Cologne Carnival

The Cologne Carnival is a carnival that takes place every year in Cologne, Germany. Traditionally, the "fifth season" (carnival season) is declared open at 11 minutes past 11 on the 11th of November. The Carnival spirit is then temporarily suspended during the Advent and Christmas period, and picks up again in earnest in the New Year. The time of merrymaking in the streets is officially declared open at downtown square Alter Markt on the Thursday before the beginning of Lent. Street carnival, a week-long street festival, also called "the crazy days", takes place between the Fat Thursday (Weiberfastnacht) and ends on Ash Wednesday (Aschermittwoch). The highlight of the carnival is Rose Monday (Rosenmontag), two days before Ash Wednesday. All through these days, Cologne folks go out masqueraded. The typical greeting during the festival is Kölle Alaaf!, a Kölsch phrase which can be translated as "Cologne above all!" Read more on Wikipedia

August Sander Cologne Carnival

Lowry refers to the carnival in his novel Ultramarine when the German sailor Popplereuter tells Dana; "But at this Cologne Carnival I threw a man into the Rhine" (Pg.88). Lowry probably heard about the festival while he was in Germany in 1928 or possibly even visited the festival as he was still in Germany in October. (Gordon Bowker Pursued By Furies Pg. 80).