European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 30, 1969, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Oley caricatures of famous figures abound in Fasching parades. 63, Weiley by Sid Whipple is carnival editor Good honest sober and industrious people sometimes get tired of being Good honest sober and industrious an the urge to bust Loose from convention generally hits them at about the time the sap begins to Rise in the local vegetation. There May be some connection be tween Mother nature s Awakening from her Long Winter hibernation and Man arousal to the need of dressing up in Gaudy raiment imbibing something stronger than Herb Tea and kicking up his heels in frolics and  is not a modern phenomenon. In the ancient world under similar impulses matrons and maids cast off their inhibitions and much of their clothing and scampered around hollering Evoe an exclamation expressing exhilaration. Medieval clowns on stage or in open air performances expressed their exhilaration by beating each other Over the head with inflated pig bladders while in Spring festivals on the roman Corso aristocratic ladies and gentlemen pelted each other with Flowers and flirted outrageously behind masks. Tues four times a year with appropriate rites. Since Dionysus was always accompanied by a Rowdy Crew of satyrs Mae ads and nymphs it is perhaps Betto draw a veil Over the resultant spectacles. The romans seem to have adopted Dionysus but changed his name to Bacchus and pictured him As a paunch individual Riding on a wine cask and wearing Little More than a Wreath ovine leave around his Pate. His festivals were something less than  the spread of christianity the pantheon of gods came tumbling Down and excuses for mass revelry in their Honor became fewer. But the occasional urge to shake off the restrictions imposed by common social customs , when fasting became a religious convention and the 40-Day abstinence from meat during Lent was established before the Advent of christianity and indeed afterwards such manifestations of Spring fever enjoyed a sort of immunity from suppression because they were or pretended to be demonstrations of religious Fervour. Dionysus for example was the Gree god of wine a kind of hellenic Johnny Appleseed who roamed the near East planting grape vines and teaching folks the Noble Art of fermentation. These praiseworthy exploits entitled him naturally to the grateful appreciation of the populace which celebrated his Vir the season of repentance. Thus the Cus Tom of holding a carnival Carne Vale goodbye to meat arose. Incidentally the word Lent comes from the old English Lent and the German Der Lenz which  and that again ties in with the idea that the Winter of our Discon tent As Shakespeare phrased it is now Over and it s time to organize a Little happening. Bring of the dancing girls some of the medieval Popes took a dim View of the pre lenten carousing particularly when the wholesale licentious Ness dissipation and the accompanying crime wave threatened a Complete break Down of Law and order. But nearly All edicts intended to repress the revelry ran into the stubborn opposition of the masses and certain of the pontiffs tried to divert the celebrants activities into More healthful exercises Paul a in 1464, instituted the famous races on the Corso. Julius in in 1550, put on Bull baiting exhibitions. Our Puritan forefathers were against such spectacles not because they were cruelty the bulls but because they gave pleas ure jul the spectators and Sixtus a in 1585, was so aghast at the evil run Ning the streets that he set up giblets in prominent places to remind the miscreants that hanging awaited them if they misbehaved. Meanwhile on the Northern Side of the Alps remnants of ancient t e u t i a myths t superstitions and Mankind eternal Battle. Against demons evil spirits and sundry plagues were reflect Din Many Spring rites somewhere or other people picked in tace idea that they could qut Dev Pijie devils by Wear ing grotesque masks so frightful in appearance that the demons would runaway in terror. Similar masks play a part in nearly every modern european carnival. T. All edicts intended to repress the revelry ran into the stubborn opposition of the masses. Page 12 the stars and stripes Oday the German carnival season has been established fat a somewhat for Mal pattern. It begins at 11 minutes past 11 on the Lith Day of the Lith Mont hand continues with rising Tempo until the frenzied parties balls and processions of Rose monday and shrove tues Day the Day before Ash wednesday bring he Celebration to its Climax and its participants to exhaustion. Shrove tuesday this year Falls on feb. 18. The festivities Are not Impromptu Al though some of them might seem to be. Nearly a year of preparation goes int formulating the carnival program. Out of the ancient custom of choosing a lord of misrule has come the gentler custom of in throwing a Prince an Princess to Rule Over the almost nightly feasting and  cities such As Cologne Mainz and Dusseldorf provide exhibitions coextensive that they require the cooperation of Large numbers of individual Fasching another German word for carnival societies to keep the fun alive and join in the spectacular finale a procession Miles Long of floats bands costumed marchers dancing Girs mini skirted drum majorettes and clowns the costs Are staggering. Nobody seems to dare to venture an estimate of How much the p u b 1 i c spends in food drink costumes masks and funny hat during the mass frenzy but certain it is that the general Public s Wallet is fairly Flat at the end of the season. A Prince s costume May set him back12,500 and the orders jewelled medals stars and insignia of the favored participants Are sometimes As expend Black Forest carnival masks reflect Pagan belief that the Way to scare away demons was to scare the Devil out of them. Even skiers get into the Fasching act when carnival season gets into High gear. You can Clown Arr Jund to your heart s Content. Up artist Rupert Stoeckl adds a few finishing touches to Munich Model s costume. Sive As those that Are Hung around the Racks of visiting diplomats i at Fasching time also John q. Public has an Opportunity to poke a Little of a lot $ fun As established author Law a political figure is immune to the jabs Aid japes levelled at official pomp Angl Fondeur. Chancellors state presidents o a b i n e t officials world renowned Fig Wes from Mao to be grand Charles f of Kiesinger to Willy Brandt Are Given we works. Caricaturists Delight in emphasizing Hie Gaulle s nose or the Franz Josef Strauss jowls and some of the Giganti papier mache models trundled along in tile floats Are masterpieces of  when it is All Over the Good citizens end their Brief revolt against con mention and Settle Down to being once Cigan Good honest sober and industrious people. Fasching Parade without a corps of girls is unthinkable. Thursday january 30, 1969 the stars and strips Page 13