The KRIENSER FASNACHT-JASS deck
In Switzerland the equivalent of
Carnival is called "Fasnacht" or "Fastnacht". Famous
is the "Basler Fasnacht" in the city of Basel, one of the few cities
in the world that has a protestant carnival and where the events
start in the week after Ash
Wednesday, a week later than in roman-catholic regions. People
stay up all night in bars and hotels, with traditional food like "Mehlsuppe"
and of course beer, wine and "Kaffeefertig", a brandy strenghtened
coffee, until the festivities start at 4.00 AM with the "Morgenstraich".
At 3.55 AM all the lights in the town are turned off and 5 minutes later the
marches on the central market square in the towncentre begin. Through the alleys
and small streets the "Cliquen" (carnival companies) in their
colourful outfits march with their bright shining lanterns, that show scenes
from the year that has passed, often a satirical view on politicians or other
VIP's. They are accompanied by traditional drum and flute music. It is called
"gässeln" and it goes on until late in the morning.
Between
1982 and 1992 their local game shop Brettspiel has published a total of 11
special designed decks as
Fasnacht decks. All these were printed by AG Müller, but each year a different
artist was asked to design the deck. An example? CLICK
HERE!
But in Kriens they celebrate the Fasnacht too and in 1988 a deck was designed and published by Léon Schnyder from Kriens. It was printed by AG Müller and published as "Krienser Fasnacht-Jass" or as it's in the local dialect "Chreinser Böögge-Albóm". All the courts show dressed-up figures from the carnival in Kriens, Switzerland. The deck has Swiss suitcolours and consists of 36 cards, like any Swiss Jass deck.
