No worries about new blood - more young people in carnival clubs
Many young people in Saxony-Anhalt are enthusiastic about carnival. "Most clubs have more youth members after the pandemic than before," said the President of the Saxony-Anhalt Carnival Association, Dirk Vater, to the German Press Agency. "Fortunately, we don't have any worries. The clubs' offers are simply interesting. And when it is possible to perform again, there will naturally be more interest."
In the adult sector, the situation is a little more difficult. "During the pandemic, many older people have handed over their positions to younger people," said Vater. "But the situation is stable."
The regional association is eagerly awaiting developments regarding the price increases by the Gema collecting society at Christmas markets. "Together with the German Carnival Association, we are in talks with Gema to make sure that we don't get hit by anything," said Vater. "Fortunately, we still have a framework agreement with Gema. I'm not aware of any problems with Gema from the clubs for 11.11." Gema charges license fees for music at public events. Several cities have recently complained about significantly increased fees.
Fears that clubs would have to give up due to the explosion in energy prices and rising rental costs have not yet materialized. Due to the general trend, price increases have so far been moderate and have not led to people staying away from events. "Sure, there are cost increases, but at least that hasn't led to clubs no longer being able to do anything. The local authorities in Saxony-Anhalt have regulated this very moderately," said Vater. "So far, no planned parade in Saxony-Anhalt has been canceled due to a lack of money."
The aim and purpose of the tradition has always been to offer people a distraction from everyday life for a few hours. "With younger board members come new ideas and the carnival can become more modern. The basic tenor of carnival customs naturally remains the same. It has been accepted for centuries," said Vater.
For the new session, the President predicts that the tensions surrounding the war in Ukraine and the Middle East will hardly play a role. "In Saxony-Anhalt, big politics has never been a very big topic in carnival anyway. Unfortunately, that has to be said. There are very few carnival speakers for that. Of course, you also have to have the audience for it," said Vater.
Looking back, carnival has learned from the pandemic. It was good that the clubs quickly switched to digitalization. On the other hand, it is now clear that celebrating carnival does not work online. Summer carnival was an exceptional situation. "But clubs that tried it found that it didn't work because it's very strange to walk around in a costume in summer," said Vater.
The fatal accident at the Rose Monday parade in Halle in February was also evaluated. "All regulations were adhered to in Halle, but you simply can't rule out all imponderables. I hope that I won't have to experience something like this again in my long career," said Vater. "Now, of course, we have to see what the city of Halle will do with conditions. I assume that the Rose Monday parade in Halle will take place again." A 21-year-old woman was hit by a truck during the carnival parade in Halle this year and later died of her injuries in hospital.
There are currently 185 clubs with around 18,000 members organized in the state association. Vater estimates that around 40 clubs across the country are not part of the association. There have been no new clubs founded in the past six years.
Despite the surge in young members, some clubs are still facing challenges in the adult sector. "Customs evolve with new ideas from the younger generation, ensuring the carnival stays modern, but the fundamental carnival traditions remain unchanged," said Vater. This evolution of traditions is particularly noticeable during carnival celebrations, where "Customs and Carnival go hand in hand, and the presence of young members often leads to more vibrant Carnival events."
Source: www.dpa.com
