The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-26
THE LOCAL CARNIVAL
MAENNERCHOR MAKING ARRANGE
MENTs FOR ITS ANNUAL EVENT.
Twenty-Five Hundred Invitations
VIII BE Issued Next Week-A
Series of Tableaux.

The Indianapolis Maennerchor Society has
decided to hold another carnival in Tomlin-
son Hall this year. The carnival last year
great success artistically. This year
the carnival is TO be on larger scale than
that of last year. The pantomime opening
Of last year will be replaced by series of
tableaux vivants. in which more than one
hundred members of the society will take
part The hall viii be beautifully decorated
and an elaborate setting provided for the
stage. The committee having charge of the
arrangements is composed as follows: Louis
MUIR, J. p. Frenzel. o. F. Frenzel, Franz
Happersberg. Edward Berterman. Charles
II. Adam, Victor Jose. Fred j. Mack and
Frederick Francke. The carnival will be
held on Feb. IS.
The yearly carnival preceding Lent is only
one of the many national customs brought
by the Germans to this country. The word
carnival is popularity supposed to be derived
from the Latin caro- (iesh) and vale Qare-
WELD, being the final feast before the re-
l:gious fast. This etymology is doubted by
some There Is no doubt that the original
carnival was the celebration in the heather
festivals of the sprlngtime. and these be-
came part of the Lupercalia and Bacchan-
ALA of southern Europe. 1t was in Italy
that the annual carnival attained it's high
est dignity, Venice being noted for the
splendor and pOmp of its carnivals; after
wards Rome became the carnival city of the
world. The carnival always reached its
highest dignity in the Roman Catholic coun-
tries. In Rome the carnivals often lasted
three days. the populace went masked, NAL
tractors were publicly executed. races were
held in the principal streets. jews were
acter INDUCED in. The carnivals usually
ended in large ball, TO which the pubic
was welcome, and number or smaller out
more magnificent balls at the homes or the
Roman princes
In Germany the carnival is still held in
many towns, but Cologne. Mainz and Dus-
great carnivals are held. They are also held
on Shrove-tide. the various days preceding
the carnival having sNt their peculiar names;
Monday was "blue Monday" or fools con-
secration,' and "Tuesday-the Tuesday be-
fore the beginning of Lent-was the carnival
style 1t. In the German cities at the present
day arrangements are made Tor the carnival
Der. Two bodies have charge Of the ar
rangements and they have the assistance of
the City Council. both in obtaining the use
of various halls free and in appropriations
of money. The great feature of the carnival
day is the procession that goes through the
main streets of the city. These are usually
got up regardless of expense, the costumes
are rich and gorgeous in the extreme: the
floats are magnificently arranged, and these,
together with streets crowded with people
in fancy costumes and masked. make
scene of great splendor The procession in
Cologne, for instance, is usually preceded by
the heralds OF the city, then come the
the City Council in fancy costume and riding
in medieval carriages; then follow the va
rlous floats, some of them representing old
German stories, many of them being carica-
lures of local political and munic-
lpal events. Taxes are usually, con-
s siar 4 os,v sarnival mat does
not have a float representing the tax
screw" an enormous screw worked by city
payer is being ground to death. The last
float of the carnival procession Is always
the most magnificent, often costing large
sums of money. On II is a throne, and on
the throne in handsome costume sits Prince
Carnival He is masked and is not known
to the people, and much curiosity is always
expressed as to who the Prince will turn
out to be when. the mummery over, the
guests at the city ball unmask. In Cologne
the procession moves down the Hoch-
strasse to the Haymarket passing through
a street that is literally lined with maskers.
All of the side streets are also crowded, and
every sort of costume is represented, save
only priest or nun, these costumes, as well
as masks, being interdicted by the author
tiles. In the evening the carnival winds up
in number of balls, one given by the city
In the city hall, others by the artists and
social societies.
1t is the main idea of this carnival that
has been introduced into the United States
them many of their best customs. The
gesangverein, or singing societies, Is
custom imported with the Germans. They |
are the legitimate successors to the old |
m eistersingers and even late 1889 |
the last four meistersingers in the city of |
Ulm transferred their coat OF arms and |
their seal to the local maennerchor. 1t is |
therefore to the maennerchor societies that |
the keeping up Of many of the good old |
customs has been intrusted, and financial |
benefit is the last thing to be considered |
in arranging for the repetition of the car
nival gayeties.
The Invitations for the Maennerchor car |
nival will be issued next week. The num- |
Der will be limited TO $500 on account of the |
size OF the hall. Special arrangements will |
be made for those who wish TO view the |
and the tableaux without taking |
part in either, and part of the galleries |
will be reserved for visitors, but no adj |
mission will be granted without an invita-