GERMANY: DESPITE SHADOW OF WAR IN IRAQ, COLOGNE'S MAIN WEEK OF ANNUAL CARNIVAL STARTS OFF WITH A BANG

Record ID: 863118

  • Title: GERMANY: DESPITE SHADOW OF WAR IN IRAQ, COLOGNE'S MAIN WEEK OF ANNUAL CARNIVAL STARTS OFF WITH A BANG
  • Date: 27th February 2003
  • Summary: (U4) COLOGNE, GERMANY (FEBRUARY 27, 2003) (REUTERS) WIDE OF PEOPLE DRESSED IN PINK PANTHER COSTUMES PULL OUT TO THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE CELEBRATING WIDE OF PEOPLE DRESSED AS CHICKENS WIDE OF CROWDS CLAPPING AND HOLDING BALLOONS CLOSE UP OF GIRLS CLAPPING WIDE OF MEN DRESSED AS CLOWNS CLOSE UP OF MOTHER AND CHILD IN COSTUME VARIOUS OF PEOPLE DANCING AND CLAPPING WIDE OF CROWDS DOING A COLLECTIVE COUNTDOWN TO START OF CARNIVAL WIDE OF CROWD GIVING THREE CHEERS VARIOUS OF FOOLS PERFORMING FOR CARNIVAL KING AND QUEEN (SOUNDBITE) (German) MATILDA VOSS EXPLAINING CARNIVAL "You can be boisterous and mad, it is pure joy; thats what Weiberfastnacht means but it doesn't mean that you should be completely out of control." VARIOUS OF CROWDS DANCING WITH THEIR HANDS IN THE AIR VARIOUS OF PEOPLE DRINKING MINIATURE BOTTLES OF LIQUOR (SOUNDBITE) (German) JUTTA SCHMIDT SAYING "It's carnival and that is why we come here first on November 11th (the beginning of the carnival season), and today, and we shall stay until Rose-Monday (March 3) when the parades are held." WIDE OF PEOPLE CLAPPING CLOSE UP OF WOMAN DRESSED AS A CAT SINGING TWO GIRLS KISS THE CAMERA
  • Embargoed: 14th March 2003 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: COLOGNE, GERMANY
  • City:
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz
  • Reuters ID: LVABWZZP2CZHPE5Z7BYYLED86UGT
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Despite the shadow of war in Iraq, Cologne's main week of the annual carnival has started off with a bang.
    The Cologne carnival is almost as old as the history of the town itself, and is equally as famous.
    At exactly 11.11 (CET) on Thursday (February 27, 2003) the last and most important week of the German carnival got underway with thousands of people thronging the streets of the city.
    Locals and tourists came out in full costume to herald the end of winter and the riddance of the so called "evil winter spirits" and with clear skies and temperatures around 12 degrees Celsius, it appeared spring had truly arrived.
    It's an old German tradition that women become "boss" on this day, but in modern times it's an opportunity to drink lots of alcohol and party hard for both sexes.
    And of course with all the drinking, it is also customary that very little work is done during carnival week.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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