Rottweil/Schramberg (dpa/lsw) - With sunshine and mild temperatures, visitors and fools started the high phase of the carnival on Shrove Monday. In Rottweil, at 8 a.m. sharp, riders and music bands streamed through the city’s Black Gate in front of the crowd of fools. The fool's jump in Rottweil is considered one of the highlights of the Swabian-Alemannic carnival. The city had expected 15,000 visitors to the spectacle. According to police, the day has been peaceful so far.
According to the Rottweil fools’ guild, around 4,000 Hästräger take part in the parade every year. The dress wearers are famous for the wild jumps they perform with their poles. They only depict historical carnival figures such as the "Schantle". In contrast to other parades, the participants march in a colorful jumble and are not separated into groups.
Fools who like it wet despite the sunshine come together at midday (1.00 p.m.) in Schramberg (Rottweil district): On the "Da-Bach-na-Fahrt" they drive down the Schiltach in colorfully decorated wooden tubs. Dozens of teams have to overcome specially built wooden slides in the river while staying as dry as possible. Otherwise they face disgrace and the so-called Soaking Wet Order. The tradition attracts thousands of visitors to the Black Forest town every year.
