The Nuremberg Carnival, also known as the Nuremberg Mummers' Procession, is a medieval festival that was held from 1449 to 1539. Over 90 years, it was held 64 times, and each of these times became an event that attracted residents of the city and the surrounding area.
The carnival united representatives of all classes - from wealthy burghers to simple artisans and peasants. It created an atmosphere of fun and freedom, where social differences were erased, giving way to a universal holiday.
It was a costumed procession, and its participants carefully prepared for this event, creating masquerade costumes and masks. The procession featured costumes representing guilds, allegories, even images of the seven deadly sins, as well as characters of devils, demons, animals, savages, jesters and old women.
The costumed participants walked through the streets of Nuremberg, accompanied by carts decorated with draperies and harnessed by richly decorated horses. These carts carried decorations of fantastic and grotesque structures, which sometimes depicted scenes related to mythology, satire and allegorical scenes.
The procession of mummers turned the streets of the city into a theatrical stage, where everyone could see not only images of people and animals, but also scenes parodying the church and rulers.
Interestingly, the carnival atmosphere allowed for the expression of hidden social moods, including irony and sarcasm towards the church hierarchy, which was especially noticeable in the costume of the indulgence seller, symbolizing popular discontent with the sale of absolutions.
The carnival ended in 1539, when the political and religious atmosphere changed under the pressure of the Reformation and strict new rules.
This holiday became a symbol of cultural expression and popular joy in medieval Germany, showing that carnival is not just a holiday, but also a reflection of the social climate.
Source:
illuminator.press
nuernberg.de
bi-media.de
