The Jecken celebrate wildly at Carnival. But you need to be careful when choosing a costume. Wearing the wrong outfit can even land you in prison.
Kassel – clown or sheep, priest or fireman – or something unusual? How about Indiana Jones, the Mad Hatter from “Alice in Wonderland” or a sumo fighter? No matter which one Costume you decide: Carnival will soon have Germany firmly under control again. But be careful: some disguises can result in trouble or even a fine. In the worst case, you could even be locked up.
When choosing the right costume, special attention should be paid to the weapons. These are indispensable for many costumes, because a knight carries a sword, a cowboy carries a pistol or a pirate carries a saber. But the dummies must not resemble the real equivalents too closely, otherwise they are considered a “sham weapon”. Anyone who carries this with them, for example with a real firearm that has been rendered unusable, must expect a fine. This can be up to 10,000 euros.
Avoid overly realistic uniforms and right-wing extremist costumes at carnival
The same applies to the uniforms: they shouldn't be too realistic. Especially when it comes to police uniforms, the costume should be visibly different from the appearance of the real officers. The reason is obvious: there should be no confusion with the real police. The Criminal Code clearly states in Section 132a: “Anyone who wears domestic or foreign uniforms, official clothing or official badges without authorization will be punished with a prison sentence of up to one year or a fine.”
Even when it comes to right-wing extremism, there are costumes that are strictly prohibited. Wearing costumes that contain, for example, a swastika or other seditious or unconstitutional costumes is considered a criminal offense. The (double) Sieg rune (the symbol of the SS) and the Celtic cross are also prohibited, as are codes such as 88 (symbolic of Heil Hitler), WP (White Power), Black Sun, the Reich War Flag, SGH (Sieg Heil) and B&H ( Blood and Honor/slogan of the Hitler Youth). Anyone who violates this must expect not only a fine, but also a prison sentence of up to three years.
Too little or too much clothing: exhibitionism and the ban on masking in carnival
Too little clothing can also lead to trouble for the Jecken. Anyone who designs their costume too revealingly could be committing public nuisance under the criminal offense of exhibitionistic activity. So be careful here too.
Not only too little, but also too much costume could result in a penalty. For example, if you dress up as a guard from the Netflix show “Squid Game,” this falls under the ban on masking. It is forbidden to cover oneself completely at public gatherings or in traffic.
This can result in a fine (around a fine of 60 euros) or a prison sentence of up to one year. Officials may sometimes turn a blind eye to the issue of masking during carnival. Nevertheless, it is generally better to stay on the safe side here and avoid such outfits.
Prohibited costumes on the road: Safety comes first
Especially in road traffic, safety comes first and the costume must not get in the way. Neither vision, hearing nor freedom of movement may be restricted by the costume. It's clear: opulent disguises with a monkey head attached or a full-body dinosaur costume are out of the question on the steering wheel. If the view is obstructed, a fine of 10 euros is possible.
If there is a hindrance or danger, this may also constitute a violation of the general duty of care and result in a fine of between 20 and 35 euros. In the event of an accident, fully comprehensive insurance can refuse to cover the damage or, in the event of liability, reduce the claims. The following
applies to footwear: you must be able to ensure control of the vehicle at all times. It's best to only put on your clown shoes or ski boots after the ride.
Costumes of Indians or other ethnic groups are not prohibited, but do not necessarily help to break down stereotypes. The Native American Association of Germany also writes: “A large part of the German population does not want to say goodbye to the stereotypical ideas with which cherished childhood memories are associated.”
After a carnival parade, there was a serious accident during the 2023 carnival in Enkirch. A young man is taken to a clinic with serious injuries. (cgsc)
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