Dear All,
While you are reading this newsletter, Cologne’s carnival celebrations are in full swing. Some of us are celebrating, while others are working tirelessly to prepare for the conference: Our website is being revised so that more information, for example about travel, the city and the campus where the conference will take place, can be found more easily. The acceptance letters have been sent out, and Cambridge University Press will enable registration from 1 March. Of course, the costs for conference participation are also clear for Early Birds (Band A: 190 €, Band B: 130 €, Students: 100 €). These include a Welcome Bundle, caffeine pit stops with catering where you can fuel your brain, and a ticket for public transport, valid during all conference days. We are already looking forward to the carnival days in summer!
The Fool of the Week is not the oldest user of our reading room, who couldn't find the exit. He suddenly appeared on 11/11, the official start of the Cologne carnival season, and immersed himself in our magazines to check out all our »roar-some« books.
Despite all the serious and vibrant work: the TWS team sometimes brings the carnival into the collection and, above all, enjoys its work…
Cologne Curiosity: The unofficial highlight of the Cologne carnival is »Weiberfastnacht«, which happened to be yesterday. The annual »Rosenmontagszug« (Rose Monday Parade) marks the height of Cologne’s carnival celebrations. This year it will take place on March 3rd, when hundreds of thousands of carnival fans – or »Jecke« as we say in Cologne – will gather along the 8.5 km long way to watch the parade, which is also televised for more than 5 hours. Along their way, the 11.000 participants will provide the bystanders with sweets, flowers, and presents. They also organize the carriages with highly political motifs that often criticize conservative and right-wing governments and policies – and they are not holding back! Similar and smaller parades are happening not only on Monday but during most carnival days in Cologne’s surrounding region and the whole Rhine area. From bigger cities like Düsseldorf to rural villages – you can’t escape! (Anastasia Pütz)
Alaaf – meaning as much as au fou de partout, to fools everywhere, we greet you!
Mathilde Frank
for the Cologne Team