Carnival/Tradition

Our new self-adhesive definitive stamps are dedicated to “Fasnacht”(meaning carnival), a tradition that is actively celebrated in Liechtenstein. “Fasnacht” comes from Middle High German and literally means the night before the start of Christian Lent. With these colorful stamps, we want to highlight this tradition that is typical of the region. Shortly after the turn of the year, many venues are decorated and the first masked balls and parades begin. One highlight is the international “Parade” (face value CHF 1.00) in Schaan with over 1,600 participants. In earlier times, on Fat Thursday, young people would try to lure housewives away from their “Soup pot” (face value CHF 1.20) and steal the pot or the roast. This custom is hardly practiced in Liechtenstein today.

On the other hand, the “Guggamusik” (face value CHF 1.90) is very popular. These are music groups in elaborate costumes who provide loud and eerily beautiful accompaniment to many events and organize big concerts. There are no limits to the imagination when it comes to costumes and “Masks” (face value CHF 2.50). Carnival newspapers such as “Wingertesel,” “Räbahobel,” and many more are also eagerly awaited, as they delight in poking fun at the misfortunes and funny incidents of the past year.