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A Northern German Custom
2007-02-11 02:05 amI know I am at home when I am looking for a seat on the train and end up surrounded by a bunch of very drunken, and consequently very happy, people. You think that's strange? No, it's called a Kohlfahrt, a rather peculiar custom practised in Northern Germany.
The whole point of a Kohlfahrt is, as far as I can tell, to consume obscene amounts of rather potent alcoholic beverages. But I never participated in one, so there might be something that escaped my notice.
And because most people I met in Leipzig never heard of it, I am going to explain what a Kohlfahrt is. Mainly because I think the translation of the word itself (kale+trip) is not helpful at all.
A Kohlfahrt takes place during the winter, and the participants are travelling to an inn, where they are going to eat Grünkohl/Braunkohl (kale) and some sort of meat. Accompanied by a bit of alcohol of course. But before you do that, you have to reach the inn. And because it's cold outside and because you play games (but not always) on the way, people drink a lot of alcohol "to keep warm".
Why the kale? Where did they get the idea? I don't know. I don't think anyone does. I tried to reseach it but there does not seem to be much of an explanation for it.
It does, however, make a good excuse to get very drunk.
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aldebaran1977's comment!
The whole point of a Kohlfahrt is, as far as I can tell, to consume obscene amounts of rather potent alcoholic beverages. But I never participated in one, so there might be something that escaped my notice.
And because most people I met in Leipzig never heard of it, I am going to explain what a Kohlfahrt is. Mainly because I think the translation of the word itself (kale+trip) is not helpful at all.
A Kohlfahrt takes place during the winter, and the participants are travelling to an inn, where they are going to eat Grünkohl/Braunkohl (kale) and some sort of meat. Accompanied by a bit of alcohol of course. But before you do that, you have to reach the inn. And because it's cold outside and because you play games (but not always) on the way, people drink a lot of alcohol "to keep warm".
Why the kale? Where did they get the idea? I don't know. I don't think anyone does. I tried to reseach it but there does not seem to be much of an explanation for it.
It does, however, make a good excuse to get very drunk.
Edit: For more information read
aldebaran1977's comment!
