Life close to the river: this was among the first and most enduring impressions I had of Ulm — how much life, activity, and relaxation happens around — and on — the Danube River. Below is my second of three articles about my time participating in the Hans Joohs Exchange in Ulm, Germany. This article highlights the daily life and the vibrant festivals that Ulmers enjoy on the Danube River.

One of my first views of the Danube River in Ulm was from the Stadtmauer, the city wall that still stands along the river. Once it was a means of protection for the city; today, ice cream shops and restaurants line the top of the wall and passersby stroll along the former fortification. Below, between the city wall and the river, is a green bank on which picnickers lounge during the day and friends share drinks and a sunset in the evening. Some might be seen passing a soccer ball; others might be seen pedaling along the bike path that lines the river. This warm, relaxing atmosphere adds to the high quality of daily life in Ulm.

Downstream from Ulm’s Innenstadt, or downtown, one can climb the winding steps of the Berblinger Tower, built to commemorate Albrecht Ludwig Berblinger’s attempt to fly. In Ulm he is still referred to as Der Schneider von Ulm, or the tailor of Ulm. He constructed wings out of red and white fabric that he tied to his arms. From the location of today’s tower, he jumped into the Danube, trying to fly. The attempt failed, and he needed to be rescued from the Danube, but his red and white wings and his character, the Schneider von Ulm, remain important symbols in Ulm still today.

The Schneider von Ulm makes an appearance as a costumed character in the festivities surrounding the Fischerstechen (fishermen’s joust), a festival that happens every four years in Ulm. Ulm has celebrated this tradition since as early as the mid-16th century. Fischerstechen took place this summer at the end of July and I had the opportunity to join in on the festivities.

Fischerstechen began on Friday, July 18th, with a parade through the city. Ulmers with deep roots in the city dressed in traditional clothes and marched through the streets. At the various marketplaces in the city, the parade stopped so that a traditional dance could take place. Part of the dance included a farmer and the farmer’s wife. Narren – up to mischief like their New Ulm cousins – tried to take the farmer’s wife away from him.

Like the Schneider von Ulm, another key symbol of the city, der Ulmer Spatz, (the sparrow of Ulm) was represented by a person in costume. He too marched in the parade and attended the traditional dances. Throughout the city are statues of the sparrow and on top of the Münster, the large church in the city, rests a copper sparrow with a stick in its mouth. The story of the Ulm sparrow goes back to the building of the Münster church. According to the legend, the citizens of Ulm couldn’t get the long wooden beams to support the roof through the city wall; the gate was too narrow. When they were about to tear down the wall to get the beams through, they saw a sparrow carry a twig in its beak to its nest in a small gap in the wall. In order to get the twig between the stones, the sparrow turned it lengthwise and pushed it in. The citizens of Ulm did the same with their wooden beams and didn’t tear down the city wall.

The Fischerstechen parade ended at the Danube River, where thousands of spectators gathered on both banks of the Danube to watch the culminating event: the jousting tournament on the river. This summer, the National Geographic featured an article on this event, which can be found at nationalgeographic.com. Characters from the history of Ulm, including the Ulmer Spatz and the Schneider von Ulm stood on traditional boats as teams rowed from both banks of the Danube. As the opposing boats reached each other, the characters jabbed long poles at each other, aiming at their opponent’s chest. The character left standing on the boat continued in the tournament. These traditional boats, called Schachtel, were used in Ulm’s history to carry goods along Ulm’s trading routes on the Danube.

The festivities during the Fischerstechen weekend continued on Saturday night with the Lichterserenade, the serenade of lights. Thousands of spectators again lined the banks of the Danube to watch as boats filled with candles motored upstream. After the sun set, volunteers lit those candles and sent them downstream. The Danube was filled with sparkling lights as the city sent fireworks into the air. I enjoyed the evening at the home of a Rotary Club member – he and his wife invited me to watch the event from their home on the banks of the Danube.

On Sunday, the Fischerstechen parade and jousting tournament took place again. On Monday, the festivities continued with Schwörmontag, or Oath Monday, on which the mayor of Ulm traditionally makes a speech about Ulm and recites a centuries-old oath. Because of the rainy weather, the event took place inside the Münster instead of on the square outside the Schwörhaus. Ulmers filled the church to hear the mayor report on the events of the past year and to look to the future of the city.

That afternoon, Ulmers returned to the river. This time, they came prepared to get splashed. Nabada, a colorful, fun parade on the river, takes place every year. Clubs in the city prepare official floats that represent current political or city themes. Additionally, hundreds of individuals float down the river on homemade rafts or fun inflatables. The resulting image is one that I won’t soon forget. From bank to bank, the Danube was full of life and color. People tossed buckets full of water at other floats, all in fun. As Nabada wound down on the river, Ulm’s downtown came to life as the city-wide afterparty began. At dozens of squares and in cafes around the city, music played as the streets filled with party revelers.

Fischerstechen, the Lichterserenade, and Nabada represent the peak of summer festivities on the Danube River in Ulm. Even outside this window of celebrations, the Danube River thrums with the constant heartbeat of daily life in Ulm. From eating my lunch on the city wall to watching a pick-up soccer game as the sun set on the river, the Danube became the pulse of my experience in Ulm, too.

As always, thank you, New Ulm, and thank you, Sister Cities Commission, for your support of the Hans Joohs Exchange, which gives young people the opportunity to experience our sister-city, Ulm.

Herzliche Grüße, best wishes