The Mainz Rose Monday Parade has a history spanning over 170 years. Its origins date back to the
Biedermeier period. At that time, Mainz was a
federal fortress occupied alternately by Prussian and Austrian troops, and the reorganisation of carnival celebrations, which had primarily taken place in
Cologne and
Düsseldorf, began to influence Mainz. The parade was interrupted mainly in the 20th century due to the two World Wars.
Precursor parade As early as 1837, Mainz craftsman Nikolaus Krieger organised the first so-called
Krähwinkler Landsturm, the first carnival parade in Mainz. The literary inspiration for these events, which became fashionable in the first third of the 19th century (e.g., in
Basel in 1822 and
Speyer in 1831), was the play
Die deutschen Kleinstädter (The Little Town People) by dramatist
August von Kotzebue. Krähwinkel, a small town described in the play, was at that time the epitome of stupidity and narrow-mindedness. The Krähwinkler Landsturm parodied these characteristics, as well as the narrow-mindedness of the Biedermeier period and the military with its uniforms and drills. Today, it is generally regarded as the birth of organised carnival in Mainz and the direct precursor to the Rose Monday Parade, which took place the following year. The Krähwinkler Landsturm displayed typical characteristics of Mainz street carnival, including a 15-strong, uniformed militia led by a "Fähnrich Rummelbuff" (standard bearer) and the central figure of "Held Carneval" (later known as "Prinz Carneval"). The parade was a huge success with the people of Mainz. Several hundred participants, two floats, and the carnival guard in their uniforms caused quite a stir. Contemporary chronicles noted, "Thanks to the organisers of this wonderful parade. Never has there been so much laughter as there was at this magnificent composition of whimsy and its successful execution."
1838 birth Following the success of 1837, committed citizens, led by Mainz merchant, city councillor, and state parliament member Johann Maria Kertell, along with the newly founded Mainz Carnival Association, organised a masked parade on Shrove Monday, 26 February 1838. Several important actions preceded this event. On 19 January 1838, a committee of Mainz citizens drafted statutes for a carnival association. They requested approval from the Grand Ducal Hessian Provincial Commissioner of Lichtenberg, with over 100 applicants signing the application. One main objective was to "celebrate Carnival in a more orderly and refined manner than has been the case in this city to date, in homage to the god Jocus." Approval was granted on 22 January, suggesting prior arrangements with the authorities. The Mainzer Carneval-Verein (MCV) was established. The first general meeting took place on 25 January, followed by further meetings. On 9 February, President Carl Georg Michel applied for permission to hold a Shrove Monday parade, which was promptly granted. Two Mainz
chair manufacturers, the city administration, and the military authorities provided 100 carriages. The carnival militia from the previous year became the Mainzer Ranzengarde, with 37 members and their general, Johann Maria Kertell, now appearing in electoral uniforms from the time of Elector
Friedrich Karl Joseph von Erthal. They, along with the "Zwergen-Compagnie" (dwarf company) of costumed children, provided the military escort for the procession and were considered the bodyguards of Held Carneval. Heralds of the prince on horseback led the procession, followed by the Ranzengarde, flag bearers, and the Ranzengarde in their new uniforms, many with stuffed bellies and long braids. Held Carneval resided with his court on the accompanying carriages. The parade proceeded from the riding arena via Schlossplatz and Große Bleiche to the market square, where Held Carneval was ceremoniously enthroned and crowned king, receiving the homage of Mainz citizens. For the first time, a flag consecration ceremony and a recruit oath were held at the Ranzengarde, which remain typical elements of Mainz street carnival today. The first proper Mainz carnival campaign ended with a cap ride to the Neue Anlage.
1839–1933 The next two Rose Monday Parades in 1839 and 1840 were thematically linked to the 1838 parade. While Held Carneval was enthroned in 1838, the 1839 parade celebrated his wedding, and 1840 marked the birth of their son, Hanswurst. By 1842, however, the parades began reflecting current issues of the politically turbulent
Vormärz period. The Mainz carnival became more political, with new carnivalists like
Ludwig Kalisch,
Franz Heinrich Zitz (MCV president from 1843), and Eduard Reis driving the emergence of a political and literary Mainz carnival. In 1845, the parade drew attention from authorities in Darmstadt. The Minister of the Interior of the
Grand Duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt called for "more official attention and vigilance" toward the parade. In 1846, censorship was symbolically burned on the Mainz market square during the parade. Despite tensions, relations between the MCV and local Mainz authorities remained good, with the provincial commissioner of Lichtenberg and acting mayor Nikolaus Nack preventing bans from Darmstadt. In 1856, Mainz's carnival celebrations and the Rose Monday Parade were revived, drawing on the successful early years. The Mainzer Klepper-Garde, founded that year, participated as the second guard of the street carnival. In 1863, the parade was planned to be particularly magnificent to mark the 25th anniversary of the organised carnival in Mainz. However, offensive carnival speeches led the Prussian garrison commander to withdraw bands and horses, threatening cancellation. The Grand Duke of Hesse-Darmstadt provided bands and horses, allowing the parade to proceed. The
German-Danish War in 1864 and subsequent political events, including the
Prussian-Austrian War, along with a lack of funds, caused a long break in the parade until 1884. The parade survived this hiatus and, starting in 1884, experienced a new boom. The construction of the new Stadthalle (city hall) in 1884, then the largest festival hall in Germany, boosted indoor carnival celebrations. Floats became larger and more elaborate, with structures designed by architects and sculptors reaching heights of up to 6 meters. In 1888, the 50th anniversary of the MCV was celebrated with a professionally organised parade. Members of the Grand Ducal family watched from the balcony of the
Deutschhaus. The 1913 parade, marking the MCV's 75th anniversary, was the largest to date, with 100,000 visitors, including 40,000 from outside Mainz. Grand
Duke Ernst Ludwig, Grand Duchess Eleonore, and a 25-strong entourage watched from the Erthaler Hof balcony. The
First World War and the
occupation of the Rhineland, including Mainz, by French troops halted the parade until 1926. In 1927, the Rose Monday Parade resumed to great acclaim, with the regional and interregional tourism industry promoting Mainz Carnival.
Nazi control The Rose Monday Parade on 27 February 1933 was largely free from external political influence. However, the
Reichstag fire that evening changed Germany's political landscape. From spring 1933, the Mainz carnival was brought under political control through the
Gleichschaltungsgesetze (enforced conformity laws) enacted on 31 March and 7 April 1933. By year's end, the Nazi organisation
Kraft durch Freude (Strength Through Joy) controlled Shrove Tuesday in Mainz, including the parade, which was valued as an economic factor. Visitors were transported to Mainz from across the German Reich. The 1934 parade's motto was "Mir könne wieder lache" (We can laugh again). Floats depicted the "evil St. Nicholas" putting naughty children (representing
Social Democrats and
Centre Party members) into a brown inkwell. Street sweepers drove under the slogan "Es werd' weiter gesäubert" (The cleaning continues), a clear Nazi propaganda threat. By 1935, with the motto "Alles unner ääner Kapp" (Everything under one cap), the parade was fully under Nazi control. In 1936, a float referenced the
Dachau concentration camp, warning, "The moral of the story: Keep your mouth shut and don't complain!" Another float addressed the anti-Semitic "Mainz wine fraud trials," depicting Jewish wine merchants with an oversized wine barrel bearing a
Star of David, labelled "Han mer auch Eintopf gemacht" (We've made stew too), and text stating, "Foreigners have seriously damaged German trade by acting in this way."
After the Second World War The Rose Monday Parade was revived in 1950, attracting 300,000 visitors with over 100 floats. Financing was supported by a 10,000 DM grant from the city and the sale of 100,000 Zugplakettchen (parade badges). Themes included the political situation in Berlin and the separation of post-
Second World War. Post-war parades occurred annually, except in 1991 (due to the Second
Gulf War), 2016 (due to storm warnings from the
German Weather Service), and 2021 (due to the coronavirus pandemic). Some 2016 floats participated in a modified parade on 8 May for the 200th anniversary of Rheinhessen. The annually changing parade theme, introduced in the 1920s, became a fixture. In 1963, the MCV celebrated its 125th anniversary. In 1988, marking 150 years, a tragic accident occurred when a child was fatally injured by a float, leading to tightened safety regulations. The 100th parade took place in 2001. In 2023, following cancellations in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic, the parade saw a record 600,000 spectators. == Organisation ==