30-18.00 hrs

Lantern exhibition

From Monday evening, the cliques will be displaying their artistically and elaborately designed lanterns on Münsterplatz.

19 to 21 February 2024

Guggen concert

On Tuesday evening, the city belongs to the Guggem, consisting of brass musicians who perform their famous melodies with trumpets, trombones and tubas.

6.30 pm on the exhibition square

20 February 2024

Schnitzelbängg

One of the most important elements of the Basel carnival are the Schnitzelbänke, the mocking songs written in verse form are considered the essence of Basel's carnival jokes.

19 to 21 February 2024

Final prank

On Thursday morning shortly before 4.00 a.m., the cliques and Guggen go to a traditional meeting point and play a final march.

22 February 2024

For more information:

basel.com/de