Carnival is held in many regions of the world. It is referred to as „foolish event“, the Germans call it the „fifth season“, and the idea behind the carnival has a tradition that is already a few thousand years old. Ash Wednesday leads into a 40 days Lent time before Easter, celebrating death and resurrection of the Lord, comes. So that is why even faithful people try to have a very good time before Lent. Usually the highlight of Carnival falls in the transition from winter to spring. The end of the poor winter and the joy of the spring season, which brings fresh fruits and the warm sun again, has always made people happy already. The last Day of carnival is called Faschingsdienstag, Shrove Tuesday. People in New Orleans call it „Mardi Gras“ („Fat Tuesday“). The carnival has prevailed especially in the Catholic areas of Germany (at the Rhine River, in the Schwäbisch regions and in Bavaria). According to Austria, carnival is celebrated more than anywhere else in Vorarlberg, in Vienna it is maintained only by the children. You’ll never find an adult person putting on neither a mask nor funny disguise on Faschingsdienstag in Vienna. In Burgenland, celebrating carnival has changed in recent decades. Many old customs such as the „Blochziehen“ are hardly held anymore: Historically, the young unmarried men of the village, when a whole winter passed without a wedding, organized a sort of a replacement wedding at the end of carnival and pulled a long tree trunk (“Bloch ) through the village. For a while parades were popular in many places, but they also are becoming increasingly rare. In 2016, you can see parades on Shrove Tuesday or the Weekend before in the following places in Burgenland: Andau, Frauenkirchen, Großpetersdorf, Güssing, Jennersdorf, Mörbisch, Neusiedl am See, Oberpullendorf, Oggau, Rudersdorf, Stadtschlaining and Stegersbach. (Source: http://www.wissenswertes.at/index.php?id=termine-faschingsumzug-bgld, 01.02.2016). In the largest cities in Burgenland, in Eisenstadt, Mattersburg and Oberwart, Shrove Tuesday is also celebrated. Throughout the day the city areas are very busy. At noon most of the shops, banks and schools close. And because there are so many schools there, many young people arrive in the afternoon in the city, disguised, in mask and in a very good mood. Very popular are the so-called carnival sessions in some communities. Teams work out a comedy program, actors use to sing songs and play Sketches parodying events in politics and society in Austria, in Burgenland or in the village. The most famous carnival sessions of Burgenland are the „Faschingskabarett Güssing“ and the „Kapplsitzungen“ of the „Krebslers“ in Oberpullendorf. In Güssing few dozen people are part of the program, an own Big Band makes up for entertainment. The Faschingskabarett has existed since 1984. It is seen annually by more than 2000 people. The “Kapplsitzungen” by the “Faschingsgilde Oberpullendorf” are known far beyond the borders of the district. An experienced team performs a great program on seven nights. There are also Faschingssitzungen of various clubs in Antau, Breitenbrunn, Neudörfl, Piringsdorf, PötteIsdorf and Wörterberg. You see, carnival is still held all over the country.

Walter Dujmovits jun.