Sulzburg celebrated Fastnacht yesterday. Once I’ve had some time to process it mentally I will give some thoughts, hopefully reasoned ones. Today it will just be a few pictures from the parade.

They were expecting on excess of 5,000 people to line the main street to watch. Not bad for a town of 2,000. Admission to the town for non-residents was € 2.50.

We had been told about Fastnacht, and indeed had heard conflicting stories. Depending on who you talk to, it is either a pleasant celebration of folklore, or the unleashing of demons from the pits of Hell. That’s one of the reasons I want to wait a week or so before I write about it – I feel the  need to research some of what I observed.

Certainly it wasn’t all gaiety and light – but some of what disturbed me may have only had a peripheral connection to the festival.

Anyway, to tide you over until I can write more, here’s a photo montage of a few masked participants. What do you think? Does this look like quaint fold tradition to you, or do you sense a spiritual undertone?