Frank Nechvatal
Our German Club celebrated Fasching at our January meeting. It was a potluck dinner with plenty of beads, masks, and a few costumes. Fasching, or Fastnacht in Germany, is the equal of Mardi Gras in France and in New Orleans in the United States. This celebration marks the beginning of Lent. This originated in the Catholic Church and was marked as a period of revelry for people to cut loose before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Lent symbolically represents the 40 days Jesus went off into the desert alone. He fasted during his journey and prepared himself to enter Jerusalem at the time of the Passover celebration. He knew that he would offer himself up to be executed on the Cross to atone for the sins of humankind. Typically, Christians do some sort of fasting during these 40 days prior to the Easter celebration.
Our Fasching potluck was a fun time. We thank the members who brought entrees, desserts, and other goodies.
Auf wiedersehen