Helau! East German carnival becomes Saxon cultural heritage

The carnival culture in eastern Germany has been included in the state list of intangible cultural heritage of the Free State of Saxony. The East German carnival tradition dates back to the Middle Ages, announced the State Ministry for Culture and Tourism in Dresden.

"For generations, dedicated volunteers have preserved and developed this special form of culture," said Barbara Klepsch (CDU), Minister of State for Culture and Tourism. Today, there are around 930 clubs with 95,000 members in the eastern German states.

Thuringia and Brandenburg have also already added carnival to their respective state lists. Under the leadership of Thuringia, the East German carnival associations have also launched the application "Carnival, Fasching, Fastnacht in East Germany" for inclusion in the nationwide list of intangible cultural heritage. According to a spokesperson for the Saxon ministry, the conference of state culture ministers will decide on the application at one of its next meetings.

Application for funding now possible

For the Saxon carnival and carnival clubs, inclusion on the Free State's list means recognition first and foremost, according to Jörg Weiser, President of the Saxon Carnival Association. "We feel honored and appreciated." The carnival clubs are not just about tradition and culture, they also do youth work and are socially committed, said Weiser. The clubs now also have the opportunity to apply for cultural funding, which has so far been denied to carnivalists.