Carnival reveille

carnival

The state sceptre has been wielded by the new state prince and princess Tina Schüßler and Daniel Stückler since 11.11. The Bad St. Leonhard carnival guild takes over the regency in the fifth season of the year

(Bild: LPD/Wajand, Abdruck honorarfrei bei Namensnennung)

100 jesters are expected at the provincial government in Klagenfurt on Monday: On 11. 11. the carnival will be awakened, the people of Bad St. Leonhard will take over the regency - and a carnival service is also already planned.

The carnival alarm clock rings on 11.11. at 11.11 am! Before the winter Lent begins - Advent is basically a time of fasting in preparation for Christmas - there are still celebrations. On the one hand, Martinigansl is enjoyed on St. Martin's Day, and on the other, carnival is awakened.

This awakening of carnival, not its beginning, has been celebrated since the 19th century - because carnival only begins after Epiphany and ends on Shrove Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.

Why exactly on 11.11. at 11.11 am?
According to the Federation of Austrian Carnival Guilds (BÖF), the fool's number 11 comes from the Catholic Church: the eleven exceeds the ten, for example the Ten Commandments, and therefore stands for sin. And because the jester transgresses rules and norms during carnival, the jester number 11 stands for him. 

The Carinthian carnival provincial prince and princess and the guild have big tasks in addition to reigning: they have to visit as many carnival sessions as possible throughout the country. And a special event is already planned: On January 5, an ecumenical carnival service will be celebrated in the Leonhardi Church.

Bruno Arendt, Landespräsident des BÖF Kärnten

Bild: Uta Rojsek-Wiedergut

Even in the Middle Ages, people who were outside the social order were referred to as fools. Impaired people were considered "natural fools", and those who acted foolishly for the amusement of the public were called "Schalknarr". Fools critical of the system were also popular, such as Till Eulenspiegel, who is said to have lived in the 14th century and criticized the upper classes. Some rulers even employed court jesters to entertain them.

Today's jesters also want to hold up a mirror to society in their sessions. In Carinthia alone, 54 guilds are organized in the Federation of Austrian Carnival Guilds. Carinthia's BÖF President Bruno Arendt also initiated the handover of the regency insignia: On 11.11., Governor Peter Kaiser signed a document designating Bad St. Leonhard as the Carinthian carnival provincial capital for the 2025 season. 

The people of Feldkirch took over the insignia from the people of Spittal and the provincial governor in 2023.

(Bild: Uta Rojsek-Wiedergut)

The provincial key and sceptre will change hands on 11.11. at 11.11 am: New regents take over!

(Bild: Uta Rojsek-Wiedergut)

The Bad St. Leonhard guild takes over the sceptre and the provincial key from the Feldkirchen guild, which reigned last season (see photo).

Bad St. Leonhard guild

"We drink wine, schnapps and beer
at the Leonhard carnival here today.
It sounds from Reichenfels to Wiesenau
our greeting is called Lei Blau!"

• The homepage of the Bad St. Leonhard guild states: "There have been countless funny, exuberant, mischievous and cheerfully cynical people in the long history of the town of Bad St. Leonhard, but they were mostly soloists and unorganizable natural cabaret artists."
• Nevertheless, a carnival guild was founded in 1971, which holds annual meetings in the Kulturhaus.
• After the installation of the provincial prince and princess in the Hall of Mirrors of the provincial government, the regents are welcomed on Monday, 11.11. at 5.17 pm on the main square in Bad St. Leonhard.

An ecumenical church service is also planned for this carnival season: Episcopal Vicar Engelbert Guggenberger and Superintendent Manfred Sauer will celebrate the mass in the Leonhardi Church in Bad St. Leonhard on January 5 from 2.14 pm. The MGV and the Bad St. Leonhard town band will provide the musical accompaniment.

„Wai, wai“

Die Narren übernehmen die Landeshauptstadt

"Wai, wai" - that's the carnival cry of Klagenfurt. Since 11.11. at 11.11 a.m., according to city law, the jesters have also reigned in the provincial capital. The traditional carnival reveille therefore took place in front of the town hall on Neuer Platz.

The (jesters') motto is: "We're taking off again." Before the lindworm, Mayor Christian Scheider handed over the keys to the city to jester chief Günter Brommer. Music was also played, doughnuts were handed out and two euros were donated to the carnival guild's fundraising campaign for a child in need.

It is not yet certain whether the 42nd carnival parade will take place in Waidmannsdorf. The town cannot help financially this time, but other ways to help are being sought. "We have enough jesters who want to take part. I'm optimistic that the parade will take place," says Brommer.