Start of Fifth Season in Germany 2025

Something funny and wild starts in Germany on November 11, 2025 at 11:11 a.m., namely the so called Fifth Season. In Germany there are also only four seasons, but they have their carnival season from November 11 until Ash Wednesday and to point out that this is one time of its own, they call it the “5. Jahreszeit” or in English: Fifth Season. In Germany’s biggest carnival cities like Cologne, a colorful feast starts and the most important part is the proclamation of the carnival prince and princess.

But even along the river Rhine there is not so much of carnival to see from November 12 until January 5. That is because November is a month or mourning and December a silent and thoughtful time - the opposite of traditional German carnival. So this might be called the Start of the Fifth Season but apart from that one day, carnival actually starts later. The most important days are Rose Monday and Mardi Gras.