February, 2004 - Nr. 2
Dick reports...
Crazy Ladies
and other stuff
![Horst & Hilde Koch, Prince Richard & Princess Kerstin [Photo: Bert Koch]](402c-Crazy-b.jpg)
This is the first time in many years that I had to miss one of my favourite events in Kitchener: Crazy Ladies Night! But one of our ex-princesses (Helga Koch) kept me posted via e-mail on the happenings at this event that was themed "Circus" this year.
A![Narrhalla Guard dance [Photo: Bert Koch]](402c-Crazy-e.jpg)
pparently
some of the groups were kept away by inclement weather, but those that made
it were the Narrhalla ‘58 - who brought their Juniors and Kindergarde (and
Pippi Langstrumpf) to entertain – Ontario Prinzengarde and Treuer Husar,
Mississauga.
![Circus dance - Narrenzunft [Photo: Bert Koch]](402c-Crazy-f.jpg)
The
Narrenzunft Concordia Senior Guard performed a "Zirkus Tanz", to match the
theme of the evening, and to the delight of the audience.
Joe Lindlau did his best again to find the right music to go with what is happening at every moment. He and his helpers are good that way – of course he has had lots of experience in the carnival circuit.
![Murray Taylor, Frank Wolf & Fred Kau's "Vagabond" song [Photo: Bert Koch]](402c-Crazy-h.jpg)
Great
costumes won prices: Best male costume "The inebriated Vagabond", Fred Kau.
![Best costume, ladies - Hugh Turner & David Simon [Photo: Bert Koch]](402c-Crazy-i.jpg)
Best
female costumes: David Simon and Hugh Turner as "Cleaning Ladies". (I had to
think of Carol Burnett when I read Helga’s report).
![Helga & Albert Koch [Photo: Bert Koch]](402c-Crazy-g.jpg)
Best
couple: "Biedermeier" Bert & Helga Koch - and Annegret Kau won the door
prize:
![Door prize winner Annegret Kau & Fred Kau [Photo: Bert Koch]](402c-Crazy-d.jpg)
A
weekend at the "Les Diplomats" Bed & Breakfast. Congratulations!
Of course you can always go to our website: www.echoworld.com for additional pictures that you can download if you find yourself there. Our thanks to Bert Koch, who provided the photos for this event.
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…and then there was the Hansa Haus,
where
the Treue Husaren, Mississauga hosted the annual costume ball last Saturday.
It was a full house again and filled with wonderfully innovative and
colourful costumes.
Great Costumes
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It is always amazing how ingenious and inventive people can be when it comes to designing their costumes for this event. Some come as couples – with identical costumes – some are just designed for themselves, like a the Prussian Officer- Sasa Ulbricht, who had never been to a costume ball before and then won first prize as solo male costume. First prize for solo female went to Gerdrud as ‘Nofretete’.
Some, like the KG Hansa, had identical costumes for the whole club. (Thanks to Angelika Kaltz) You just knew that they belonged together.
As usually there was plenty of "Royalty" present: Prince Richard & Princess Kerstin from the Narrenzunft Concordia, Kitchener; Prince Frank and Princess Audrey from London, both with "Hofstaat" ; Prince Timothy and Princess Karen from Downriver, Detroit are also loyal visitors to our Canadian functions and it was the first time that they attended in identical costumes, as bikers. Great! I always maintain that a carnival function is not complete without at least one ‘foolish royal’ visitor.
Of
course there were also a number of "Ex"-royals in attendance. Much too many
to list here, but you will meet them all – and many more – at the "Prinzenball"
on May the 14th 2004. Mark it in your calendar as a "Must attend"
entry.
Some
of the other visiting carnival societies were the Treue Husaren, Toronto,
Narrhalla ‘58, Hamilton, Ontario Prinzengarde, Narragonia, Brantford – it
was great to see Karl Kurtz and Emmy again, after their automobile accident
last year, and on their feet dancing a little.
As you can well imagine, this made it a very colourful
picture on the dance floor and the Mississauga Express did its level best to
keep the dance floor filled. Someone started a "Polonaise" that even
encouraged some non-dancers to participate.
Speaking
of dancing, the THM Guard entertained with two show dances and a very
successful "Solo" by Jenny, all greatly appreciated and applauded by the
grateful audience.
Walter
Schmitz also entertained with a "Büttenrede" – a traditional comedy routine
from the stage (it used to be a "Bütt" or barrel in the old days) in "Kölsch"
– the dialect spoken in Cologne, Germany. It was very good and quite funny.
Unfortunately only about a handful in the audience understood him! Well, you
can’t win them all! But Walter got the "Sausage Medal" anyway.
Wonderful food from the Hansa Kitchen was available to serve the revellers – Kasseler, Schnitzel, Sausages, Tartar and Cheesecake etc. – something for every palate. A well-stocked bar looked after the liquid requirements of the visitors as well.
The Winner Circle
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The selection of "door-prizes" and the costume-prize judging concluded the official part of this very successful event. The judges had a hard time trying for the ‘best’ among the many great costumes (I even noticed one of the judges sweating!) and it took much circling around the dance floor before the final results were in. About a dozen of the costumes won prizes.
...and some of the winners
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What is the logical conclusion? Well, carnival is not quite dead yet. I noticed some of the visitors were younger than most and Wilfried Kuesters, the president of the host society, works very hard to interest younger members to join the fun – with some success I might add. Some of the other clubs and societies also try very hard to interest younger generations to join. Maybe all is not lost yet, as some of the old-timers keep prophesying, it would be a shame to loose all this fun and all the old traditions to "progress"!
Alaaf, Helau and Ahoi, as always
Dick Altermann
Comments to: dick@echoworld.com
