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| Format | Journal Article |
|---|---|
| Author, Analytic | Bungert, Heike |
| Title, Analytic | 'Feast of Fools': German-American Carnival as a Medium of Identity Formation, 1854-1914 |
| Journal Title | Amerikastudien / American Studies |
| Date of Publication | Winter 2003 |
| Volume ID | 48 |
| Issue ID | 3 |
| Location in Work | 325-344 |
| Abstract | German-American clubs and socities introduced distinctly German forms of Karneval in the mid-nineteenth century. These festivals were marked by masking, dancing, the joint singing of songs, promenades, and the presentation of satirical speeches or plays, and they helped to foster a sense of community and ethnic identity. Themes of carnival events increasingly revolved around life in the United States and often alluded to political or economic situations, either in a humorous or patriotic vein. Bungert provides a theoretical introduction on the concepts of festivals and carnival, describes various masked balls and carnival sessions, examines the role of money and prestige, describes how German-American carnival grew in attendance and complexity beginning in the 1880s, and reveals how the German-American press viewed the events. |
| Notes | Sonderdruck. Includes bibliographical notes. Donated by Heike Bungert. |
| Call Number | MKI P2011-15 |
| MKI Terms | German Americans/ 19th century/ 20th century/ Ethnic identity/ Festivals/ Societies, etc./ German-American press/ Social life and customs |