Schnitzelbank (Bänkelsang)

A schnitzel bank at the Basel Carnival.

In Switzerland, a schnitzel bank is a compilation of short verses , which are usually presented rhythmically or singingly and are intended to amuse the audience with humorous descriptions of current or general human occurrences.

It is particularly difficult and attractive to address a topic with the audience in very few words and to give it an astonishing twist with a punch line: the shorter and fewer lines it is done, the higher the art of the schnitzel bender. Schnitzel banks are written for carnival , wedding celebrations and other celebrations and presented by individuals or small groups. Often the lecture is accompanied by one or a few musical instruments. Mostly the Schitzelbänkler show posters (Helgen) that go with the individual verses and introduce the theme of the verse, but are not allowed to anticipate the punch line.

Schnitzel banks are in the tradition of the bench singing . They are a key element of the Basel Carnival in Basel . They are also known in other places in Switzerland and in southwest Germany, are performed during the Swabian-Alemannic Carnival and are always influenced by the local dialect .

Word origin and gender

The name Schnitzelbank goes back to a special workbench that could be found in cooper's workshops . The wooden staves that were needed to make the barrel were carved on it.

In and around Basel, the masculine form ( the Schnitzelbank) is used when speaking of the carnival singers, whereas the workbench is also a feminine word there. In other regions of Switzerland, however, the female form is also used for singing.

See also

• Deckle speech
• The Pennäler Schnitzelbank in Ellwangen (Jagst)

Web links

• Schnitzelbangg Committee
• BSG Basler Schnitzelbangg Society
• VSG Verainigti Schnitzelbangg Society
• Comité 2000
• Schorsch vom Haafebeggi II
• Poison injection
• BfB Bängg fir Basel
• Bebbi Bängg Basel

Individual evidence

1. ↑ cf. http://www.churer-fasnacht.ch/ (PDF)