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Basler Fasnacht (carnival)
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It usually takes longer, beyond the date of Basle's traditional carnival, before winter is finally driven out. Many people of Basel describe this event as the "drei scheenschte Dääg" (most wonderful days). Once every year, at four o'clock on a Monday morning, the city is plunged into darkness as the carnival queen begins her reign. In 2009, the "Basler Fasnacht" will take place from 2 to 4 March.
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Carnival brings the whole region into the streets, and makes them quake and shake. What an event! But first it is Liestal's turn, the capital of the adjacent half-canton. On the Sunday before the Basel carnival, the town seems to go up in flames in a spectacular incendiary display, the so-called Chienbäse, when carts piled high with straw are paraded through the streets of the old town and set alight. Its the perfect prelude to the Morgestraich (morning tattoo) at four the next morning, when the lights go out in Basel and the Lady of Misrule takes over the city.
Drums and fifes
For three days and nights, the city is in uproar, borne aloft on the sound of tens of thousands of fife-players and drummers who form into so-called cliques that join up in procession, with a new common theme every year. For a generation, these have been supplemented by the Guggemusigg, wind and percussion bands best defined as a cross between big band and noise machine. At carnival time, Basel almost bursts at its seams with people.
Schnitzelbängg, Mehlsuppe and Zwiebelwähe (mocking verse, flour gruel, and onion pie)
However wild and in whatever colourful costumes these three days pass masks are compulsory! and no matter how biting Balois wit is celebrated in mocking verse in the so-called Schnitzelbängg and on lanterns carried high, carnival also has melancholy elements, and in their appearances the cliques display strict military discipline. In fact, both are there: yearning and merrymaking. And carnival goes hand in hand with several culinary specialties: lenten pies spiced with aniseed; Fasnachtskiechli, sweet paper-thin temptations (a kind of batter-fried shrovetide pancake powdered with icing sugar); and the classic Morgestraich menu, flour gruel and onion pie.
Origins of the Basel carnival
(Fasnacht = shrovetide eve)takes its name from the start of the fasting season of lent. But this, the most important event in the life of Basel, is also fixed by Christian holy days. Carnival is always held six weeks before Easter, a week later than the Fas(t)nacht widely celebrated throughout neighbouring German-speaking Catholic areas. This came about because of a 16th-century Papal change of calendar, of which no-one in Protestant Basel would take notice. All other holidays obediently observe the Protestant version of the Christian calendar with its backward glance to much older seasonal rites except for the workless day called Day of Work (1 May) and the Swiss National Day (1 August).
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