Cologne opened its annual carnival Thursday with ramped-up security to prevent a repeat of the sex assaults that marred New Year and triggered a debate about Germany's ability to integrate asylum seekers.
Beer, chocolate, car keys! Lock them all away, say Germans, who more than half say they partake in Lent, the seven-week fasting period before Easter, but more for health rather than religious reasons.
Braunschweig authorities cancelled the city's Karneval parade a mere 90 minutes before it was to start on Sunday, due to a "concrete threat of an Islamist attack" identified by state security officials.
Large parts of Germany come to a standstill for carnival, the six days before Lent when half the nation lets its hair down for a wild party that shouldn’t be missed, writes David Crossland.
Alaaf! The Rhineland is in full Karneval swing, but not all the festivities were peaceful, as police were called to dozens of fights and pulled revellers out of the crowds on Thursday.
Cologne's planned Charlie Hebdo float in its Rosenmontag parade was a false start, after the organising committee scrapped its construction over security concerns.
Two Karneval-goers were left seriously injured after a car rammed into their group on Monday in western Germany. They were going door-to-door in fancy dress costumes collecting charity donations when the vehicle hit them.
Food writer Nadia Hassani takes The Local through one of her best recipes just in time for Karneval - delicious, deep-fried pastries and shares her experiences of the German party season.
Germany's Rhineland exploded into colour and music on Thursday morning, signalling the beginning of the Karneval season. Cities in the area transform annually for a big party.
Ben Knight brings you the The Local's Weekly News Podcast, featuring a happy end to a biscuit kidnapping, genetic rights, yet more PhD plagiarism, and blast-off for two major German events in one day.
Germany's Karneval festivities got off to a chilly start on Thursday, as jesters stormed city halls across the Rhineland to kick off a week of booze, parties and parades.
<b>Allow The Local to explain why you don’t have to be Catholic or from the Rhineland to enjoy the boozy zaniness that is Karneval. Who needs nearly naked Samba dancers in Rio when you have drunk Germans in clown suits in Cologne, right?</b>
One of the oldest and most successful dance schools in Rio de Janeiro chose to go for a German theme at this year's Carnival. The only trouble: German firms have been less than enthusiastic about sponsorship deals.
<i>Rosenmontag</i>, or Rose Monday, is when the Rhinelanders show off their satirical side with the traditional parade of bizarre Karneval floats. Check out our photo gallery of the best pics of the day.
Help is now at hand for English speakers – and some Germans – who find it impossible to understand Cologne's traditional drinking songs being sung by Carnival revellers. A German-American couple has published translations.
A Turkish newspaper and the Foreigners’ Advisory Council in the German state of Hesse have expressed outrage at a televised <i>Karneval</i> monologue that made several jokes at the expense of Turkish Germans.
Who let the fools out? Each year at 11:11am on the eleventh day of the eleventh month, Germany marks the beginning of the traditional ‘Fifth Season’ ahead of Karneval celebrations.
