Carnival in South Tyrol
They are stomping, screaming, laughing and startling: The so called “Zussln” and “Egetmänner” are typical figures of the traditional South Tyrolean Carnival and they play a very important role.
In fact, they chase away the cold winter and wicked ghosts and welcome the spring. Once, for the people in the mountains the winter was much harder than today. It was not only very cold, but sometimes there was also no food and in the darkness of the night the people supposed ghosts and demons.
In order to banish winter, cold, hunger and darkness, people organised parades and they disguised themselves as fantastic characters. Today, some old carnival customs are still alive, including for instance the mentioned “Zussln” in the village Prad in Vinschgau or the “Egetmann” in Tramin in Bozen and environs.
Carnival events in South Tyrol
- Prad am Stilfserjoch, Vinschgau: parade with “Zussln”
- Tramin, Southern South Tyrol: Egetmann Shrovetide Pageant
- Welschnofen and Obereggen, Rosengarten-Latemar: carnival processions
- Schnals: carnival for children and live music
- Toblach, Innichen and Sexten, Hochpustertal: carnival processions
- St. Ulrich, St. Christina and Wolkenstein, Gröden: carnival parades
- Tramin, Southern South Tyrol: parade with “Egetmann“
