'We've Lost Half The Group!' Swiss Abroad Visit The Carnival In Basel

(MENAFN- Swissinfo) This week, members of the Swiss Club of Strasbourg travelled to Basel for the opening of the city's annual carnival. A story of getting lost, getting hungry, and almost getting crushed – while never losing the cheery vibes. This content was published on March 14, 2025 - 10:59 7 minutes

I write about political developments and social issues that are relevant for the Swiss Abroad. As part of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation's "dialogue" project, I further aim to encourage multilingual debates between the Swiss Abroad and people living in Switzerland. After graduating from the MAZ School of Journalism, I worked as a program director at a local radio station in Basel and reported on political, economic, social and cultural topics. I have been working for SWI swissinfo since 2023.

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Monday morning, 3am, at Basel train station. Normally, at this time, an early riser should only expect to meet a handful of other sleep-deprived night owls; but today, March 10, she meets a full-on human migratory movement.

With each train that arrives, a fresh wave of people is unloaded into the station, all of them joining the stream heading towards the city centre – hundreds of people, all with the same goal.

This morning, Basel's“Fasnacht”, or carnival, is starting at 4am sharp with the kick-off event known as Morgestraich. The“three most glorious days” of the year are to follow, the local population likes to say. Three days of time-out from normality, of drums and piccolos, of viewing world events through the sarcastic lens of carnival.

For those who find it all too much, the only option is to flee to quieter climes – away from Basel.

At the train station, a group of ten people have gathered at a slight distance from the throng of visitors:“Club Suisse de Strasbourg” – the Swiss Club of Strasbourg – is written on their laminated A4 sheet.

Even active carnival revellers record the Morgestraich on their mobile phones. Keystone / Georgios Kefalas

“We caught the train at 1.40am to get here on time,” says Sébastien Oberlé, the club's president. It's the second time since 2023 that the group has invited members to attend Switzerland's biggest carnival, which was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2017.“We couldn't wait to come to Basel again,” Oberlé says.

'Be as you want'

Wrapped in an olive-green winter coat, a rucksack over his shoulder, Oberlé's attire for the day's outing is only missing one final touch: the Blaggedde!

It's not hard to find one of these brooch-type pins, which are re-designed every year to match the carnival's theme. Carnival groups and Blaggedde-selling street vendors have strategically positioned themselves at five places in the station's main hall so that it's impossible not to see – and, above all, to hear – them.

The proceeds from sales are used to fund the musical groups who march in the carnival's parades. Anyone not wearing a brooch runs the risk of punishment – indignant stares, or a shower of confetti.

The figure on this year's“Blaggedde” combines traditional Basel costumes and paraphernalia. Fasnachts-Comité

This year's brooch shows a character combining elements of several different traditional costumes and carnival knick-knacks – true to the motto of this year's edition,“be as you want”. The slogan“takes up current discussions about people's right to self-determination and related gender debates”, write the organisers.

Swiss culture at heart

By 3:30am, carnival brooches now adorn one or two of the jackets of the Strasbourg crew. It's time to join the streams heading towards the city. The closer they get to the centre, the more crowded it becomes. The relatively mild temperatures of 8°C seem to have pulled even more people out of bed than usual.

The Swiss and French people who have travelled here from Strasbourg (“everyone is welcome, whether Swiss or not,” says Oberlé) decide to wait for the Morgestraich at the fountain dedicated to Swiss artist Jean Tinguely, just as they did last time they came.

Among them is Marie-Rose Gaudin-Macabre. She is responsible for communications at the association, and for organising today's outing – just as she was two years ago.

“These excursions are important for me to maintain a connection with Switzerland,” says Gaudin-Macabre. Thanks to the proximity of Strasbourg and Basel, she can show members that Switzerland is easy to reach – the country is hardly a million miles away.

Oberlé sees things similarly.“We try to maintain regular contact with the culture and life in Switzerland and keep the country close to our hearts,” he says. Association members appreciate the connection too.“A few years ago, we wanted to travel regularly by bus to Swiss cities and visit museums. But unfortunately that became a bit pricey, so we do smaller things now, like the Morgestraich.”

“Small”, that is, in terms of effort and cost. However, to describe the Basel Fasnacht as“small” would probably be more offensive to the locals than turning up without your Blaggedde.

Morgestraich onwards, march!

At 3.59am, thousands of voices suddenly fall silent. Nervous anticipation spreads. It's time. Mobile phones are pulled out. And when all the lights in the city centre go out, at 4am sharp, and the revellers set off on the first parade, a collective sigh of relief goes through the crowd. Somewhere clapping can be heard, but most people do the same as the group from Strasbourg: simply stand still and let the spectacle carry them away.

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