Communities

From Ulm to New Ulm

German Narren Visit for Oktoberfest

NEW ULM – Dirk and Gina Becker traveled from Augsburg, Germany, to New Ulm Oct. 9-12 to attend Schell’s Oktoberfest and visit friends in the New Ulm Narren group.

The couple belongs to the Ulm Narrenzunft – Zunftgruppe Butzaraule and Butzabell. They live in Augsburg and are members of the Ulm group.

The connection between the two groups started in 2011. The New Ulm Narren traveled to Biberach, Germany to participate in a Ringtreffen. A Ringtreffen is a gathering of the Alemannischer Narrenring, the organization that includes Narrenzünfte in southern Germany.

Gina Becker was the contact who helped the New Ulm group during that trip.

“They treated us like royalty,” Kathy Rubey said.

The groups met again in 2024 in Ulm. The New Ulm Narren group were having a photo taken at the Ulm sign when Gina walked by and said the couple would come to New Ulm in 2025.

The Beckers began their American vacation Sept. 18 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. They were on a Great Lakes cruise that ended in Milwaukee Oct. 8. They toured Chicago Oct. 8-9, then drove to New Ulm and arrived Oct. 9.

They stayed with Gary and Kathy Rubey at N. Garden St. in New Ulm. The home has an upstairs apartment with living room, beds and bathroom.

Rubey said she offered the space because hotels were booked a year in advance for Oktoberfest. Best Western raises prices during that weekend, she said.

Gina Becker said staying with friends is better than staying in a hotel.

Kathy Rubey arranged for the group to sit in the entertainment tent at Schell’s Brewery Oct. 11 with brewery president Ted Marti. 

Rubey said Marti is her classmate and invited them to sit at the Brewmaster’s table. Tables in the tent were already reserved.

During their stay, the Beckers toured Flandrau State Park Group Center that housed German Air Force Prisoners of War, the Hermann Monument at Hermann Heights, the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, downtown New Ulm and Goosetown. 

Rita Waibel, who Rubey described as an originator of the local group, joined them for lunch at Tavern 409 at the Best Western Plus.

At the lunch, Dirk Becker said he has been an active Narr for 30 years. Gina Becker said she has been active for about 10 years.

Gina Becker said she was passive at first and became active to supervise the group.

The Beckers explained the structure of their organization. The Alemannischer Narrenring is the top organization. Under it are Narrenzünfte, which are clubs. Within the clubs are Zunftgruppen, which are groups with different characters.

The Butzaraule and Butzabell are two such groups. Each group wears the same mask and costume.

The masks are professionally carved by specialized carvers. Dirk Becker said one carver is in Dortmund, Germany. The costumes can be tailored by members.

There are about 67 of the same mask in their group, Gina Becker said.

Gina Becker said some groups are large because they attract younger members. She said her group had a generation gap. 

She said connecting members helped the group grow and attract younger people. She said children in Germany get a week off school for vacation during Fastnacht. Babies are dressed in the same costumes, sometimes at two weeks old. They start wearing masks at age 12 to 14.

The Beckers said Narren groups in Germany cannot wear or bring their masks outside Fasching season.

Gina Becker said the season starts Jan. 6, Three Kings Day, and ends on Shrove Tuesday, which is Fat Tuesday in America.

“The masks come out at the evening of the fifth, and we are allowed to wear it until midnight,” Gina Becker said. She said masks are worn until midnight on Tuesday, then members take off their costumes, masks and bells. The bells must be quiet the rest of the year.

Because of that rule, the Beckers did not bring their full Häs, the costume and mask, to Minnesota. They brought photos on their phones and wore Bavarian Dirndl and Lederhosen and their formal Narren dress with medals and tuxedos for Oktoberfest.

Gina and Dirk said Ulm does not have an Oktoberfest. Residents go to Munich, about two hours away, at the end of September.

The Beckers said they enjoyed the New Ulm event. They said friends in Ulm followed their time in New Ulm online and want to come.

The Beckers left New Ulm Oct. 12 at 2 p.m. in cooler weather.

They shared a song they sing to friends at the end of gatherings. The song is used as a closing at Fastnacht events.

Gina Becker said the lyrics are:

Drum sagen wir auf Wiederseh’n,

Die Zeit mit euch war wunderschön,

Es ist wohl besser, jetzt zu geh’n,

Wir können keine Tränen seh’n,

Schönen Gruß und auf Wiederseh’n.

The English translation is:

That’s why we say goodbye,

The time with you was beautiful,

It’s probably better to go now,

We can’t bear to see tears,

Fond greetings and goodbye.