Schellerlauf
The Schellerlaufen is a colorful carnival - custom in the Austrian village of Nassereith in Tyrol takes place every three years. From January 6th until Shrove Tuesday, Carnival rules the small Gurgltaler village at the foot of the Fernpass in the middle of the Tyrolean mountains. The next Schellerlauf will take place in February 2022.
History of the Schellerlauf
There is only limited historical evidence of the Fasnacht in Nassereith. Partly due to disasters (fires) but also partly due to poor archive work, many references to the history of the Nassereither Fasnacht were destroyed. In the so-called Pfundser Schemen Trial of the year 1775, a masking in Nassereith is also mentioned. There is also a mention of the Nassereither Fasnacht from 1740 in the Tyrolean State Archives. This document is the oldest reference to this carnival custom in Nassereith. This tradition is proven to be more than 270 years old. According to stories and traditions, the origins of this carnival go back much further.
There are several theories about the origins of the Nassereither Fasnacht - the term Schellerlaufen has only been used since 1951. Early observers of customs interpreted the hustle and bustle as a pagan cultic relic or saw a strong erotic-sexual component in this custom. However, the Nassereither Fasnacht must be seen in connection with other (carnival) customs. For example, the main character of the Schellerlauf, the bear and the bear driver can also be found at the Blochzug in Fiss or during the carnival in the Pitztal . These figures also appear when walking in diagrams in Imst . Wild bears and their bear drivers were already seen as an attraction in cities and markets in the Middle Ages and modern times. Presumably as an imitation (or mockery) of these traveling artists, the figure of the bear and the bear driver, who also appeared in court parades, came to the Tyrolean Carnival.
After the Second World War , the Nassereither were the first in Tyrol to go to Carnival again. The French occupying forces were so enthusiastic that they provided 150 liters of wine and 50 kg of wheat flour. So many people came from Imster Bahnhof that they had to transport the French with their trucks. Since then, the Nassereither went to Carnival without interruption. Today Nassereith is one of the largest carnivals in the Alpine region, along with Imst, Telfs and Thaur.
As with most carnival customs, all masks in Nassereith are embodied exclusively by men. Why this is so cannot be clearly explained even from history. A connection to the witch hunt and to other demonic things seems possible. According to tradition, women who were caught dressed as masks during the parades were thrown into the well without further ado.
The figures
- The bear and its driver
These two figures form the heart of the Nassereither Fasnacht. The driver with his grim, wooden mask embodies winter, which has spring - embodied by the bear - firmly under control. The bear driver is dressed in boots, blue jutte trousers and a brown jutte jacket. In one hand he holds a head-high hazelnut stick, in the other the bear's chain. The shoulder-length, curly and jet black hair is covered by a cap. The facial features of the wooden mask and the color of the hair are reminiscent of the Slavic bear bands that used to roam around for the amusement of townspeople. The bear costume is made of black sheepskin. Through the bear's mouth, the performer can recognize his surroundings - even if only sparsely. The two are accompanied by the so-called bear piper - a man with a snare drum and a pipe on which he constantly plays the same rhythm - and the bear collector, who uses a bell bag to get a little “coin” for bears and his driver tried hard.
- Sackner
The Sackner represents a well-built woman. He is dressed in what is known as a “wifling”, a kind of costume made from a good 30 meters of fabric. This amount of fabric is mostly hidden in the innumerable folds on the back of the skirt. Without these folds, the skirt would not turn a nice wheel as it rotates. The "wifling" is completed by an apron, an elbow-length white blouse and a neck or shoulder scarf. The color composition of all these components is left to the actor himself.
The Sackner wears a "Fatzle" cap on his head, a kind of hat whose base is completely covered with twisted woolen threads. Due to its size, it gives the Sackner an even more imposing appearance. The mask is made of wood and shows the face of an old, wrinkled woman - with big eyes, a mouth full of crooked teeth, full cheeks and lips.
Most of the time the sackclothes are represented by tall men. Paired with the terrifying mask and high caps, this gives the Sackner a striking, imposing appearance. The Sackner is an order mask that should create space for the other masks. To do this, he turns in a circle and lets the skirt fly or uses a sack filled with fabric, sawdust and wool and covered with leather and ruffles. This is hit more or less forcefully on the buttocks or the thighs of the audience in order to encourage them to give way. This includes the powerful cheering - the "Sackner-Schroa" - which ensures constant attention.
- The beautiful train
The beautiful train consists of Kehrer, Roller and Scheller, the Kehrer is only available in Nassereith and is called by many as the most beautiful mask. He wears a colorful dress that is richly decorated with embroidery. He also has a richly decorated rice straw broom and a belt around his body. The larva represents a young man with a mustache and goatee. His headdress is decorated with ribbons, flowers and a mirror. The headdress of the beautiful train resembles a bishop's miter.
The scooter wears the same robe as the sweeper, but instead of a broom it has a simple stick and there are small rolls on its belt that sound brightly when jumping. The scooter also hops on just one leg. He too has the larva of a youth but without a goatee.
The Scheller is the most distinctive figure of the beautiful train. He has a huge beard and represents a strong Tyrolean man. He has four huge bells (clapper bells ) around, which weigh up to 35 kilograms. He is also wearing a richly decorated robe. A bucket maje joins the group of three. It represents a young woman, Maje is an outdated term for a young girl.
Sweeper
Scooter
Scheller
- The splash
The splashes are pure Nassreither masks and probably come from the Christmas crib. In the pilgrimage church in Dormitz there is a portrait of a young Mohrin who venerates Our Lady as an African continent. She wears the same clothes as the Mohrenspritzer in Nassereith. Moors can also be found in many nativity scenes in relation to the three kings, and the parish church is dedicated to St. Consecrated to three kings. It is therefore assumed that the Mohr actually descended from a saint. The angel splash should have been added at a later time.
- The Russlers
The Rußler is the symbol of the Nassereither Fasnacht. It has either a dark carrot larva with a white mustache, or a light larva, also with a mustache. He wears brightly colored silk pants. His skirt (blouse) is sewn on with hundreds of patches of fabric, as is also known from the Alemannic carnival. He still has a broom and a cloth with soot, which he uses to blacken people. The Russler is buried on "Fasnachterchtig", as Shrove Tuesday is called in Nassereith.
- The Karner
A specialty in Nassereith are the Karrner with their wooden larvae. The Karner own a tarpaulin wagon in which the Carnermother sits. This is followed by broom binders, umbrella binders, scissor grinders, birders, etc.
- The couple
The Paarlen are also an integral part of the Nassereither Fasnacht. Here, too, there are only men behind the larvae. The couple always appear as man and woman. They are mostly dressed as fishermen or peasant couples in beautiful traditional costumes.
- The witches
The "witch father" steps forward with the "witch music". This consists of dwarfs who are embodied by children. Then the "witch mother" follows with an impressive wooden mask. They are followed by 13 witches and the "Hexennale" (Hexenoma) on a large float.
The sequence
The carnival season begins on January 6th, the patronage festival of Nassereith, with the last bell of the 12 o'clock ringing. Hundreds of locals gather at the May Fountain and Kranewitterplatz. At 5 p.m. some Sackner, Scheller and Rußler as well as a crier walk through the village. He announced that the carnival gathering with roles assigned will take place at 8:30 p.m. At the plenary assembly, the deceased carnival is remembered first, then the chairman asks the question “Gemar huire int Fonsnoch?” (Are we going to carnival this year?), Which the approximately 400 participants answer with “Yes”.
On the Sunday after Epiphany, the evening carnival, represented by a little soot, more than two hundred masked people and up to 3000 onlookers take part in this spectacle.
Once the carnival is found, the preparation for the Schellerlauf begins. The women prepare the costumes and the men train and build the wagons for the move. The dress rehearsal takes place on the Sunday before the Schellerlauf after the mass.
On the evening of the last Sunday before the Schellerlauf, the so-called “sound trial” takes place. A procession with around 200 masked people moves through the village and mocks the figures who will make their big appearance next Sunday.
The highest secular holiday of Nassereither begins earlier than any other Tyrolean carnival, namely at midnight with the Umschlag , an unorganized noisy parade where everyone brings their own instruments. Good weather should cause the noise and also the only chance as a woman to actively participate in the Nassereither carnival. At 10:00 a.m. the lift of the masks to the Postplatz begins. The Postplatz is now filled with thousands of visitors. The actual carnival begins at 12:00 noon with up to 11,000 visitors. The start signal is given by the Schnöller standing on a large snow platform. Then come the Sackner first, then the Angels and the Mohrenspritzer and the Sootlers. Then the beautiful come out of the gate: First the sweeper, then the scooter and the sheller with a bucket maje. This is followed by group by group, including the couple. All masks then form a circle around the snow platform. Then come the main characters: bear driver, bear and bear piper. You step onto the platform, the driver asks the bear to do a "Purzegolgl" (somersault) forwards and backwards. First the bear, which represents spring, is reluctant, then it gives way to the driver, which represents winter. But after the last somersault, the so-called "walsche Purzegagl", the bear gets up and attacks the driver. Winter is defeated. After the fight, the witches make their grand entrance, they swear their oath of loyalty to the witch's mother. After the oath, the great procession of the masks through the village is formed. The Karner and Wagen also take part in the move. After a few hours you return to the Postplatz. At around 5:30 p.m. the train goes to the carnival house, where the big bell from the Dreikönigskirche announces the end of the Schellerlauf. In the evening the big carnival ball takes place in the community hall.
A kind of post-carnival night takes place on the Monday after the Schellerlauf. The beautiful train with sweepers, scooters, bell jars, sackcloths etc. is missing. But the carts and the wagons are very busy.
On Shrove Tuesday (Shrove Tuesday), the carnival is carried to the grave in a long funeral procession.
Others
Long preparatory work is necessary for the Nassereith Carnival. In order to maintain the tradition and certain features, a carnival committee was set up. The committee ensures that the old, handed-down regulations are adhered to, but also helps with the embroidery and sewing of the elaborate garments of the beautiful train and other masks with advice and action.
Since spring 2008 there has also been its own carnival museum.
In the years in which there is no Schellerlauf, the so-called "Wild Carnival" is held on Nonsensical Thursday. The focus here is on the Karner. But the Russlers and some groups of singers are also there.
literature
- Anton Dörrer: Tyrolean Carnival. Innsbruck 1948.
- Hans Gapp: The great carnival in Tyrol. Innsbruck 1996.
- Norbert Mantl: The old Nassereither Fastnacht. Egger, Imst [approx. 1974].
- Wolfgang Pfaundler: The Carnival in Nassereith. Innsbruck 1995.